Page 157 - Eggs and Ashes pages

156 Eggs and Ashes

The cloud of witnesses
(A beginning and an ending for a Maundy Thursday liturgy)

Beginning

They gathered in an upper room to share a meal.

And the names of the apostles were these:
Simon, called Peter,
his brother Andrew;
James
and his brother John – the sons of Zebedee;
Philip
and Bartholomew;
Thomas
and Matthew the tax collector;
James the son of Alphaeus,
Thaddaeus;
Simon the patriot,
and Judas Iscariot. (Matthew 10:2–4)

(As each name is read a candle is lit or, instead, 12 people take a name and a candle
each, speaking a name and lighting a candle in turn round a table. You might want to
include the women who travelled with Jesus and shared his ministry. Luke 8:1–3)

Seeing that we are surrounded with such a great cloud of witnesses to faith –
those who ran their races before us and have entered into their rests –
we join with them now to praise your name.

For the first apostles,
and for all those who have kept the light of the gospel burning down the centuries,
we give thanks.

For those who went before us and passed the light on to us,
especially those whom we remember now …
we give thanks.

Come, Lord Jesus,
take your rightful place as host at this, your table.

(A large central candle is lit.)