Holy Thursday
Evening Mass of the Lord’s Supper
THURSDAY, APRIL 9, 2020
5:30 PM
QUEEN OF PEACE CATHOLIC PARISH
The Evening Mass of the Lord’s Supper celebrates the Mystery of the Cenacle looking towards the Cross and the Resurrection. Jesus institutes the memorial of his Passion as the Church makes present His same words of institution, his gestures of love and his Eucharist. The Most Holy Eucharist is the beginning of the Easter triduum and the fulfillment of the Last Supper.
“For the sake of suffering humanity, he came down from heaven to earth, clothed himself in that humanity in the Virgin's womb, and was born a man. Having then a body capable of suffering, he took the pain of fallen man upon himself; he triumphed over the diseases of soul and body that were its cause, and by his Spirit, which was incapable of dying, he dealt man's destroyer, death, a fatal blow. He was led forth like a lamb; he was slaughtered like a sheep. He ransomed us from our servitude to the world, as he had ransomed Israel from the land of Egypt; he freed us from our slavery to the devil, as he had freed Israel from the hand of Pharaoh. He is the One who covered death with shame and cast the devil into mourning, as Moses cast Pharaoh into mourning. He is the One who smote sin and robbed iniquity of offspring, as Moses robbed the Egyptians of their offspring. He is the One who brought us out of slavery into freedom, out of darkness into light, out of death into life, out of tyranny into an eternal kingdom, who made us a new priesthood, a people chosen to be his own forever. He is the Passover that is our salvation.”
From an Easter homily by Saint Melito of Sardis, bishop of the 2nd century.
Entrance Rite
Processional Hymn
Jesu, Joy of Man’s Desiring
Jesu, joy of our desiring,Holy wisdom, love most bright;
Drawn by Thee, our souls aspiring Soar to uncreated light.
Word of God, our flesh that fashioned, With the fire of life impassioned,
Striving still to truth unknown, Soaring, dying round Thy throne.
Through the way where hope is guiding, Hark, what peaceful music rings;
Where the flock, in Thee confiding, Drink of joy from deathless springs.
Theirs is beauty’s fairest pleasure; Theirs is wisdom’s holiest treasure.
Thou dost ever lead Thine own in the love of joys unknown.
GLORIA
Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace to people of good will. We praise you, we bless you, we adore you, we glorify you, we give you thanks for your great glory, Lord God, heavenly King, O God, almighty Father. Lord Jesus Christ, Only Begotten Son, Lord God, Lamb of God, Son of the Father, you take away the sins of the world, have mercy on us; you take away the sins of the world, receive our prayer; you are seated at the right hand of the Father, have mercy on us. For you alone are the Holy One, you alone are the Lord, you alone are the Most High, Jesus Christ, With the Holy Spirit, In the glory of God the Father. Amen.
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 who lives and reigns for ever and ever. Amen.
Liturgy of the Word
First Reading
Exodus 12: 1-8, 11-14
A reading from the Book of Exodus
The LORD said to Moses and Aaron in the land of Egypt,“This month shall stand at the head of your calendar;you shall reckon it the first month of the year.Tell the whole community of Israel: On the tenth of this month every one of your families must procure for itself a lamb, one apiece for each household.If a family is too small for a whole lamb,it shall join the nearest household in procuring one and shall share in the lamb in proportion to the number of persons who partake of it.The lamb must be a year-old male and without blemish.You may take it from either the sheep or the goats.You shall keep it until the fourteenth day of this month,and then, with the whole assembly of Israel present, it shall be slaughtered during the evening twilight.They shall take some of its blood and apply it to the two doorposts and the lintel of every house in which they partake of the lamb.That same night they shall eat its roasted flesh with unleavened bread and bitter herbs.
“This is how you are to eat it:with your loins girt, sandals on your feet and your staff in hand,you shall eat like those who are in flight.It is the Passover of the LORD. For on this same night I will go through Egypt,striking down every firstborn of the land, both man and beast,and executing judgment on all the gods of Egypt—I, the LORD! But the blood will mark the houses where you are.Seeing the blood, I will pass over you;thus, when I strike the land of Egypt,no destructive blow will come upon you.
“This day shall be a memorial feast for you,which all your generations shall celebrate with pilgrimage to the LORD, as a perpetual institution.”
The Word of the Lord. R. Thanks be to God.
Responsorial Psalm
Psalm 116
R. Our blessing-cup is a communion with the Blood of Christ. How shall I make a return to the LORD for all the good he has done for me?The cup of salvation I will take up, and I will call upon the name of the LORD.
R. Our blessing-cup is a communion with the Blood of Christ. Precious in the eyes of the LORD is the death of his faithful ones.I am your servant, the son of your handmaid; you have loosed my bonds.
R. Our blessing-cup is a communion with the Blood of Christ. To you will I offer sacrifice of thanksgiving,and I will call upon the name of the LORD.My vows to the LORD I will pay in the presence of all his people.
R. Our blessing-cup is a communion with the Blood of Christ.
Second Reading
1 Corinthians 11:23-26
A reading from the first letter to the Corinthians:
Brothers and sisters:I received from the Lord what I also handed on to you,that the Lord Jesus, on the night he was handed over,took bread, and, after he had given thanks,broke it and said, “This is my body that is for you.Do this in remembrance of me.”In the same way also the cup, after supper, saying, “This cup is the new covenant in my blood.Do this, as often as you drink it, in remembrance of me.”For as often as you eat this bread and drink the cup,you proclaim the death of the Lord until he comes.
The Word of the Lord.R. Thanks be to God.
Gospel Acclamation
I give you a new commandment, says the Lord: Love one another as I have loved you.
Gospel
John 13: 1-15
P. The Lord be with you.R. And with your spirit.P. A Reading from the Gospel according to John.R. Glory to You, O Lord.
Before the feast of Passover, Jesus knew that his hour had come to pass from this world to the Father. He loved his own in the world and he loved them to the end.The devil had already induced Judas, son of Simon the Iscariot, to hand him over. So, during supper,fully aware that the Father had put everything into his power and that he had come from God and was returning to God, he rose from supper and took off his outer garments.He took a towel and tied it around his waist.Then he poured water into a basin and began to wash the disciples’ feet and dry them with the towel around his waist. He came to Simon Peter, who said to him,“Master, are you going to wash my feet?” Jesus answered and said to him, “What I am doing, you do not understand now,but you will understand later.”Peter said to him, “You will never wash my feet.” Jesus answered him,“Unless I wash you, you will have no inheritance with me.”Simon Peter said to him,“Master, then not only my feet, but my hands and head as well.” Jesus said to him,“Whoever has bathed has no need except to have his feet washed, for he is clean all over;so you are clean, but not all. ”For he knew who would betray him;for this reason, he said, “Not all of you are clean.”
So when he had washed their feet and put his garments back on and reclined at table again,he said to them, “Do you realize what I have done for you?You call me ‘teacher’ and ‘master,’ and rightly so, for indeed I am.If I, therefore, the master and teacher, have washed your feet,you ought to wash one another’s feet.I have given you a model to follow,so that as I have done for you, you should also do.”
The Gospel of the Lord.R. Praise to You, Lord Jesus Christ.
Washing of the Feet
The Washing of the Feet is omitted this year, to comply with the social distancing protocols that help to stop the spread of COVID-19.
Why do we see the priest washing the feet of twelve people?
Pope Benedict XVI calls this moment, the moment of transformation. He says “This is the moment where we step outside the limitations of our imperfect humanity and through His grace, break through the divine!” So Jesus takes out his outer garment, ties a towel to his waist and in total humility, washes their feet. To understand the significance of this act, we need to know that back then, when a person was hosting a fine gathering, he would have a slave ready to wash the feet of his guests as they come in. This was a sign to welcome them, and to clean them up. It was a dirty task performed by a slave who had no dignity. So in an act of total surrender, our Lord Jesus Christ, the King of kings, the Lord of the Universe, kneels down before each of his disciples, leaving his dignity on the side. He descended to the lowest position to cleanse us, in order to make us fit to be one with God. He showed us what God’s love is really like. He gave himself to us as a servant, with no reservations, He emptied Himself completely. This is the gift of fraternal love. Today, we are invited to reflect on what it means to love to the end. We are reminded that Christ’s love empowers us to love each other in the same way and step outside of our imperfect humanity to break through the divine.
Liturgy of the Eucharist
Offertory Hymn
Ubi Caritas
Refrain: Ubi caritas est vera, est vera; Deus ibi est, Deus ibi est
The love of Christ joins us together Let us rejoice in him, and in our love and care for all now love God in return.
Refrain
In true communion let us gather May all divisions cease and in their place be Christ the Lord, our risen Prince of Peace.
Refrain
May we who gather at this table to share the bread of life become a sacrament of love, your healing touch, O Christ.
Refrain
Prayer over the Gifts
Grant us, o Lord, we pray, that we may participate worthily in these mysteries, for whenever the memorial of this sacrifice is celebrated the work of our redemption is accomplished. Through Christ our Lord. Amen.
Act of Spiritual Communion
My Jesus, I believe that You are present in the Most Holy Sacrament. I love You above all things, and I desire to receive You into my soul. Since I cannot at this moment receive You sacramentally, come at least spiritually into my heart. I embrace You as if You were already there and unite myself wholly to You. Never permit me to be separated from You. Amen.
Communion Hymn
Lord, Who at Thy First Eucharist
Lord, who at thy first Eucharist did pray
That all thy Church might be forever one,
Grant us at every Eucharist to say
With longing heart and soul, “Thy will be done.”
O may we all one bread, one body be,
Through this blest Sacrament of Unity.
At that first Eucharist before you died,
O Lord, you prayed that all be one in you;
At this our Eucharist again preside,
And in our hearts your law of love renew.
O may we all one bread, one body be,
Through this blest Sacrament of Unity.
For all thy Church, O Lord, we intercede;
Make thou our sad divisions soon to cease;
Draw us the nearer each to each, we plead,
By drawing all to thee, O Prince of Peace;
Thus may we all one bread, one body be,
Through this blest Sacrament of Unity.
Prayer after Communion:
Great almighty God, that just as we are renewed by the Supper of your Son on this present age, so we may enjoy his banquet for all eternity . Who lives and reigns forever and ever. Amen. The priest walks in a short procession with Jesus in the Blessed Sacrament to the Tabernacle. All kneel in prayer during the procession and pray in adoration to the Lord for the sick and their caregivers, and for the end of the Coronavirus pandemic. Please, stay in adoration before the Lord in the Blessed Sacrament.
Transfer of the Holy Eucharist
Tomorrow we will have Stations of the Cross at 3pm and the Celebration of the Passion of the Lord at 5:30 pm in English and 8:00 pm in Spanish. Easter Vigil on Saturday is at 8:15 pm. Easter Sunday Mass at 10am in English and at 12pm in Spanish.