welcome to canterbury cathedral on this morning of the day that we call monday thursday the thursday of holy week it's a day full of signs and significance normally a majesty the queen would on this day be distributing the royal mundi in token of a remembrance of jesus's own command to all his followers and those who look to him to love one another we shall be thinking about that in the reading that we use but it's also a day when priests and deacons and folk in ministry would be traveling from across this part of kent to the cathedral in their hundreds to renew their vows of ministry and to receive holy oils which have been blessed for the sick and those to be baptized and then confirmed none of these things can happen at this time for we are locked into our homes and the cathedral church itself is locked but we can reach one another in this way and remember all these things in an act of re-commitment to one another wherever we are in the world and whoever we are so the prayers for this morning oh lord open our lips and our mouth shall proclaim your praise let your ways be known upon earth your saving power among all nations blessed are you lord god of our salvation to you be praise and glory forever as a man of sorrows and acquainted with grief your only son was lifted up that he might draw the whole world to himself may we walk this day in the way of the cross and always be ready to share its weight declaring your love for all the world blessed be god father son and holy spirit blessed be god forever some verses from the song of lamentation of the prophet jeremiah is it nothing to you all you who pass by look and see if there is any sorrow like my sorrow which was brought upon me which the lord inflicted on the day of his fierce anger for these things i weep my eyes flow with tears for a comforter is far from me one to revive my courage remember my affliction and my bitterness the wormwood and the gall but this i call to mind i therefore have hope the steadfast love of the lord never ceases his mercies never come to an end they are new every morning great is your faithfulness this is the day when jesus with his disciples sat down to supper in the upper room when jesus washed his disciples feet but also he gave them much new teaching and in the gospel of saint john from which i'm reading chapter 15 we read these words of jesus to his disciples at the supper table i am the true vine and my father is the vine dresser every branch of mine that bears no fruit he takes away and every branch that does bear fruit he prunes that it may bear more fruit you are already made clean by the word which i have spoken to you abide in me and i in you as the branch cannot bear fruit by itself unless it abides in the vine neither can you unless you abide in me i am the vine you are the branches he who abides in me and i in them these are the ones that bear much fruit for apart from me you can do nothing if anyone does not abide in me they are cast forth as a branch and wither the branches are gathered thrown into the fire and burned but if you abide in me and my words abide in you ask whatever you will and it shall be done for you by this my father is glorified that you bear much fruit and so prove to be my disciples as the father has loved me so have i loved you abide in my love if you keep my commandments you will abide in my love just as i have kept my father's commandments and abide in his love these things i have spoken to you that my joy may be in you and that your joy may be full this is my commandment that you love one another as i have loved you that is the lesson from which this day gets its name monday thursday the new commandment and so many of the things we do today are signs of what jesus commanded on this day the gathering together of all the clergy of each diocese together with those in any kind of ministry who would want to make their acts of commitment again standing around the altars of the cathedrals that will be replicated right across the world but we are constrained by being faithful to the lockdown for the health and healing of each other and the protection of each other the royal sign of giving the royal mundi the same sign of humility in ministry remembering that jesus said i have come to serve not to be served tonight we shall remember the supper in our worship which will be streamed online and that too has been put together in our homes so that we can remember jesus not only at the last supper with the bread and the wine and that commandment to remember him but also his serving of the disciples by washing their feet that too we cannot do today but we can remember and in so many different ways we can serve each other imaginatively in body mind and spirit of course we pray for those who are putting themselves at risk in front line health ministry and in so many other ways protecting societies and communities across the world at risk to themselves as a sign here in canterbury on this thursday when we've grown used to standing outside our homes just for a moment and clapping our hands to give thanks for those in health work and frontline ministries of care we are intending not only on this night at 8 00 pm but from now on each day to ring the ancient bell of the cathedral for two minutes at eight o'clock that bell will be rung by setting it on the clock so that no one need leave their home to hear it but the sound of it will be in remembrance of the thousands who have died from this dreadful disease but also in thanksgiving and for encouragement of those working in dangerous situations in intensive care and in front line health ministry and also frontline care for people so we come to say our prayers and ask for grace not only during this day but always to serve one another the tower of bel harry is behind us the bell will ring from that tower and together that sign will join us as a community here and across the world our prayers join us now i'm going to use the special prayer which would have been used at the blessing of the oils and also at the service where new commitment was made for those who have taken an act of commitment to serve each other in whatever vocation or whatever way their life has called them heavenly father who anointed your son jesus christ with the holy spirit and with power to bring to the world the blessings of your eternal kingdom anoint us all with the same spirit that we who share in his suffering and also his victory may bear witness day by day to the gospel of salvation and healing through jesus christ your son our lord who is alive and reigns with you in the unity of the holy spirit one god now and forever amen as always in this place the mother church of our anglican communion the world over we say prayers according to the calendar for different dioceses today we remember the diocese of milwaukee and pray for stephen miller the bishop there and his people and of west virginia and william klausmeyer and his people and western izon in nigeria and the bishop there adaphe emmamezi and his people here in this diocese we of course pray for justin our archbishop for rose bishop of dover and also tim bishop at lambeth and today we remember in the calendar the church of mary breton here in this city of canterbury and its ministry and people so also we pray for those who are sick throughout the world pray for those caring for them and for the safety of all for the healing of all at this time merciful god we entrust to your tender care those who are ill or in pain knowing that whenever danger threatens your everlasting arms are there to hold them safe comfort and heal them and restore them to health and strength through jesus christ our lord amen so in our usual way we say the prayer our savior taught us in whatever language and whatever words you would like to use our father who art in heaven hallowed be thy name thy kingdom come thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven give us this day our daily bread and forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us and lead us not into temptation but deliver us from evil for thine is the kingdom the power and the glory forever and ever our men mode of silence for our own prayers for those whom we love and those who are on our minds and hearts christ crucified draw you to himself to find in him a sure ground for faith a firm support for hope and the assurance of sins forgiven and the blessing of god almighty the father the son and the holy spirit be upon you and upon all whom you love this day and always amen