The Dean has prepared a visual journey through Holy Week: an image for each day from within the cathedral, together with a reflection and prayer. We will the daily reflections onto our website each morning.

Maundy Thursday

Our images today take us to some of the great events of Holy Week.

The Last Supper, depicted in stained glass in the Lady Chapel. There is Christ, his hand raised in blessing, with John the beloved disciple, close beside him. There is Judas, stealing away into the night.

Another image shows a celebration of the Eucharist in our cathedral, with Canon Chris as President and Kay Garlick as deacon.

Today, we will not be in our cathedral, celebrating this great gift, at the heart of our faith, and we will really feel that.  The Communion is at the heart of our faith – through it we receive nourishment for the journey – through it we come so close to God.

But we have our memories – the many times we have received communion during our lives.  Sometimes we have received communion in joyful celebration, other times when we have been in the depths of distress. That nourishment is still there, deep within us.  So, today, let’s all look back to those times – summon them up, and pray that they may still feed us. 

 

Here is a prayer I use before each Sunday Eucharist, when the choir assembles in the south transept:

Cleanse our consciences, Lord we pray,

that our Lord Jesus Christ, when he comes in his Holy Sacrament

may find in us a dwelling place prepared for himself.

 

And then that lovely image, also of the Last Supper, with Christ washing the feet of his disciples. It’s one of the panels on the Sacrament House, near the High Altar – one of four by Peter Murphy.

We may not literally see the washing of feet in our Maundy Thursday observance today, but we do see it in countless ways in the world around us. The coronavirus crisis has unlocked so many acts of love and compassion. Let’s pray that, somehow, through all the horror present days, we may become a more caring and loving society – offering that ‘servant compassion’ to others – which was at the heart of Christ’s life.

To listen to the Dean's musical journey through Holy Week, recorded by our cathedral choir, and with a commentary and introduction please click here.