Holy (Maundy) Thursday Prayer

Lord, a new commandment given us!
Lord, a new commandment given us?
We have commandments enough as it is. Crushed we are by them too.
Commands to buy spoken from the still lips of dead presidents;
Commands to toil spoken by the memoranda of living corporations;
Commands to join spoken through our burning loins and empty hearts.
But now, Lord, you cast a new edict from on high, and it is to love no less.
It is too much.
Commands to spend and sweat and sex and seek—perhaps those we can bear.
But to love? As you love? It is too much.
Then you stoop to wash our feet and feed us yourself—the very vigor of the stars!
And then you die and rise to say to us,
“Be of good cheer! Through you I will love this broken globe. Rest in me.”
This is enough.
Amen.

By Robert P. Fugarino. © 2015 Alive Now. Permission granted to use in corporate worship.