Maundy Thursday — Family faith formation for April 14, 2022

You have three options for Faith Formation @ Home.

Option 1 — Year A  (Seder Meal)

You may want an experience that walks your family through the whole story of Maundy Thursday, which includes Passover, the Last Supper and Jesus washing the disciples’ feet. This link to that in-depth celebration can be found here.

Option 2 — Year B  (Texts in Conversation)

This experience is not as involved as the Seder Meal but provides a way to encounter each of the Maundy Thursday texts. The link to this approach is here.

Option 3 — Year C  (Lectio Divina)

This year, our Maundy Thursday service uses the ancient spiritual practice of Lectio Divina, which is a deep listening to Scripture, to the work of the Holy Spirit connecting us with God through Scripture and moving us to new understanding a meaning. There are four steps in Lectio Divina:

1. Read
2. Reflect
3. Pray
4. Contemplate & Act

We will use John 13:1-17, 31b-35 as the bases of our practice this evening.

Before you begin, you may want to share this short video on Maundy Thursday created by the United Methodists, our sibling denomination.

Lectio Divina for Maundy Thursday

Read

• Read John 13:1-17 aloud (NRSV, CEB)

• Then, invite participants to close their eyes and as the Scripture is read a second time listen for any words, ideas or images that stand out to you.

Reflect

• Read the passage again, this time slowly and intentionally. Listen with your whole being — with your mind, your heart and your imagination.
  • What emerges from this listening?
  • What is this text saying to you in this moment?
  • What questions does this text raise for you and in you?
  • How is God speaking to you through this passage?
• Reflect internally then share with those gathered.

Pray

• Respond to this passage and with God through prayer, journaling, drawing, Praying in Color, or a sabbath walk.

Contemplate and act

• Be still and listen for God’s response.
• Who is God calling you to be? What is God calling you to do through this passage?

The story of Maundy Thursday continues…

Read

• Read John 13:31b-35 aloud (NRSV, CEB).

• Then, invite participants to close their eyes and as the Scripture is read a second time listen for any words, ideas or images that stand out to you.

Reflect

• Read the passage again, this time slowly and intentionally. Listen with your whole being — with your mind, your heart and your imagination.
  • What emerges from this listening?
  • What is this text saying to you in this moment?
  • What questions does this text raise for you and in you?
  • How is God speaking to you through this passage?
• Reflect internally then share with those gathered.

Pray

• Respond to this passage and with God through prayer, journaling, drawing, Praying in Color, or a sabbath walk.

Contemplate and act

• Be still and listen for God’s response.
• Who is God calling you to be? What is God calling you to do through this passage?

Close with the sung prayer by John Rutter “God Be in My Head.”