Maundy Thursday

[msethsmile]

Maundy--from latin--mandate. What mandate?

That last nite Christ said, "Love one another as I have loved you."--as He washed their feet. He gave them all that He had. Where there is forgiveness of sins there is eternal life. Despite their (our) sinfulness. In eternity, before the formation of the world, God knew of their (our) rebellious nature and provided a cure--Christ. The totality of time and man's rejection of God (man always has a better idea--oops--error in the system) are met in Maundy Thursday, Good Friday and Easter.

We don't do the above so well, which makes it all the more striking. A famous monk once died. Urban legend says that in his pocket was a note: "I am a beggar." In the eyes of God--so true. Spiritual reality. And yet, God places an extremely high value on these beggars--Christ's blood. Why does God do this? Because of who He is. God is love.---

"The LORD, the LORD, the compassionate and gracious God, slow to anger, abounding in love and faithfulness, maintaining love to thousands, and forgiving wickedness, rebellion and sin." Exodus 34:6ff

There's the mandate.

[msethsmile]

by Friedrich C. Heyder, 1677-1754



REFRAIN:
Lord, may Thy body and Thy blood
Be for my soul the highest good!


3. Unworthy though I am, O Savior,
Because I have a sinful heart,
Yet Thou Thy lamb wilt banish never
For Thou my faithful Shepherd art!


5. Thy heart is filled with fervent yearning
That sinners may salvation see
Who, Lord, to Thee in faith are turning;
So I, a sinner, come to Thee.


13. Who can condemn me now? For surely
The Lord is nigh, who justifies.
No hell I fear, and thus securely,
With Jesus I to heaven rise.


14. Though death may threaten with disaster,
It cannot rob me of my cheer;
For He who is of death the Master
With aid and comfort e'er is near.


15. My heart has now become Thy dwelling,
O blessed Holy Trinity.
With angels I, Thy praises telling,
Shall live in joy eternally.


Text: 1 Cor. 11:28

[sdbrison]

Litany for Good Friday — 1938

Lord, have mercy.
Christ, have mercy.
Lord, have mercy.
Christ, hear us.
Christ, graciously hear us.
God the Father in heaven
Have mercy on us.
God the Son, Redeemer of the world
Have mercy on us.
God the Holy Ghost
Have mercy on us.
Holy Trinity, one God
Have mercy on us.

By Thy Suffering and Death —
By the hurt of Judas’ treachery
By the pain of Peter’s denial
By the sweat of blood
By the agony of soul
By the robe of purple and the crown of thorn
By the bite of the whip and the lash of the scourge
By the Way of the Cross
By the nails and thirst
By the blood that stained the Holy Rood
By the travail of Thy soul By the riven vine and the trodden winepress
By Thy expiring cry
By Thy triumph in death
O dying Redeemer, hear us.

From hardness of heart and darkness of soul —
From coldness of mind
From trampling Thy blood on the way of sin
From driving the nails again
From crucifying Thee anew
From forgetfulness of Thy great sorrow
From the loneliness of life without Thee
From greed and ambition
From the lust of the eye and the pride of life
From the burden of remembered sin
From the cunning of men
From the confusion of ignorance
From hate
From a jealous heart
From the last sin of unbelief
O living Redeemer, deliver us.

For the heart of man today, afraid —
For the sick of body to ease their pain
For the sick of mind to lighten their gloom
For the sick of soul to bring them forgiveness
For them who weep alone
For Thy Life in every broken heart
For the soul that knows not Thee
For all who make known Thy way upon earth
For all who love Thy Holy Name
For all Thy Church in all the world —
Thou King of Principalities and Powers, of Thrones and Domin ions
Thou Lord of Cherubim and Seraphim, of angels and archangels
Thou Prince of Peace and Glory, of Kingdoms and Empires
O dying and living Redeemer, hear us.