Holy Thursday - The Mass of the Lord's Supper – (Year A-B-C) - 2026
THE LITURGY OF THE WORDFirst Reading: Exodus 12: 1-8. 11-14
Psalm: Ps 115: 12-13. 15-18. R. Our blessing cup is a communion with the blood of Christ.
Second Reading: 1 Corinthians 11: 23-26
Gospel Acclamation: John 13: 34
Gospel: John 13: 1-15
Homily
Washing of Feet
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Please listen to my audio recordings of Mass and homily for Holy Thursday, by clicking this link here: https://soundcloud.com/user-633212303/holy-thursday-mass-of-the-1/s-fNK0DBmjyZZ
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Prologue:
Faith, Hope and Love, Holy Thursday of the Supper of the Lord.
On the night before our Lord died, knowing the suffering and death he was to undergo, willingly for our sakes, he showed the depth of that love, that generosity, that compassion, just as he had done every part of his life and ministry. He didn't withdraw into himself, but rather did the opposite, he reached out to give his disciples something of himself, that would encapsulate all of his love and ministry, and help them always.
This is the Last Supper, and this is truly Faith, Hope and Love.
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The first reading reminds us of the ancient annual commemoration of Passover. The establishment by our Lord of the Eucharist within this annual memorial shows that it is powerfully the new and abiding sacrament of Christ with us and for us. The readings and the washing of the feet in this night's feast reinforces powerfully the centrality of God's love for his people, and God's concern for the welfare and the life and death of each and every person.
Each one of God's children matters to our Lord, and the life and death of each of them matters enormously. They are very dear to God's heart, and they always will be. From the most well-known person to the person who nobody knows, they are all equally God's beloved children.
No matter how lowly the world considers people to be, they are all irreplaceable, precious to our God. He comes to save us all, to restore each of us to his table, and to his family. Tonight is about the truth at the core of God, unconditional love, self-forgetting service, and a love that holds nothing back, giving absolutely everything, even for his body to be broken for us, and the last drop of his blood spilt to save us.
Do this. This is me. This is for you.
I am for you. I give myself to you, says the Lord. Remember this often, and be this for others too.
And so humbly and gratefully, we again do what we've been asked to do, always in living memory of him, who comes among us as one who serves, and who gives his life as a ransom for many. As I enact the washing of the feet, I keep you in my heart and mind, and we particularly think of all those who are suffering.
The Lord Jesus, after eating supper with his disciples, watched their feet and said to them, Do you know what I, your Lord and Master, have done for you? I have given you an example that you should do likewise.
(Washing of the Feet)
Lord, are you to wash my feet? Jesus said to him in answer, If I do not wash your feet, you will have no share with me. If I, your Lord and Master, have washed your feet, how much more should you wash each other's feet? This is how all will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another. I give you a new commandment, that you love one another, as I have loved you, says the Lord.
Let faith, hope and charity, these three remain among you, but the greatest of these is charity. Gathered around the table of the Lord, let us pray in love for the needs of everyone. That the priests of the church will continue to proclaim the saving death and resurrection of Christ the Lord.
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References:
Fr Paul W. Kelly
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Let us pray to the Lord, that the world will increasingly acknowledge its need for spiritual nourishment.
Let us pray to the Lord, that the sick will draw strength from the bread of life.
Let us pray to the Lord, that we will follow the Lord's command to love one another.
Let us pray to the Lord, that the dead will feast at the heavenly banquet, especially those for whom we now pray. Let us pray to the Lord.
Almighty God, we ask you to hear us, in these days of remembering, help us to be strong in faith. Through Christ our Lord, Amen.
Blessed are you, Lord God of all creation, for through your goodness we have received the bread we offer you, fruit of the earth and work of human hands. It will become for us the bread of life. By the mystery of this water and wine, may we come to share in the divinity of Christ, who humbled himself to share in our humanity.
Blessed are you, Lord God of all creation, for through your goodness we have received the wine we offer you, fruit of the vine and work of human hands. It will become our spiritual drink. With humble and contrite heart, may we be accepted by you, O Lord, and may our sacrifice in your sight this day be pleasing to you, Lord God.
Wash me, O Lord, from my iniquity. Cleanse me from my sin. Pray, brothers and sisters, that my sacrifice and yours may be acceptable to God the Almighty Father.
May the Lord accept the sacrifice at our hands, for the praise and glory of his name, for our good and the good of all his holy church. 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. The Lord be with you.
Lift up your hearts. Let us give thanks to the Lord our God. It is truly right and just, our duty and our salvation, always and everywhere to give you thanks, Lord Holy Father, Almighty and Eternal God, through Christ our Lord.
For he is the true and eternal priest, who instituted the pattern of an everlasting sacrifice, and was the first to offer himself as the saving victim, commanding us to make this offering as his memorial. As we eat his flesh that was sacrificed for us, we are made strong. And as we drink his blood that was poured out for us, we are washed clean.
And so with angels and archangels, with thrones and dominions, and with all the hosts and powers of heaven, we sing the hymn of your glory, as without end we acclaim,
Holy, Holy, Holy Lord, God of hosts, heaven and earth are full of your glory, Hosanna in the highest. Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord, Hosanna in the highest.
To you, therefore, most merciful Father, we make humble prayer and petition, through Jesus Christ your Son, our Lord, that you accept and bless these gifts, these offerings, these holy and unblemished sacrifices, which we offer you firstly for your holy Catholic Church.
Be pleased to grant her peace, to God unite and govern her throughout the whole world, together with your servant, Leo, our Pope, and Shane, our Bishop, and all those who, holding to the truth, hand on the Catholic and apostolic faith.
Remember, Lord, your servants, and all gathered here, whose faith and devotion are known to you. For them we offer you this sacrifice of praise, for they offer it for themselves and all those who are dear to them, for the redemption of their souls, in hope of health and well-being, and paying their homage to you, the eternal God, living and true, celebrating the most sacred day on which our Lord Jesus Christ was handed over for our sake, and in communion with those whose memory we venerate, especially the glorious ever-Virgin Mary, Mother of God, and our Lord Jesus Christ, and blessed Joseph, her spouse, your blessed Apostles and Martyrs, Peter and Paul, Andrew, James, John, Thomas, James, Philip, Bartholomew, Matthew, Simon and Jude, Linus, Cletus, Clement, Sixtus, Cornelius, Cyprian, Lawrence, Chrysogenus, John and Paul, Cosmas and Damian, and all your Saints.
We ask that through their merits and prayers in all things we may be defended by your protecting help.
Therefore, Lord, we pray, graciously accept this oblation of our service, that of your whole family, which we make to you, as we observe the day on which our Lord Jesus Christ handed on the mysteries of his body and blood for his disciples to celebrate. Order our days in your peace, and command that we be delivered from eternal damnation, and counted among the flock of those you have chosen.
Be pleased, O God, we pray, to bless, acknowledge and approve this offering in every respect. Make it spiritual and acceptable, so that it may become for us the body and blood of your most beloved Son, our Lord Jesus Christ.
On the day before he was to suffer for our salvation and the salvation of all, that is, today, he took bread in his holy and venerable hands, and with eyes raised to heaven.
To you, O God, his Almighty Father, giving you thanks, he said the blessing, broke the bread and gave it to his disciples, saying, Take this, all of you, and eat of it. For this is my body, which will be given up for you.
In a similar way, when supper was ended, he took this precious chalice in his holy and venerable hands, and once more giving you thanks, he said the blessing and gave the chalice to his disciples, saying, Take this, all of you, and drink from it. For this is the chalice of my blood, the blood of the new and eternal covenant, which will be poured out for you and for many for the forgiveness of sins. Do this in memory of me.
THE MYSTERY OF FAITH
We proclaim your death, O Lord, and profess your resurrection until you come again.
Therefore, O Lord, as we celebrate the memorial of the blessed passion, the resurrection from the dead, and the glorious ascension into heaven of Christ your Son, our Lord, we, your servants and your holy people, offer to your glorious majesty from the gifts that you have given us this pure virtue, this holy victim, this spotless victim, the holy bread of eternal life and the chalice of everlasting salvation. Be pleased to look upon these offerings with a serene and kindly countenance, and to accept them, as once you were pleased to accept the gifts of your servant Abel the just, the sacrifice of Abraham, our father in faith, and the offering of your high priest Melchizedek, a holy sacrifice, a spotless victim.
In humble prayer we ask you, almighty God, command that these gifts be borne by the hands of your holy angel to your altar on high in the sight of your divine majesty, so that all of us who, through this participation at the altar, receive the most holy body and blood of your Son may be filled with every grace and heavenly blessing.
Remember also, Lord, your servants who have gone before us with the sign of faith and rest in the sleep of peace. Grant them, O Lord, we pray, and all who sleep in Christ, a place of refreshment, light, and peace. To us also, your servants, who, though sinners, hope in your abundant mercies, graciously grant some share and fellowship with your holy apostles and martyrs, with John the Baptist, Stephen, Matthias, Barnabas, Ignatius, Alexander, Marcellinus, Peter, Felicity, Perpetua, Agatha, Lucy, Agnes, Cecilia, Anastasia, and all your saints.
Admit us, we beseech you, into their company, not weighing our merits, but granting us your pardon through Christ our Lord, through whom you continue to make all these good things, O Lord. You sanctify them, fill them with life, bless them, and bestow them upon us. Through him, and with him, and in him, O God, Almighty Father, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, all glory and honour is yours, for ever and ever.
Amen.
At the Saviour's command, informed by divine teaching, we dare to say,
Our Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done on earth, as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread. And forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against us. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil.
Deliver us, Lord, we pray, from every evil. Graciously grant peace in our days, that by the help of your mercy we may be always free from sin, and safe from all distress, as we await the blessed hope, and the coming of our Saviour, Jesus Christ.
For the kingdom, the power, and the glory are yours, now and forever.
Lord Jesus Christ, who said to your apostles, Peace I leave you. My peace I give you.
Look not on our sins, but on the faith of your Church. And graciously grant her peace and unity, in accordance with your will, who live and reign for ever and ever. Amen.
The peace of the Lord be with you always. Let us offer each other the sign of peace. May this mingling of the body and blood of our Lord Jesus Christ bring eternal life to us who receive it.
Lamb of God, you take away the sins of the world, have mercy on us. Lamb of God, you take away the sins of the world, have mercy on us. Lamb of God, you take away the sins of the world, grant us peace.
Lord Jesus Christ, Son of the Living God, who by the will of the Father and the work of the Holy Spirit, through your death, gave life to the world, free me by this most holy body and blood from all my sins and from every evil. Keep me always faithful to your commandments and never let me be parted from you.
Behold the Lamb of God.
Behold him who takes away the sins of the world.
Blessed are those called to the supper of the Lamb.
Lord, I am not worthy that you should enter under my roof, but only say the word and my soul shall be healed.
May the body of Christ keep me safe for eternal life. May the blood of Christ keep me safe for eternal life. This is the body that will be given up for you.
This is the chalice of the new covenant of my blood, says the Lord. Do this whenever you receive it in memory of me.
Thanks everyone for joining us on this very special Holy Week.
The sacred Triduum of Holy Thursday, Good Friday and Holy Saturday are actually just one ceremony spread out over three days. So you'll notice that the usual endings and beginnings are dispensed with because it's really just one ceremony flowing in and out of silence. And so we look forward to the continuation of the Triduum on Good Friday and the liturgy ends without blessing or dismissal after this prayer after communion.
Let us pray. Grant Almighty God that just as we are renewed by the supper of your Son in this present age, so we may enjoy his banquet for all eternity, who lives and reigns forever and ever. Amen.
(depart in silence for quiet reflection and prayer)
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Further information relating to the audio productions linked to this Blog:
"Faith, Hope, and Love, A time of Christian worship and reflection" - Led by Rev Paul W. Kelly
Texts used in this programme are for the purposes of worship and prayer for listeners wherever you are.
Prayers and chants are taken from the English Translation of the Roman Missal, edition three, © 2010, The International Commission on English in the Liturgy.
Scriptures are from the New Revised Standard Version: © 1989, by the National Council of Churches of Christ, USA. , //adaptations to conform with Catholic liturgical norms, © 2009, by the same.
[{selected psalms } - ***Psalm verses are (also) taken from "The Psalms: A New Translation" ©1963, The Grail (England), published by Collins- **]
Prayers of the Faithful are adapted from Robert Borg's 1993 book " Together We Pray". Published in Sydney, Australia, by E.J. Dwyer. (out of print).
{"Mass In Honour of St. Ralph Sherwin" -published 2011, Composed and Sung by Jeffrey M. Ostrowski Featuring the Gloria: http://www.ccwatershed.org/chabanel/ } COPYRIGHT @ 2018 CORPUS CHRISTI WATERSHED. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. www.ccwatershed.org/vatican/Ralph_Sherwin_Videos/
"Quiet Time." Instrumental Reflection music. Written by Paul W Kelly. 1988, 2007. & This arrangement: Stefan Kelk, 2020.
Lenten Hymn: "Have Mercy" inspired by Psalm 50(51). Music by Paul W. Kelly. Arranged and sung, with additional lyrics by Stefan Kelk. 2020.
[ Production - KER - 2026]
May God bless and keep you.
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Holy Thursday
The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the communion of the Holy Spirit be with you all.
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Brothers and sisters, let us acknowledge our sins
and so prepare ourselves to celebrate the sacred mysteries.
Lord Jesus, you raise us to new life: Lord, have mercy// //
Lord Jesus, you forgive us our sins: Christ, have mercy//
Lord Jesus, you feed us with your body and blood: Lord, have mercy//
May almighty God have mercy on us, forgive us our sins, and bring us to everlasting life. Amen.
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When we eat this Bread and drink this Cup, we proclaim your Death, O Lord, until you come again.
Preface: Proper of Holy Thursday
Eucharistic prayer I – proper for Holy Thursday
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(No dismissal, community departs in silent adoration and contemplation, to gather again on Good Friday)
