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April 2, 2026
See TodayHoly (Maundy) Thursday
One-Year Lectionary
- First Reading
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Ex. 12:1–14 or Ex. 24:3–11 (read in KJV on Bible Gateway, opens in a new tab)
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Ex. 12:1–14
1 And the LORD spake unto Moses and Aaron in the land of Egypt, saying, 2 This month shall be unto you the beginning of months: it shall be the first month of the year to you.
3 Speak ye unto all the congregation of Israel, saying, In the tenth day of this month they shall take to them every man a lamb, according to the house of their fathers, a lamb for an house: 4 And if the household be too little for the lamb, let him and his neighbour next unto his house take it according to the number of the souls; every man according to his eating shall make your count for the lamb. 5 Your lamb shall be without blemish, a male of the first year: ye shall take it out from the sheep, or from the goats: 6 And ye shall keep it up until the fourteenth day of the same month: and the whole assembly of the congregation of Israel shall kill it in the evening. 7 And they shall take of the blood, and strike it on the two side posts and on the upper door post of the houses, wherein they shall eat it. 8 And they shall eat the flesh in that night, roast with fire, and unleavened bread; and with bitter herbs they shall eat it. 9 Eat not of it raw, nor sodden at all with water, but roast with fire; his head with his legs, and with the purtenance thereof. 10 And ye shall let nothing of it remain until the morning; and that which remaineth of it until the morning ye shall burn with fire.
11 And thus shall ye eat it; with your loins girded, your shoes on your feet, and your staff in your hand; and ye shall eat it in haste: it is the LORD’S passover. 12 For I will pass through the land of Egypt this night, and will smite all the firstborn in the land of Egypt, both man and beast; and against all the gods of Egypt I will execute judgment: I am the LORD. 13 And the blood shall be to you for a token upon the houses where ye are: and when I see the blood, I will pass over you, and the plague shall not be upon you to destroy you, when I smite the land of Egypt. 14 And this day shall be unto you for a memorial; and ye shall keep it a feast to the LORD throughout your generations; ye shall keep it a feast by an ordinance for ever.
Ex. 24:3–11
3 And Moses came and told the people all the words of the LORD, and all the judgments: and all the people answered with one voice, and said, All the words which the LORD hath said will we do. 4 And Moses wrote all the words of the LORD, and rose up early in the morning, and builded an altar under the hill, and twelve pillars, according to the twelve tribes of Israel. 5 And he sent young men of the children of Israel, which offered burnt offerings, and sacrificed peace offerings of oxen unto the LORD. 6 And Moses took half of the blood, and put it in basons; and half of the blood he sprinkled on the altar. 7 And he took the book of the covenant, and read in the audience of the people: and they said, All that the LORD hath said will we do, and be obedient. 8 And Moses took the blood, and sprinkled it on the people, and said, Behold the blood of the covenant, which the LORD hath made with you concerning all these words.
9 Then went up Moses, and Aaron, Nadab, and Abihu, and seventy of the elders of Israel: 10 And they saw the God of Israel: and there was under his feet as it were a paved work of a sapphire stone, and as it were the body of heaven in his clearness. 11 And upon the nobles of the children of Israel he laid not his hand: also they saw God, and did eat and drink.
- Psalm
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Psalm 116:12–19 (read in KJV on Bible Gateway, opens in a new tab)
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12 What shall I render unto the LORD for all his benefits toward me?
13 I will take the cup of salvation, and call upon the name of the LORD.
14 I will pay my vows unto the LORD now in the presence of all his people.
15 Precious in the sight of the LORD is the death of his saints.
16 O LORD, truly I am thy servant; I am thy servant, and the son of thine handmaid: thou hast loosed my bonds.
17 I will offer to thee the sacrifice of thanksgiving, and will call upon the name of the LORD.
18 I will pay my vows unto the LORD now in the presence of all his people,
19 In the courts of the LORD’S house, in the midst of thee, O Jerusalem. Praise ye the LORD.
- Epistle
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1 Cor. 11:23–32 (read in KJV on Bible Gateway, opens in a new tab)
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23 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: 24 And when he had given thanks, he brake it, and said, Take, eat: this is my body, which is broken for you: this do in remembrance of me. 25 After the same manner also he took the cup, when he had supped, saying, This cup is the new testament in my blood: this do ye, as oft as ye drink it, in remembrance of me. 26 For as often as ye eat this bread, and drink this cup, ye do shew the Lord’s death till he come. 27 Wherefore whosoever shall eat this bread, and drink this cup of the Lord, unworthily, shall be guilty of the body and blood of the Lord. 28 But let a man examine himself, and so let him eat of that bread, and drink of that cup. 29 For he that eateth and drinketh unworthily, eateth and drinketh damnation to himself, not discerning the Lord’s body. 30 For this cause many are weak and sickly among you, and many sleep. 31 For if we would judge ourselves, we should not be judged. 32 But when we are judged, we are chastened of the Lord, that we should not be condemned with the world.
- Gospel
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John 13:1–15 (34–35) (read in KJV on Bible Gateway, opens in a new tab)
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1 Now before the feast of the passover, when Jesus knew that his hour was come that he should depart out of this world unto the Father, having loved his own which were in the world, he loved them unto the end. 2 And supper being ended, the devil having now put into the heart of Judas Iscariot, Simon’s son, to betray him; 3 Jesus knowing that the Father had given all things into his hands, and that he was come from God, and went to God; 4 He riseth from supper, and laid aside his garments; and took a towel, and girded himself. 5 After that he poureth water into a bason, and began to wash the disciples’ feet, and to wipe them with the towel wherewith he was girded. 6 Then cometh he to Simon Peter: and Peter saith unto him, Lord, dost thou wash my feet? 7 Jesus answered and said unto him, What I do thou knowest not now; but thou shalt know hereafter. 8 Peter saith unto him, Thou shalt never wash my feet. Jesus answered him, If I wash thee not, thou hast no part with me. 9 Simon Peter saith unto him, Lord, not my feet only, but also my hands and my head. 10 Jesus saith to him, He that is washed needeth not save to wash his feet, but is clean every whit: and ye are clean, but not all. 11 For he knew who should betray him; therefore said he, Ye are not all clean. 12 So after he had washed their feet, and had taken his garments, and was set down again, he said unto them, Know ye what I have done to you? 13 Ye call me Master and Lord: and ye say well; for so I am. 14 If I then, your Lord and Master, have washed your feet; ye also ought to wash one another’s feet. 15 For I have given you an example, that ye should do as I have done to you.
34 A new commandment I give unto you, That ye love one another; as I have loved you, that ye also love one another. 35 By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love one to another.
Holy (Maundy) Thursday
One-Year Lectionary
About this service
Let Us Love One Another, as Christ Jesus Has Loved Us
“For as often as you eat this bread and drink the cup, you proclaim the Lord’s death until He comes” (1 Cor. 11:26). By eating His body and drinking His blood, we proclaim to all the world that Jesus is, indeed, our Passover Lamb (Ex. 12:1–14), who was sacrificed for us on Calvary. In Christ, the Lord remembers us in mercy and remembers our sin no more; He forgives us all our iniquity. With such love, he “loved His own who were in the world,” and even loves us “to the end” (John 13:1). As He washes us and feeds us in love, let us love one another, just as He has loved us (John 13:34).
Source: LCMS Worship, Lectionary Summaries — One-Year Lectionary (opens in a new tab). Used by permission. These pages may be reproduced for congregational use only. Commercial reproduction, or reproduction for sale of this work or any portion of this work, without the written permission of the copyright holder, is prohibited. © The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod. Scripture quoted in the summary is from the ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®), © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Introit, Gradual and Verse
- Antiphon
- Galatians 6:14 (read in KJV on Bible Gateway, opens in a new tab), liturgical text
Source: LCMS One-Year Series Propers Chart (opens in a new tab). Citations only; no liturgical or Scripture text is reproduced.
Collect
Historical Collect — Thursday in Holy Week
O LORD God, Who hast left unto us in a wonderful Sacrament a memorial of Thy Passion; Grant, we beseech Thee, that we may so use this Sacrament of Thy Body and Blood, that the fruits of Thy redemption may continually be manifest in us; Thou, who livest and reignest with the Father and the Holy Ghost, ever one God, world without end. Amen.
Source: Evangelical Lutheran Hymn-Book (Baltimore, 1893), Introits and Collects for the Church Year (opens in a new tab). Public-domain text (published 1893), transcribed from the Internet Archive scan of the Princeton Theological Seminary Library copy.
Prayers of the Church
Prayers of the Church for April 2, 2026 — Responsive Form
Let us pray for the whole Church of God in Christ Jesus and for all people according to their needs.
Gracious God, for a time Your Son set aside His heavenly authority in order to cleanse and gather us to Himself. Give us such confidence in our Baptism that we seek His presence at His table. Lord, in Your mercy, hear our prayer.
Blessed Lord, give us a heart of mercy to love all people and serve them as Christ has loved and served us. Bless Your Church and provide for her faithful pastors and church workers, that we may keep the faith and not be led astray by every wind of change. Lord, in Your mercy, hear our prayer.
Heavenly Father, You have formed us after the pattern of Christ’s humble service. Help us in our vocations to follow His example of self-sacrifice. Lord, in Your mercy, hear our prayer.
Grant us, Lord, our daily bread. Preserve us from greed and selfish cares. Grant us good government and protect us from violence. Help us to trust that You will provide for our every need, so that our lives may overflow with thanksgiving. Lord, in Your mercy, hear our prayer.
O God, give healing to the sick according to Your will. Grant relief to the suffering by Your grace. Give comfort to the grieving and peace to the dying. We lift before You those who have requested our prayers [including _____________]. Bring all things to their perfect healing and fulfillment in Christ. Lord, in Your mercy, hear our prayer.
Merciful Lord, in Your Holy Supper You give us a foretaste of the feast to come. By Your Word and Spirit, unite in true faith those who receive Your Son’s body and blood this day, that they may proclaim Christ’s death until He comes. Lord, in Your mercy, hear our prayer.
Gather us, heavenly King, around Your Son’s altar and throne with angels and saints. Bless our fellowship on earth, that at length we come to share this feast in eternal life. Lord, in Your mercy, hear our prayer.
Hear us, heavenly Father, for the sake of Christ Jesus, our Lord, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. Amen.
Source: LCMS Worship, Prayers of the Church — One-Year 2025–2026 (opens in a new tab). Prepared by LCMS Worship for congregational use. Used by permission. © The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod.
Prayers of the Church for April 2, 2026 — Ektene Form
In peace, let us pray to the Lord: Lord, have mercy.
For renewed confidence in the cleansing of Baptism, that we would seek the Lord without fear and find a place at His table, let us pray to the Lord: Lord, have mercy.
For the Church, that the Lord would provide for her faithful pastors and church workers; and that we may keep the faith and not be led astray by every wind of change, let us pray to the Lord: Lord, have mercy.
For humility and selflessness according to the pattern of Christ, that in our vocations we would follow His example of self-sacrifice, let us pray to the Lord: Lord, have mercy.
For our daily bread and the trust that God will provide for our every need; for preservation from greed and selfish cares; and for good government and protection from all violence, let us pray to the Lord: Lord, have mercy.
For those who have requested our prayers, [including _____________,] that God would grant relief to the suffering, comfort to the grieving and peace to the dying, let us pray to the Lord: Lord, have mercy.
For all who receive Christ’s body and blood this day, that they may be united in true faith by God’s Word and Spirit; and that they may proclaim Christ’s death until He comes, let us pray to the Lord: Lord, have mercy.
For the Holy Church, gathered with saints and angels around the altar and throne of Christ, that we who taste this fellowship on earth may be brought at length to share it forever in eternal life, let us pray to the Lord: Lord, have mercy.
Hear us, heavenly Father, for the sake of Christ Jesus, our Lord, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. Amen.
Source: LCMS Worship, Prayers of the Church — One-Year 2025–2026 (opens in a new tab). Prepared by LCMS Worship for congregational use. Used by permission. © The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod.
Hymn of the Day
LSB 617 O Lord, We Praise Thee
The LCMS Hymn of the Day list appoints this hymn as the Hymn of the Day for Holy (Maundy) Thursday (One-Year and Series A, B and C).
Source: LCMS Worship, Hymn of the Day — Arranged by Church Year, p. 168 (opens in a new tab). Appointment identity only. Lutheran Service Book text and LCMS study content are not reproduced.
Suggested hymns
- Entrance LSB 634 The Death of Jesus Christ, Our Lord
- Distribution LSB 618 I Come, O Savior, to Thy Table
- Distribution LSB 637 Draw Near and Take the Body of the Lord
- Distribution LSB 647 Lord Jesus Christ, the Church’s Head
Source: LCMS Worship, Hymn Suggestions — One-Year Lectionary Series 2025–26 (opens in a new tab). Hymn numbers and titles only; hymn texts are not reproduced. Reproduction for individual, church or school use does not require permission. © The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod.