Celtic Daily Prayer, ppg. 248-267, Harper One 2002

Approaching Easter
FOOT WASHING
This is particularly appropriate for Maundy Thursday. A towel, some soap and a basin are needed - perhaps several of each. 'The Basin and the Towel' and 'Let me be your Servant' may be said or sung all together, or said with a different reader for each verse. All say together the words in bold type.
Jesus said,
'A new commandment I give to you,
that you love one another, as I have loved you.'
THE BASIN AND THE TOWEL
In an upstairs room a parable
is just about to come alive;
and while they bicker about who's best
with a painful glance He'll silently rise.
Their Saviour-servant must show them how,
through the will of the water
and the tenderness of the towel.
And the call is to community,
the impoverished power that sets the soul free
in humility to take the vow
that day after day
we must take up the basin and the towel.
In any ordinary place,
on any ordinary day,
the parable can live again
when one will kneel and one will yield.
Our Saviour-servant must show us how,
through the will of the water
and the tenderness of the towel.
And the space between ourselves, sometimes, is more than the distance between the stars. By the fragile bridge of the servant's bow, we take up the basin and the towel.
And the call is to community
the impoverished power that sets the soul free
in humility to take the vow
that day after day
we must take up the basin:
and the call is to community;
and day after day
we must take up the basin and the towel.
Michael Card
I was dreaming that I was treading the streets of the Holy City, pottering about like a tourist. In my wandering I came upon the museum of that city of our dream. I went in, and a courteous attendant conducted me round. There was some old armour there, much bruised with battle. Many things were conspicuous by their absence. I saw nothing of Alexander's, nor of Napoleon's. There was no Pope's ring, nor even the ink-bottle that Luther is said to have thrown at the devil, nor Wesley's seal and keys. I saw a widow's mite and the feather of a little bird. I saw some swaddling clothes, a hammer, and three nails, and a few thorns. 1 saw a bit of a fishing-net and the broken oar of a boat. I saw a sponge that had once been dipped in vinegar, and a small piece of silver. But I cannot enumerate all I saw, nor describe all 1 felt. Whilst I was turning over a common drinking cup which had a very honourable place, I whispered to the attendant, 'Have you not got a towel and basin among your collection?' 'No,' he said, 'not
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here; you see they are in constant use.' Then I knew I was in Heaven, in the Holy City, and amid the redeemed society.
Knowing that He came from God and went to God
... Jesus took a towel and basin.
A. E. Whitham
LET ME BE YOUR SERVANT
In the following song 'Sister' or the name of the person addressed may be
inserted in place of 'Brother'.
Brother, let me be your servant, let me be as Christ to you. Pray that I may have the grace to let you be my servant, too.
We are pilgrims on a journey, and companions on the road. We are here to help each other walk the mile and bear the load.
I will hold the Christ-light for you in the night time of your fear. I will hold my hand out to you, speak the peace you long to hear.
I will weep when you are weeping; when you laugh I'll laugh with you. I will share your joy and sorrow, till we've seen this journey through.
When we sing to God in heaven we shall find such harmony, born of all we've known together of Christ's love and agony.
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Brother, let me be your servant, let me be as Christ to you. Pray that I may have the grace to let you be my servant, too.
Each in turn washes another person's feet, until all have participated. This is an informal time; songs may be sung, music played, coffee served!
THE WAY OF THE CROSS
At each point or station on the journey a reading is provided which acts as a narration. Following this is a prayer in which one phrase is repeated by everyone as a response.
T. JESUS IS CONDEMNED TO DEATH
His accusers brought many false charges against Jesus, but He spoke not a word in His own defence. 'Crucify him!' they shouted.
Pilate washed his hands, to show the decision was not his own, but he did not dare to side publicly with Jesus; instead, he was willing to content the people.
So Jesus was condemned to death.
Lord, when You were misunderstood,
You silently forgave;
but we so often respond in anger.
Lord, have mercy.
Lord, have mercy.
Lord, You gave us opportunity to choose Jesus, but for so long we have chosen the rebellion that demanded Your death. Lord, have mercy. Lord, have mercy.
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2. JESUS RECEIVES THE CROSS
Jesus was scourged. The whips cut His back until it was shredded and bathed in His blood. A crown of thorns was set upon His head in mockery. Then they returned His robe to Him, and brought Him to the cross on which He was to die.
Jesus embraced the cross, resting it painfully on the smarting wounds on His back.
Lord, You were scourged and wounded; You deserved no punishment, but were punished in our place. Thank You, Jesus. Thank You, Jesus.
When You were already hurting, You embraced the cross. Thank You, Jesus. Thank You, Jesus.
3. JESUS FALLS FOR THE FIRST TIME
Jesus had willingly embraced the cross, but His physical body was weak from lack of sleep, from the pressures of arrest and trial, and from torture and beating.
The spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak. Jesus said, Yes, but His body hesitated and He fell to His knees, determining to rise again even in His weakness.
Lord, You embraced and shouldered Your cross,
but Your body was weak.
Your Body still is weak:
Your people shrink from the weight of suffering.
In our weakness, Lord, let us pray:
Your will be done.
Your will be done.
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Jesus, You were first a carpenter:
build us into what You desire,
and secure every joint tightly,
that we may hold together.
Plane the rough surfaces of our relationships.
We are Your workmanship -
Your will be done.
Your will be done.
Jesus, You said 'YES' to the Father's will;
and only Your body hesitated.
May we, Your Body, no longer hesitate,
but follow You in Your obedience, saying:
Your will be done.
Your will be done.
4. JESUS IS MET BY HIS BLESSED MOTHER
As Jesus again shouldered the cross and bore its burden, He glanced ahead and saw His mother. He could not stop to talk, to explain, to gather her in His arms and comfort her. All His energy was being soaked into that cross.
Who are My mother and brothers? Those who do the will of My Father.
Not My will, Father, but Yours.
Lord, You had to leave the security
of home and family, twice.
You left Your Father to be a man with us,
and left Your human family to die for us.
You had to pray to Your Father:
My God, I trust in You.
My God, I trust in You.
Lord, when we leave all and follow You and it hurts those we love,
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help us to know that You have been there, too;
that no one leaves behind father, mother or loved one
but is more than rewarded in the end.
Help us to pray:
My God, I trust in You.
My God, I trust in You.
Lord, when Your cross pierces
our own desires,
and makes us call out,
let our cry be, through our pain:
My God, I trust in You.
My God, I trust in You.
5- THE CROSS IS LAID ON SIMON OF CYRENE
Simon carried the cross of Christ. At first it was just a tiresome and unwelcome task he was forced into by the soldiers; only later did he recognize his privilege in shouldering the burden of the One who made the worlds.
He was compelled to carry the cross part of the way for Jesus. Simon, himself a stranger, an outcast, often misunderstood, per¬haps identified with Jesus, and felt the gratitude of this Man above all men; and amid the pity Simon felt for Him, he felt a burning compassion flowing back to him from Jesus, a burning, life-changing love. Simon carried the cross of Christ.
As Simon took the weight of the cross from Jesus, You have taught us that we must bear one another's burdens, and so fulfil the law of Christ. May we carry Your cross. May we carry Your cross.
Simon was one just passing by,
but suddenly he was compelled to change direction,
and, with all his strength given
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to the carrying of the cross, pressed through the crowds to the Place of the Skull, Golgotha, Calvary.
Sweet Jesus, like Simon, may we carry Your cross. May we carry Your cross.
6. VERONICA WIPES THE FACE OF JESUS
An act of compassion. A woman called Veronica places a cool cloth upon His hot and tired face. He feels the coolness of the cloth, and the love with which it is offered. And through His pain He smiles - a smile never to be lost, never to be extinguished. She reaches out to touch His face, and He leans His head into her hands, within her reach.
Oh, blessed day! The Master touched her life, her heart, her outstretched hands. What faith! What lovely face! What timeless meeting ... O blessed Christ.
Christ of the human road, let us,
like Veronica, reach out to touch You,
and, sweet Christ,
show us Your lovely face.
Show us Your lovely face.
Legend or living person, Veronica, by example,
teaches us to be Your witness,
that others may gaze into Your loving eyes
and know Your smile.
Show us Your lovely face.
Show us Your lovely face.
As we see Your face by faith,
we learn to become like You, Lord Christ.
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That the world may see Your glory: show us Your lovely face. Show us Your lovely face.
7. JESUS FALLS THE SECOND TIME
The pain, the exhaustion, the love that drives Him on - but the cross is so heavy. Again He falls beneath the weight; and in bitter resolution - Thy will be done - and in fatigue, Jesus again drives Himself up against the cross, and carries it on towards the fateful Hill of Death.
Lord, some of us are never far from tears,
and some of us have forced ourselves not to cry.
Bring our tears into Your captivity and direction,
that they respond to Your voice.
You have the words of eternal life.
You have the words of eternal life.
Lord, You have the words of eternal life. You have the words of eternal life.
Will it never end? I'm not as sure as when I started. I never knew it would be like this. But this is my firm choice: Lord, I will go on with You. Lord, I will go on with You.
Lord, often I fall,
and the temptation is not to rise again
and continue with You.
When I fall and others watch and laugh,
or say, 'I told you so, you'll never make it,'
give me the strength to fulfil my promise:
Lord, I will go on with You.
Lord, I will go on with You.
8. JESUS MEETS THE WOMEN OF JERUSALEM
As Jesus continued, painfully stumbling along the road to Calvary, a group of women joined themselves to the procession, wailing in the manner normally considered appropriate for a funeral procession. But Jesus told them instead to cry out to God for themselves and their own children.
9. JESUS FALLS THE THIRD TIME
Jesus fell again. Oh God, how many times must I fall and pick up that cross again? As many as seven times? Or seventy times seven times? For ever; until this never-ending road is ended; until the impossible is completed, the unbearable borne through all eternity.
For the sake of My children, My sons, My loved ones, My bride, My people, 1 must go on. I will not, I must not, give up now. The way of sorrows, the way of pain, the way of self-renunciation, the way of My cross.
How long the road You came for us, Lord, with Your smarting burden! O Lord, Your love has no limits. Your love has no limits.
You picked up the weight of Your cross,
the weight of our sins.
We are Your burden, an overwhelming burden;
but that burden is sweet to You
because of the love You also bear to us,
an overwhelming love.
Your love has no limits.
Your love has no limits.
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Lord, I know You can forgive me: Your love has no limits. Your love has no limits.
1O. JESUS IS STRIPPED OF HIS GARMENTS
At the place of death the King of life is stripped of His clothes. Naked, He came into the world; naked, He is taken from the world. Vulnerable, exposed, God became man. He was a crying, helpless, dependent baby. Now, vulnerable, exposed, His heart, His life, His body all bared before the world, He will be hung up to be mocked. But God is not mocked - His very nakedness is a parable, a sacrament, a picture of the Father's hurting heart exposed in love to us.
Lord, You were stripped of the robes You wore,
but You were the same - it didn't change You.
Things meant little to You; You never hid behind them.
You showed us the Father's heart,
so open and broken:
may we be open to You, and to each other.
May we be open to You, and to each other.
Lord, for our sake You left the riches of heaven
and became poor.
You came within our reach.
May we be open to You, and to each other.
May we be open to You, and to each other.
You did not hold on to even the little You had left to call Your own. May we be open to You, and to each other. May we be open to You, and to each other.
The nakedness of God was exposed before the world. Lord, O lovely Christ,
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may we be open to You, and to each other. May we be open to You, and to each other.
No robe was left now upon Your tired shoulders,
just a crown of mockery on Your head.
You were still a King.
You loved, and won rejection and pain -
but still You loved.
May we be open to You, and to each other.
May we open to You, and to each other.
II. JESUS IS NAILED TO THE CROSS
The journey was at an end. Jesus was quickly thrown backward with His shoulders against the wood. The soldier felt for the depression at the front of the wrist; he drove a heavy, square, wrought-iron nail through the wrist and deep into the wood. Quickly, he moved to the other side and repeated the action, being careful not to pull the arms too tightly. The title 'Jesus of Nazareth, King of the Jews' was nailed into place, and the cross¬bar lifted into position. The left foot was pressed backward against the right foot. With both feet extended, toes down, a nail was driven through the arch of each, leaving the knees moderately flexed.
The victim was now crucified.
'Jesus of Nazareth, King of the Jews.'
He is our peace.
Jesus, our sin put the nails in Your hands. It was love that held You there. It was love that held You there.
Jesus, our sin put the nails in Your feet. It was love that held You there. It was love that held You there.
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The soldiers hoisted Your cross on high.
You were their prisoner;
but no one took Your life away from You.
You gave it willingly, freely.
It was love that held You there.
It was love that held You there.
You were lifted high upon that cross,
even as You had prophesied when You promised:
'I, if I be lifted up from the earth,
will draw all people to Me.'
It was love that held You there.
It was love that held You there.
12. JESUS DIES UPON THE CROSS
As Jesus slowly sagged down with more weight on the nails in the wrists, excruciating, fiery pain shot along the fingers and up the arms to explode in the brain. As He pushed Himself upward to avoid this stretching torment, He placed His full weight on the nail through His feet. Again there was searing agony as the nail tore through the nerves. As the arms fatigued, great waves of cramps swept over the muscles, knotting them in deep, relentless, throbbing pain. Jesus fought to raise Himself, in order to get even one short breath. 'Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do.'
To the thief dying at His side: Today thou shalt be with Me in Paradise.'
To His mother and His closest friend: 'Woman, behold thy son' - 'Behold thy mother.'
In the words of the psalm foretelling the death of Messiah, He cried: 'My God, why hast Thou forsaken Me?'
Father God, You waited through the long hours of agony, when He was robbed even
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of the sense of Your love, Your presence, when the sin and disease and hatred and darkness overwhelmed Him so greatly. He was wounded for my transgressions. He was wounded for my transgressions.
Father, what love is this of His?
What love is this of Yours
that His dying love reflects?
Your forgiveness for me,
as we gaze upon His sacrificial death,
is as truly an undeserved gift
as the pardon He spoke to the dying thief.
It is mine if I will only receive:
He was wounded for my transgressions.
He was wounded for my transgressions.
13. JESUS IS TAKEN FROM THE CROSS
Jesus could now feel the chill of death creeping through His tis¬sues. And with a loud voice He cried: 'It is finished.' His mission of atonement had been completed. Finally, He could allow His body to die. With one last surge of strength, He once again pressed His torn feet against the nail, straightened His legs, took a deeper breath, and uttered His seventh and last cry: 'Father, into Thy hands I commit My spirit.' A while later, the soldier pierced a long spear into the side of the dead man, to His heart. The watery fluid and blood that flowed out show us He had literally died of a broken heart - not the usual crucifixion death of suffocation. The friends of Jesus were allowed to remove His holy body, and for a moment his mother held Him again upon her lap, cradled in her arms.
Let Him sleep now. It is finished.
See from His head, His hands, His feet, sorrow and love flow mingled down !
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Did e'er such love and sorrow meet? or thorns compose so rich a crown? It was for me. It was for me.
Forbid it, Lord, that I should boast save in the death of Christ my God. All the vain things that charm me most, I sacrifice them to His blood: It was for me. It was for me.
14. JESUS IS LAID IN THE SEPULCHRE
Laid in a borrowed tomb, awaiting the sign of Jonah
- the only sign that would be given to His generation
- that after three days and nights in the womb of the earth,
the belly of the fish, the grave and hell,
He would come forth to do His Father's will
- Jesus the humble Son of God, the exultant Son of Man,
the eternal contradiction, the Blessed One.
The end is not yet. Weeping endures for a night,
but joy comes in the morning.
The good news - 'He is risen' -
will burst upon the Son-rise.
Therefore with joy shall we draw water out of the wells of salvation.
When all is dark,
and Hope is buried,
it is hard to trust His words
that promised, before the pain:
He died that I might live.
He died that I might live.
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In His death is my birth. He died that I might live. He died that I might live.
In His life is my life. He died that I might live. He died that I might live.
My Jesus! He died that I might live. He died that I might live.
EASTER EVE
The following passage is taken from chapters 15 and 16 of the Book ofNicodemus, one of the manuscripts circulated early in the life of the Christian community. It is not, of course, accepted as canonical, but is rather in the style of the medieval mystery plays which teach through recounting the stories dramatically. This sec¬tion, which may be used as a spur to meditation during the strange period of waiting between Good Friday and Easter Sunday, vividly illustrates the statement in the creeds that Jesus descended into hell, and imagines what happens when He gets there!
Satan, the prince and captain of death, said to the prince of hell: 'Prepare to receive Jesus of Nazareth Himself, who boasted that He was the Son of God, and yet was a man afraid of death and said, "My soul is sorrowful even to death." Besides He did many injuries to me and to many others; for those whom I made blind and lame and those also whom 1 tormented with several devils, He cured by His word; yea, and those whom I brought dead to thee, He by force takes away from thee.'
To this, the prince of hell replied to Satan, 'Who is that so-powerful prince, and yet a man who is afraid of death? For all the potentates of the earth are subject to my power, whom thou broughtest to subjection by thy power. But if He be so powerful in His human nature, I affirm to thee for truth that He is almighty in His divine nature, and no man can resist His power. When therefore He said He was afraid of death, He designed to ensnare thee, and unhappy it will be to thee for everlasting ages.'
Then Satan, replying, said to the prince of hell, 'Why didst thou express a doubt, and wast afraid to receive that Jesus of Nazareth, both thy adversary and mine? As for me, I tempted Him and stirred up my old people the Jews with zeal and anger against Him. I sharpened the spear for His suffering; I mixed the gall and vinegar, and commanded that He should drink it; I prepared the cross to crucify Him, and the nails to pierce through His hands and feet; and now His death is near to hand, I will bring Him hither, subject both to thee and me.'
Then the prince of hell answering, said, 'Thou saidst to me just now, that He took away the dead from me by force. They who have been kept here till they should live again upon the earth, were taken away hence, not by their own power, but by prayers made to God, and their almighty God took them from me. Who then is this Jesus of Nazareth that by His word hath taken away the dead from me without prayer to God? Perhaps it is the same who took away from me Lazarus, after he had been four days dead, and did both stink and was rotten, and of whom I had possession as a dead person, yet He brought him to life again by His power.'
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Satan answering, replied to the prince of hell, 'It is the very same person, Jesus of Nazareth.'
Which, when the prince of hell heard, he said to him, 'I adjure thee by the powers which belong to thee and me, that thou bring Him not to me. For when I heard of the power of His word, I trembled for fear, and all my impious company were at the same time disturbed. And we were not able to detain Lazarus, but he gave himself a shake, and with all the signs of malice, he immediately went away from us; and the very earth, in which the dead body of Lazarus was lodged presently turned him out alive. And I know now that He is almighty God who could perform such things, who is mighty in His dominion, and mighty in His human nature, who is the Saviour of mankind. Bring not therefore this person hither, for He will set at liberty all those whom I hold in prison under unbelief, and bound with the fetters of their sins, and will conduct them to everlasting life.'
And while Satan and the prince of hell were discoursing thus to each other, on a sudden there was a voice as of thunder and rushing of winds, saying, 'Lift up your gates, O ye princes; and be ye lifted up, O everlasting gates - and the King of Glory shall come in.'
When the prince of hell heard this, he said to Satan, 'Depart from me, and begone out of my habitations; if thou art a powerful warrior, fight with the King of Glory. But what hast thou to do with Him?' And he cast him forth from his habitations.
And the prince said to his impious officers, 'Shut the brass gates of cruelty, and make them fast with iron bars, and fight courageously, lest we all be taken captives.'
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But when all the company of the saints heard this they spake with a loud voice of anger to the prince of hell: 'Open thy gates that the King of Glory may
come in!
See also part 14 of 'The way of the cross', p. 262.
15. JESUS is RISEN!
Where is my Lord?
They have taken Him away.
All I see is a tomb, a place that is empty.
And just when I need Him,
and long for His voice,
even His body would not wait for my tears.
Shut away in a box, He has conquered their coffin.
Shut away in a book, He fulfils, Living Word.
Shut away in our concepts, He shatters such shackles.
No prison can hold Him; no tomb thwart the miracle.
His life is our liberty; His love changed my life.
No dying can rob me of what He has given:
once blind, now I see.
Hallelujah! His promise:
'In the day when the hearts of men
fail them for fear,
then look up, little flock,
your redemption draws near.'
Let all creation
give thanks to the Risen Lord.
Give thanks to the Risen Lord!
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Filled with His praises,
give thanks to the Risen Lord.
Give thanks to the Risen Lord!
He is our Shepherd, and we are His sheep. Give thanks to the Risen Lord. Give thanks to the Risen Lord!
Stepping out boldly, we claim resurrection. Give thanks to the Risen Lord. Give thanks to the Risen Lord!