With the Consecration of Holy Oil An Informal Liturgy Following A Church Pot Luck Supper

The following is an informal liturgy for use following our congregational Pot Luck Supper. It is held in our eating place and every year features communion. This year we added the consecration of Holy Oil – which, as folk coming from the Reform tradition, is a bit unusual. But we haved used Holy Oil in our ministry for many years – and so it is right to consecrate it.

GATHERING AFTER SUPPER MAUNDY is an English form of the Latin word for commandment. The overarching theme of Maundy Thursday is Jesus’ new commandment, given on this the eve of his death, to “love one another even as I have loved you” (John 13:34)

Maundy Thursday is the night of the final meal that Jesus had with his disciples. The night in which he washed his disciples feet, saying after he had done so: (John 13:12-17)

“Do you understand what I have done for you? You call me ‘Teacher’ and ‘Lord,’ and rightly so, for that is what I am. Now that I, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also should wash one another’s feet. I have set you an example that you should do as I have done for you. I tell you the truth, no servant is greater than his master, nor is a messenger greater than the one who sent him. Now that you know these things, you will be blessed if you do them.

Maundy Thursday is the night in which Jesus not only washed his disciples feet, and later lifted up the bread and the wine and established a new sacrament in his name – it is also the night of Gethesame – the night of anguish of soul as he faced his betrayal and fast approaching death.

Traditionally on this night the church does various things – such as we are doing this night. One of these things is to consecrate the Holy Oil of Anointing the kind of oil used both for healing and for preparing the body of those who have died for burial. I will now prepare and consecrate the Holy Oil that we use throughout the year in this church – and in our ministry beyond these doors.

Go to Preparing the Oil of Anointing for instructions on how to make or prepare the Oil of Anointing outside the Service of Worship. The following presumes final preparation during the service of Worship.

CONSECRATION OF HOLY OIL Tonight we bring the anointing oil – also called “chrism” – that will be used this year at Baptisms and Confirmations, for the blessing of the sick and the dying and at other special times – to be consecrated to those uses.

It has been the custom of the church dating back to its very early first years to use oil for anointing to bless, to consecrate and to heal. The use of oil goes back deep into Old Testament times from the time of the Exodus and before. It was employed in the coronation of kings, in the consecration of the high priest and in the ordination of the Levites, and indeed, it figured very prominently in the Mosaic ordinances.

In its primitive meaning the word chrism, like the Greek chrisma, was used to designate any and every substance that served the purpose of smearing or anointing, such as the various kinds of oils, unguents, and pigments. Gradually however, in the writings of the Fathers at all events, the term came to be restricted to that special kind of oil that that was used in religious ceremonies and functions, especially in the administration of the Sacraments of Baptism and Confirmation.

It is considered that the oil symbolizes the fulness of sacramental grace, the sweetness of the Christian life and manifold and diverse gifts of the Holy Spirit.

The elements of this anointing oil are: — olive oil — balsam — myrrh — frankincense — cinnamon, cloves, allspice

Heavenly father we ask you to bless these the elements of holy anointing oil.

(In turn – use the sign of the cross over each)

Bless this balsam to represent the innate sweetness of virtue and to symbolize healing.

Bless this myrrh to represent the purification and to remind us of the anointing of our Lord.

Bless this frankincense to represent religious fervour and to symbolize the priestly office of Christ.

Bless this clove and cinnamon and allspice to represent the fragrance of prayer and the oil of gladness. [Psalm 45:7]

Bless this olive oil to represent the outpouring of Your grace.

Send your Holy Spirit to consecrate these elements.

(Mix the ingredients together.)

Most holy God, bless this oil that it might be to us the “sweet savour of Christ.” [2 Cor. 2:15] May it strengthen us, consecrate us and preserve us so that we may resist contagion with the sins of the world and may it fill us with grace so that we may be Your dear disciples and faithful witnesses now and forever. May it bless and heal those who are infirm and in need of healing – both the healing of the body and of the soul and may it encourage us in our walk with You. Amen.

THE SACRAMENT INSTITUTED As we come now to the time of communion let us hear the very first account ever written of the last supper – as put down by the Apostle Paul in the Eleventh Chapter of his first letter to the Corinthians. Paul writes:

For I received from the Lord what I also passed on to you: The Lord Jesus, on the night he was betrayed, took bread, {24} and when he had given thanks, he broke it and said, “This is my body, which is for you; do this in remembrance of me.” {25} In the same way, after supper he took the cup, saying, “This cup is the new covenant in my blood; do this, whenever you drink it, in remembrance of me.” {26} For whenever you eat this bread and drink this cup, you proclaim the Lord’s death until he comes.

Lord – on this holy night – the night in which the new Passover was brought to pass we recall what Jesus said and did How he took bread, and after giving thanks for it, broke it and gave it to his disciples saying “take, eat, this is my body which is broken for you”. We also remember how when the meal was done he took the cup, the cup of blessing, and gave it to his disciples saying “take, drink, this is my blood, poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins. When you drink this cup, do it in remembrance of me.”

Bless O God this bread and this wine. Send your Spirit upon it and upon all who gather for this sacred mystery that they may be for us the body and the blood of our blessed redeemer and that we may worthily receive the same. We ask it in his name, saying the prayer he taught us…. Our Father…

DISTRIBUTION

PRAYER AND DISMISSAL Holy God, source of all love, on the night of his betrayal, Jesus gave his disciples a new commandment: To love one another as he had loved them. We pray you, by your Holy Spirit write this commandment in our hearts. Help us serve as Jesus served, to not be afraid to offer ourselves for the sake of others. Amen

Go now in peace and may the Lord our God bless you and keep you. May he make his face to shine up and lift up his countenance upon you – both now and forevermore. Amen

copyright – Rev. Richard J. and Charlene E. Fairchild – Spirit Networks, 1999 – 2006 please acknowledge the appropriate author if citing these sermons.

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