The Sacred Triduum (Continued)
Last week I wrote about the Sacred Triduum we will celebrate during Holy Week: Holy Thursday, Good Friday, and the Easter Vigil. The point I made can be summarized in this way: These three days form a single feast during which we participate in the mystery of Christ’s death and resurrection. Stated negatively, these three days are not three separate feasts. Nor are they a mere remembrance of the past. They form a single feast, the most important of the Church’s year, in which we enter into the Paschal Mystery. In this column I discuss each of these days.
Holy Thursday, 8:00 PM. The Sacred Triduum begins at sundown with the celebration of the Lord’s Supper. On this day we participate in the Last Supper at which the Lord instituted the Eucharist as a perpetual memorial of his presence among us until he comes again. On this night, the Church also recalls the institution of the priesthood. The Eucharist that we celebrate on this evening is distinctive in several ways. First, at the beginning of Mass, those who attended the Chrism Mass at the Cathedral bring forth the sacred oils we will use throughout the year for Baptism, Confirmation, and the Anointing of the sick. Second, after the homily, the priest washes the feet of twelve parishioners in imitation of what Jesus did to show that the meaning of ministry is service to others. Finally, at the end of Mass, there is a solemn procession of the Eucharist to the altar of repose where the Blessed Sacrament will be reverenced until 11:00 PM.
Good Friday, 3:00 PM. After the interruption of the night and morning, we resume the Paschal Triduum by a solemn commemoration of the Lord’s death that consists of three parts: The Liturgy of the Word; the Veneration of the Cross; Holy Communion. The Liturgy of the Word consists of readings that focus on the Lord’s death, a solemn reading of the Passion according to St. John, and an especially beautiful set of General Intercessions. The Veneration of the Cross allows us to venerate the symbol of our salvation. Although there is no Mass this day, we will receive Holy Communion from the hosts consecrated on Holy Thursday.
Easter Vigil, 8:00 PM. The climax of the Sacred Triduum is the Great Easter Vigil, the night during which we keep vigil as we await the Lord’s resurrection. This exceptionally beautiful evening consists of four parts: (1) The lighting of the New Fire and the solemn procession of the Paschal Candle into the dark church, showing how the risen Lord dispels the darkness of sin; (2) Readings from the Old and New Testament that foreshadow and proclaim the Lord’s resurrection; (3) the Baptism and Confirmation of those who have been preparing since September to enter into the Church; and (4) the celebration of the Eucharist. On this night we keep solemn vigil with the entire church as we wait for the Lord’s resurrection.
Easter Sunday, 8:00, 9:30, 11:00 AM. Those who cannot attend the Easter Vigil attend Mass on Easter Sunday. Please note there is a 9:30 AM Mass this day. On this day, we rejoice with the church throughout the world that Christ has been raised from the dead. We do not merely remember a past event; we celebrate an enduring reality: The Lord is risen and alive in a way that we will not fully understand until we participate in his resurrection. In the meantime, we participate in the mystery of his death and resurrection by our participation in the Sacred Triduum. Father Matera