Maundy Thursday

After Jesus had spoken these words, he looked up to heaven and said, ‘Father, the hour has come; glorify your Son so that the Son may glorify you, since you have given him authority over all people, to give eternal life to all whom you have given him. And this is eternal life, that they may know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom you have sent. I glorified you on earth by finishing the work that you gave me to do. So now, Father, glorify me in your own presence with the glory that I had in your presence before the world existed. ‘I have made your name known to those whom you gave me from the world. They were yours, and you gave them to me, and they have kept your word. Now they know that everything you have given me is from you; for the words that you gave to me I have given to them, and they have received them and know in truth that I came from you; and they have believed that you sent me. I am asking on their behalf; I am not asking on behalf of the world, but on behalf of those whom you gave me, because they are yours. All mine are yours, and yours are mine; and I have been glorified in them. And now I am no longer in the world, but they are in the world, and I am coming to you. Holy Father, protect them in your name that you have given me, so that they may be one, as we are one. John 17:1-11

This is the day we remember the Last Supper and arrest of Jesus. We remember how his disciples were fading and falling asleep with full bellies and too much wine. They could not stay awake despite the fact that the most dramatic and essential moments of our faith were upon them. Jesus had told them, over and over, but they really didn't expect it would happen to them or how he predicted. Maybe they thought he was being dramatic, over-sensitive, and emotional. We are often like this, we humans, we don't listen to the pain and reality of others, we fade away and lose focus. We are invited today to hear that we belong to Jesus, in pain and sorrow, in joy and resurrection, in the hard and glorious times ahead.

Wondrous Creator, sacred mystery and life source

we take for granted the sun and the wind you send

the beautiful signs and promise of new life ahead

and miss your call to draw near and listen well.

We fill our bellies and drink our fill and ignore

the cries of our world which is in great pain

we cover our eyes and ears to the suffering around

and pretend like we are not part of a sacred whole.

Help us Lord to hear and see the pain around us

help us mend the sacred hoop and see our part

make us members of one holy and interwoven family

so we remember we are knitted together with Jesus in your heart. Amen.