Thursday, April 09, 2009

Holy Thursday 2009 - The Easter Triduum


Daily Lent Prayer
"Lord, open my lips, and my mouth shall declare your praise."
Opening Prayer
God our Father,
we are gathered here to share in the supper
which your only Son left to his Church to reveal his love.

He gave it to us when he was about to die
and commanded us to celebrate it as the new and eternal sacrifice.

We pray that in the Eucharist
we may find the fullness of love and life.

Grant this through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son,
who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit
one God, for ever and ever.


Daily Meditation
Holy Thursday is one of the truly marvelous days in our faith community.
We celebrate the gift of the love of Jesus,
given to us for our nourishment -
given to us as an example of self-less love.

In our prayer today, we let our Lord wash our feet - love us unconditionally -
and we let Jesus be broken and given for us.
We pray that we might be faithful to the one commandment of Jesus -
that we might love others in the same way that we have been loved.

Where charity and love are found,
there is God.
Holy Thursday Antiphon.


Intercessions
The Father anointed Christ with the Holy Spirit
to proclaim forgiveness to those in bondage.

Let us humbly call upon the eternal priest:
Lord, have mercy on us.

You went up to Jerusalem to suffer and so enter into your glory,
- bring your Church to the Passover feast of heaven.

You were lifted high on the cross and pierced by the soldier's lance,
- heal our wounds.

You made the cross the tree of life,
- give its fruit to those reborn in baptism.

On the cross you forgave the repentant thief,
- forgive us our sins.


Closing Prayer
Loving Provider,
you gather me in this upper room with your son,
to be fed by your love.

At that supper, Jesus told us to "love one another"
and I know that is the heart of his gift,
his sacrifice for me.

I ask that I might find the source of my own heart,
the meaning for my own life,
in that Eucharist.

Guide me to the fullness of your love and life.