On this Maundy Thursday, follow-up to the March 7 CP posting (HERE) and LP’s Lenten Prayer 4th paragraph (HERE) seems germane.
Reflection on the struggles and freedom sung in spirituals fits nicely in the context of what LP’s prayer includes here:
We pray for all whose needs and concerns touch our hearts. We pray for those in need whom we cannot or do not see. … We pray for those enduring illness of body, mind, or spirit, and those who struggle to hope. We pray that we will complete our Lenten journey by seeing our brokenness borne by and entombed with Jesus, which will prepare us to hear anew the almost unimaginable proclamation that the tomb is empty, Jesus is risen, and life and love prevail. These and all our prayers we offer with confidence, for we bring them in Jesus’ name. Amen.
While impossible to truly imagine what Christ Jesus was feeling on Maundy Thursday, spirituals may provide some of the range of emotion. If you have time, take a listen to spirituals with fabulous lyrics and melodies such as these:
- All God’s Chillun Got Wings (Paul Robeson)
- I Wish I Knew How It Feels To Be Free (Nina Simone)
- Swing Low, Sweet Chariot (The Plantation Singers)
- Wade in the Water (Sweet Honey in the Rock)
Enjoy the day, filled with prayer, spirituals and the Spirit!
*** In the early 2010s, Rev. Dr. LP Jones prepared and shared this prayer with the MWPC community as part of his weekly newsletter column. He granted permission for use of this with the Christian Playbook community (* ever-so-slight alterations made by CP so the original Holy Week prayer applies throughout Lent) It is also available to listen to HERE
Lectionary Texts for Easter Sunday, April 4, 2021:
Lenten Prayer by Rev. Dr. LP Jones: opportunities to read or listen
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