Today is the beginning of Holy Week. It commemorates Christ Passion starting with his messianic entrance into Jerusalem. On Palm Sunday we read the people crying out as Jesus enters the city, “Hosanna! Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord!” We move forward quickly to the Liturgy of the Word where we enter into the passion of our Lord. We will hear of the torture, pain and death Jesus endures for our salvation. The Gospel reading should remind us that we do not want to become part of the crowd screaming “Crucify him.”
The evening Mass on Holy Thursday will mark the beginning of the Paschal Triduum. On Holy Thursday the Mass readings take us away from the passion of Christ to the calmer time of Jesus celebrating the Passover meal with his Apostles. We recall what the Dogmatic Constitution on the Church has called the source and summit of Christian life. Jesus, in anticipation of his sacrifice on the cross, institutes the Holy Eucharist. He tells us the bread has become his body and that the cup holds the blood of the new covenant. Jesus has already told us that we must partake of his Body and Blood if we are to remain in him and him in us. He now commands us to “Do this in remembrance of me.”
We also hear of Jesus stooping down to wash the feet of each Apostle. He tells them “If I, therefore, the master and teacher, have washed your feet, you ought to wash one another‘s feet.” Jesus is reminding his followers that a master always puts his servants first. We too must take on the role of servant to those who God loves the most; the poor and downtrodden.
On Good Friday the Church takes us again to the Passion of Christ, but now it will have a new meaning. We see it through the eyes of having experienced the Last Supper on Holy Thursday. Good Friday also gives us the opportunity to venerate the cross. In the cross we will see the sacrifice of Jesus that reconciles us to God. We see how the Master has become the suffering servant. We will see Jesus as both the Priest and the sacrifice as he offers himself for our salvation.
The Triduum ends with the greatest celebration in the Church’s liturgical year, the Easter Vigil. On this day we celebrate the Resurrection of Christ and the completion of God’s plan of salvation. We will hold candles to experience in both a physical and spiritual way the burning away of the darkness of sin as we hear the chant “The light of Christ.” The elect in RCIA will share in the beauty of our faith as they join the Catholic Church and receive the Sacraments of Initiation. We will receive the Body and Blood of Jesus in thanksgiving that comes from the knowledge and understanding of the sacrifice that is the passion of Christ.
This is just a short overview of some of the celebrations that take place during Holy Week. We have not even the mentioned the Chrism Mass where the sacred oils are blessed and the Priest express their unity with our Bishop. Holy Week can be a powerful liturgical and spiritual event in our life. In this one holy week we experience the culmination of the earthly ministry of Jesus. Please plan to attend the Holy Week celebrations at the Cathedral. May this week give you many blessings and deepen your love of Jesus Christ our Savior.
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