Introit

Kyrie

 

Gloria

 

Collect

O God, who have called us to participate
in this most sacred Supper,
in which your Only Begotten Son,
when about to hand himself over to death,
entrusted to the Church a sacrifice new for all eternity,
the banquet of his love,
grant, we pray,
that we may draw from so great a mystery,
the fullness of charity and of life.
Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son,
who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit,
God, for ever and ever

First Reading  Ex 12:1-8, 11-14

The Lord said to Moses and Aaron in the land of Egypt: 2 This month shall mark for you the beginning of months; it shall be the first month of the year for you. 3 Tell the whole congregation of Israel that on the tenth of this month they are to take a lamb for each family, a lamb for each household. 4 If a household is too small for a whole lamb, it shall join its closest neighbour in obtaining one; the lamb shall be divided in proportion to the number of people who eat of it. 5 Your lamb shall be without blemish, a year-old male; you may take it from the sheep or from the goats. 6 You shall keep it until the fourteenth day of this month; then the whole assembled congregation of Israel shall slaughter it at twilight. 7 They shall take some of the blood and put it on the two doorposts and the lintel of the houses in which they eat it. 8 They shall eat the lamb that same night; they shall eat it roasted over the fire with unleavened bread and bitter herbs. 11 This is how you shall eat it: your loins girded, your sandals on your feet, and your staff in your hand; and you shall eat it hurriedly. It is the Passover of the Lord. 12 For I will pass through the land of Egypt that night, and I will strike down every firstborn in the land of Egypt, both human beings and animals; on all the gods of Egypt I will execute judgments: I am the Lord. The blood shall be a sign for you on the houses where you live: when I see the blood, I will pass over you, and no plague shall destroy you when I strike the land of Egypt. 14 This day shall be a day of remembrance for you. You shall celebrate it as a festival to the Lord; throughout your generations you shall observe it as a perpetual ordinance.

Responsorial Psalm  Ps 116:12-13, 15-16bc, 17-18

R/. Our blessing-cup is a communion with the Blood of Christ.

Second Reading 1 Cor 11:23-26

Beloved: 23 I received from the Lord what I also handed on to you, that the Lord Jesus on the night when he was betrayed took a loaf of bread, 24 and when he had given thanks, he broke it and said, “This is my body that is for you. Do this in remembrance of me.” In the same way he took the cup also, after supper, saying, “This cup is the new covenant in my blood. Do this, as often as you drink it, in remembrance of me.” 26 For as often as you eat this bread and drink the cup, you proclaim the Lord’s death until he comes.

Verse Before the Gospel  Jn 13:34

Gospel Jn 13:1-15

Now before the festival of the Passover, Jesus knew that his hour had come to depart from this world and go to the Father. Having loved his own who were in the world, he loved them to the end. 2 The devil had already put it into the heart of Judas, son of Simon Iscariot, to betray him. And during supper 3 Jesus, knowing that the Father had given all things into his hands, and that he had come from God and was going to God, 4 got up from the table, took off his outer robe, and tied a towel around himself. 5 Then he poured water into a basin and began to wash the disciples’ feet and to wipe them with the towel that was tied around him. 6 He came to Simon Peter, who said to him, “Lord, are you going to wash my feet?” 7 Jesus answered, “You do not know now what I am doing, but later you will understand.” 8 Peter said to him, “You will never wash my feet.” Jesus answered, “Unless I wash you, you have no share with me.” 9 Simon Peter said to him, “Lord, not my feet only but also my hands and my head!” 10 Jesus said to him, “One who has bathed does not need to wash, except for the feet, but is entirely clean. And you are clean, though not all of you.” 11 For he knew who was to betray him; for this reason he said, “Not all of you are clean.” 12 After he had washed their feet, put on his robe, and returned to the table, Jesus said to them, “Do you know what I have done to you? 13 You call me Teacher and Lord— and you are right, for that is what I am. 14 So if I, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also ought to wash one another’s feet. 15 For I have set you an example, that you also should do as I have done to you.”

Catena Nova (These are offered for reflection during adoration of the Blessed Sacrament before the Respository)

I understand that, each time we contemplate with desire and devotion the Host in which is hidden Christ’s Eucharistic Body, we increase our merits in heaven and secure special joys to be ours later in the beatific vision of God. (St. Gertrude the Great)

Jesus Christ, who opposes good to evil, is our true Mother. We have our being from Him, where the foundation of motherhood begins, with all the sweet protection of love which endlessly follows. As truly as God is our Father, so truly is God our Mother. … Our true Mother Jesus bears us for joy and for endless life, blessed may He be. … Our precious Mother Jesus can feed us with Himself, and does, most courteously and most tenderly, with the Blessed Sacrament, which is the precious food of true life. (Julian of Norwich)

I desire but this one grace, and long to be consumed like a burning candle in His holy Presence every moment of the life that remains to me… and to acknowledge that burning love He shows us in this wonderful Sacrament. Here His love holds Him captive till the end of time. It is of this one can truly say, “Love triumphs, love enjoys, Love finds in God its joys.” (St. Margaret Mary Alacoque)

There is a mystery, the greatest of all mysteries – not that my adored Lord is in the Blessed Sacrament of the Altar – His word has said it, and what so simple as to take that word which is truth itself? – but that souls of His own creation, whom He gave His life to save, who are endowed with His choicest gifts in all things else, should remain blind, insensible, and deprived of that light without which every other blessing is unavailing! (St. Elizabeth Ann Seton)

Go and find Him when your patience and strength run out and you feel alone and helpless.  Jesus is waiting for you in the chapel.  Say to Him, ‘Jesus, you know exactly what is going on. You are all I have, and you know all things. Come to my help.’  And then go, and don’t worry about how you are going to manage.  That you have told God about it is enough.  He has a good memory. (St. Jeanne Jugan)

The Lord is present in the tabernacle in his divinity and in his humanity. He is not present for his own sake but for ours: it is his delight to be with the ‘children of men.’ He knows, too, that, being what we are, we need his personal nearness. In consequence, every thoughtful and sensitive person will feel attracted and will be there as often and as long as possible. And the practice of the Church, which has instituted perpetual adoration, is just as clear. (St. Teresa Benedicta of the Cross)

Our silence demands of us constant self-denial and plunges us into the deep silence of God where aloneness with God becomes a reality. The Word of God is speechless today. In the Eucharist his silence is the highest and the truest praise of the Father. We need silence to be alone with God, to speak to him, to listen to him, to ponder his words deep in our hearts. In silence we are filled with the energy of God himself that makes us do all things with joy. The fruit of silence is prayer, the fruit of prayer is faith, the fruit of faith is love, and the fruit of love is service. To be only all for Jesus we need a deep life of prayer. How do we learn to pray? By praying.  Let us adore Jesus in the Eucharistic silence. Souls of prayer are souls of great silence. We must endeavor to live alone with Jesus in the sanctuary of our inmost heart. In reality there is only one substantial prayer, Christ himself. One voice which unites in itself all the voices raised in prayer. (St. Teresa of Calcutta)

(There is no homily)

Intercessions (Joe Milner; The Sunday Website)

For the Church: that we may live like Jesus and spend our lives in loving service, washing the feet, carrying the burdens, and comforting the brokenness of one another.

For all who are gathered here: that through our sharing in the Body and Blood of Christ, we may more fully become the Body of Christ and give faithful witness until Christ comes again.

For our brothers who are priests: that they may be strengthened and renewed by God’s love, and following the example of Jesus, the great High Priest, faithfully lead us in prayer, the pursuit of the truth, and in offering service.

For those who have nothing to eat, who are being persecuted, or who feel abandoned this night: that God will fill their emptiness, renew their spirit, and grant them peace of mind and heart.

For all who have been betrayed, abused, or tortured: that God will heal their pain, give them hope and help them to trust again.

For the sick, for those approaching death, and for those with mental illness: that God will send an angel to comfort and strengthen them and give them peace.

For refugees and displaced persons: that God will guide them to safety, provide for their needs, heal their wounds, and lead them to a welcoming community.

For peace: that all may hear Jesus’ command to put away their swords, pursue the welfare of their neighbors, and cooperate for the good of one another.

O God, in the fullness of time you revealed your love  in Jesus the Lord.  On the eve of his death, as a sign of your covenant ,he washed the feet of his disciples and gave himself as food and drink. Give us life at this sacred banquet and joy in humble service, that, bound to Christ in all things, we may pass over from this world to your kingdom,  where he lives with you now and always in the unity of the Holy Spirit, God for ever and ever. Amen. (ICEL; 1998)

Offertory Antiphon

Offertory Motet (Thomas Tallis)

 

Verily, verily I say unto you,
except ye eat the flesh of the Son of Man
and drink His blood, ye have not life in you.
Whoso eateth my flesh and drinketh my blood hath eternal life,
and I will raise him up at the last day (bis)
For my flesh is meat indeed, and my blood is drink indeed.
He that eateth my flesh and drinketh my blood
dwelleth in me, and I in him.

Communion Antiphon

Procession to the Repository or Closing Hymn

 

Now, my tongue, the mystery telling of the glorious Body sing, and the Blood, all price excelling, which the Gentiles' Lord and King, in a Virgin's womb once dwelling, shed for this world's ransoming.

Given for us, and condescending, to be born for us below, he, with men in converse blending, dwelt the seed of truth to sow, till he closed with wondrous ending his most patient life of woe.

That last night, at supper lying, 'mid the twelve, his chosen band, Jesus, with the law complying, keeps the feast its rites demand; then, more precious food supplying, gives himself with his own hand.

Word-made-flesh true bread he maketh by his word his Flesh to be; wine his Blood; which whoso taketh must from carnal thoughts be free; faith alone, though sight forsaketh, shows true hearts the mystery.

Reposition of the Blessed Sacrament