Two Prayers on the Lord's Supper for Maundy Thursday

Maundy Thursday / By Esaias Heidenreich

On the Most-Worthy Supper of our Lord Jesus Christ

Ah, my Lord Jesus, the reasons why You feed and give drink to me and all Your beloved table guests in body and soul with Your true body and blood in Your Supper are these: that You thereby wish to confirm Your love toward all of Christendom, to impart refreshment to hearts troubled under their anguish and distress, to lead all those who partake of Your Supper to a worthy reception of the same, to give testimony to the union which You have as the Head with the members of Your body, as the Redeemer with the redeemed, and as the Shepherd with the sheep, and finally, to confirm the joyful resurrection of our body. I ask that You would grant me to often be found at Your table in such faith, comfort, and peace and joy of conscience, that my body and soul may thereby be directed to eternal life. Amen.

Prayer and Thanksgiving after Using the Sacrament

Ah, Lord, who can sufficiently thank You for Your great and innumerable benefits, with which You endow and adorn us, who are poor and weak, especially that You have so richly fed us and given us drink with Your own body and blood? Grant that we hold fast to these, Your gifts, with thankful hearts and praise and honor You with our words, works, and entire life, You who are praised from all eternity. Amen.

Esaias Heidenreich, Betbüchlein (1572)

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By the way, last year I posted three prayers on Jesus’ washing of His disciples’ feet, which is the Gospel text for Maundy Thursday. You can find them here.

Giotto di Bondone, Last Supper (ca. 1304)