Traditional Mass Propers: Holy Thursday

Holy Thursday celebrates especially the institution of the Mass at the Last Supper as the Sacrifice and Sacrament of Christian unity. On this day also, Jesus first shared His priesthood with men by ordaining the Apostles. Then He uttered the command that is the reason for every Mass: “Do this in remembrance of Me.” This is a day to think of the great love Jesus showed in instituting the Eucharist and to return that love by receiving Him in Holy Communion.

Through Holy Communion, we are united to Christ and to one another. By sacrificing His life to unite men to God, by feeding men on Hid own Flesh and Blood, by an example of mutual charity given in washing the Apostles’ feet, by the command to love one another and to wash one another’s feet, by praying that they be one like the Father and Himself, and by showing the actual unity of all of them in Himself as branches in a living vine--in all these ways Jesus taught and molded men into one.

The Holy Thursday provides a ceremonial washing of feet (traditionally done separate from the mass). Wherever this is performed it is a living picture of Our Lord’s command that we love one another. Everyone should spend some time today in adoring Jesus at the altar of repose. The stripping of the Altars after Mass is a sign that Mass will not be offered again until Holy Saturday evening.

Holy Thursday is the beginning of the Holy Triduum which includes Holy Thursday, Good Friday, and Holy Saturday. In former times, these were Holy Days of Obligation. However, due to the Reformation and liberalism even of those times, they were removed as Holy Days of Obligation centuries ago. They were no longer Holy Days of Obligation by the time that Pope Urban VIII listed the Holy Days of Obligation for the Univeral Church in Universa per Orbem in 1642.

Remember that there is a Plenary Indulgence available today. And today is a great day to remember why we must restore Eucharistic reverence.

1962 vs pre-1955 Holy Thursday:

The changes to the Rite on Holy Thursday are important. While the readings given below are not impacted and are the same in both Missals, the omission of the Creed in the 1962 Missal, as well as significant changes by the priest at the altar, should not be ignored. Please click here to read the New Liturgical Movement on these matters. Click here for a PDF on the 1954 Rubrics and Readings.

Holy Thursday Commemorates:

(1) The eating of the Easter lamb or the paschal meal;

(2) The washing of the disciple's feet;

(3) The institution of the Most Holy Eucharist (the first Mass at which Jesus Christ, the eternal high priest, is the celebrant; the First Communion of the apostles; the first conferring of Holy Orders);

(4) The foretelling of Judas' betrayal and Peter's denials;

(5) The farewell discourse and priestly prayer of Jesus;

(6) The agony and capture of Jesus in the Garden of Olives.

INTROIT
Ga. 6:14

But it is fitting that we should glory in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, in whom is salvation, life and resurrection for us, by whom we are saved and delivered. Ps. 66:2. May God have mercy on us and bless us; may He let His face shine upon us; and may He have mercy on us. But it is fitting . . .

The Gloria is sung. After the Gloria, the organ is not played, nor are the bells sounded, until the Mass of the Easter Vigil on Saturday night.

COLLECT

O God, who punished Judas for his crime and rewarded the good thief for his penitence, be merciful to us! Our Lord Jesus Christ in His passion gave each one recompense according to his deserts; may He deliver us from our sins of old, and bestow on us the grace of His resurrection; who lives and rules with You . . .

EPISTLE
I Cor. 11:20-32

Brethren: When you come therefore together into one place, it is not now to eat the Lord's supper. For every one taketh before his own supper to eat. And one indeed is hungry and another is drunk. What, have you no houses to eat and to drink in? Or despise ye the church of God and put them to shame that have not? What shall I say to you? Do I praise you? In this I praise you not.

For I have received of the Lord that which also I delivered unto you, that the Lord Jesus, the same night in which he was betrayed, took bread, And giving thanks, broke and said: Take ye and eat: This is my body, which shall be delivered for you. This do for the commemoration of me. In like manner also the chalice, after he had supped, saying: This chalice is the new testament in my blood. This do ye, as often as you shall drink, for the commemoration of me. For as often as you shall eat this bread and drink the chalice, you shall shew the death of the Lord, until he come.

Therefore, whosoever shall eat this bread, or drink the chalice of the Lord unworthily, shall be guilty of the body and of the blood of the Lord. But let a man prove himself: and so let him eat of that bread and drink of the chalice. For he that eateth and drinketh unworthily eateth and drinketh judgment to himself, not discerning the body of the Lord. Therefore are there many infirm and weak among you: and many sleep. But if we would judge ourselves, we should not be judged. But whilst we are judged, we are chastised by the Lord, that we be not condemned with this world.

GRADUAL
Philipp. 2:8-9

For us Christ became obedient to death, even to death on a cross. V. Therefore God also has exalted Him and has bestowed upon Him the name that is above every name.

GOSPEL
John 13:1-15

Before the festival day of the pasch, Jesus knowing that his hour was come, that he should pass out of this world to the Father: having loved his own who were in the world, he loved them unto the end. And when supper was done (the devil having now put into the heart of Judas Iscariot, the son of Simon, to betray him), Knowing that the Father had given him all things into his hands and that he came from God and goeth to God, He riseth from supper and layeth aside his garments and, having taken a towel, girded himself. After that, he putteth water into a basin and began to wash the feet of the disciples and to wipe them with the towel wherewith he was girded. He cometh therefore to Simon Peter. And Peter saith to him: “Lord, dost thou wash my feet?” Jesus answered and said to him: “What I do, thou knowest not now; but thou shalt know hereafter.” Peter saith to him: “Thou shalt never wash my feet“. Jesus answered him: “If I wash thee not, thou shalt have no part with me.” Simon Peter saith to him: “Lord, not only my feet, but also my hands and my head.” Jesus saith to him: “He that is washed needeth not but to wash his feet, but is clean wholly. And you are clean, but not all.” For he knew who he was that would betray him; therefore he said: “You are not all clean.”

Then after he had washed their feet and taken his garments, being set down again, he said to them: “Know you what I have done to you? You call me Master and Lord. And you say well: for so I am. If then I being your Lord and Master, have washed your feet; you also ought to wash one another's feet. For I have given you an example, that as I have done to you, so you do also.”

OFFERTORY
Ps. 117:16, 17

The right hand of the Lord has exercised power, the right hand of the Lord has lifted me up. I shall not die, but live, and shall declare the works of the Lord.

SECRET

O Lord, Holy Father, Almighty and Eternal God, may our sacrifice be acceptable to You through our Lord Jesus Christ, Your Son, who on this day commanded His disciples to perform this rite in commemoration of Him; who lives and rules with You . . .

COMMUNION
John 13:12, 13, 15

The Lord Jesus, after He had eaten the supper with His disciples, washed their feet, and said to them, “Do you know what I, your Lord and Master, have done to you? I have given you an example, that you also should do.”

POST COMMUNION

We are nourished by the Bread of Life, O Lord our God. may this most sacred rite of our mortal life bestow upon us Your gift of immortality. Through Our Lord . . .