The celebration of Holy Week 2010 begins with the liturgies of Palm or Passion Sunday this weekend. It has been the tradition that Palm Sunday initiates us into the holiest of octaves-the eight days of Palm Sunday through Easter Sunday. We begin this holy observance of the Passion, Death and Resurrection of the Lord Jesus Christ with the blessing of palm branches that recall his triumphal entry into the holy city of Jerusalem. We are all joyfully implored to an intense, lively and prayerful Holy Week. This week is a week like none other, which commemorates the activities surrounding the Christ-event.
THE EASTER TRIDUUM
HOLY THURSDAY: This is the night when Jesus instituted the Holy Eucharist, our communion with Him. The mandatum, or washing of feet takes place at this liturgy. This action serves as the primary symbol of Christian service. At the conclusion of the liturgy, a procession leads the transfer of the Eucharist to a place of repose for private prayer and adoration until midnight. During this holy evening, we are all invited to prayer with Christ. We do this in remembrance of Jesus praying that first Holy Thursday, after the Passover Supper, in the Garden of Gethsemane. It is a night for prayer and penance.
GOOD FRIDAY: This is the day of Jesus’ death, the most solemn day on our Christian calendar. This is the only day out of the year when Mass is not celebrated. Good Friday is a day of penance for Christians. For Catholics, we are directed to abstain from meat on this day and to fast from eating between meals. We are encouraged to keep the Lenten fast until after the Easter Vigil Services of Holy Saturday Night.
HOLY SATURDAY: The awesome ceremony of the Easter Vigil begins the celebration of Easter. This eventful night includes Baptism and Confirmation of catechumens and candidates who will be received into full communion in the Church. The celebration of Easter spills over into a fifty-day celebration, ending on Pentecost Sunday, the birthday of the Church.
Holy Week, then, is the celebration of the passion, death and resurrection of Jesus Christ. It has no meaning apart from the celebration of Jesus Christ. It is upon Him whom we must place our focus this week. It is a living relationship with Him that we must value above all else. It is this loving and living relationship with the Redeemer Christ that must energize us all to live in His spirit of love, with hope and faith.
With war raging still and the international and national order unstable, coupled with the recent headlines surrounding the Catholic church, it would be prudent for us to spend time in prayer for tranquility, peace, reconciliation and goodwill, along with the establishment of justice, eradication of terror and a termination of hatred and hostility. Perhaps Holy week could become a week of intense prayer and fasting for these causes.
May God send upon all of us peace, love, goodness and the faith to believe in the Easter promise of eternal life.
A REFLECTION ON HOLY WEEK
By: Archbishop Oscar Romero
For the church, the many abuses of human life, liberty and dignity are a heartfelt suffering.
The church, entrusted with the earth’s glory, believes that in each person is the Creator’s image and that everyone who tramples it offends God.
As the holy defender of God’s rights and of God’s images, the church must cry out.
It takes as spittle on its face and lashes on its back, as the cross in its passion,
all that human beings suffer, even though they be unbelievers.
They suffer as God’s images. There is no dichotomy between humans and God’s image.
Whoever tortures a human being, whoever abuses a human being, whoever outrages
a human being abuses God’s image, and the church takes as its own
that cross, that martyrdom.
THE EASTER TRIDUUM
HOLY THURSDAY: This is the night when Jesus instituted the Holy Eucharist, our communion with Him. The mandatum, or washing of feet takes place at this liturgy. This action serves as the primary symbol of Christian service. At the conclusion of the liturgy, a procession leads the transfer of the Eucharist to a place of repose for private prayer and adoration until midnight. During this holy evening, we are all invited to prayer with Christ. We do this in remembrance of Jesus praying that first Holy Thursday, after the Passover Supper, in the Garden of Gethsemane. It is a night for prayer and penance.
GOOD FRIDAY: This is the day of Jesus’ death, the most solemn day on our Christian calendar. This is the only day out of the year when Mass is not celebrated. Good Friday is a day of penance for Christians. For Catholics, we are directed to abstain from meat on this day and to fast from eating between meals. We are encouraged to keep the Lenten fast until after the Easter Vigil Services of Holy Saturday Night.
HOLY SATURDAY: The awesome ceremony of the Easter Vigil begins the celebration of Easter. This eventful night includes Baptism and Confirmation of catechumens and candidates who will be received into full communion in the Church. The celebration of Easter spills over into a fifty-day celebration, ending on Pentecost Sunday, the birthday of the Church.
Holy Week, then, is the celebration of the passion, death and resurrection of Jesus Christ. It has no meaning apart from the celebration of Jesus Christ. It is upon Him whom we must place our focus this week. It is a living relationship with Him that we must value above all else. It is this loving and living relationship with the Redeemer Christ that must energize us all to live in His spirit of love, with hope and faith.
With war raging still and the international and national order unstable, coupled with the recent headlines surrounding the Catholic church, it would be prudent for us to spend time in prayer for tranquility, peace, reconciliation and goodwill, along with the establishment of justice, eradication of terror and a termination of hatred and hostility. Perhaps Holy week could become a week of intense prayer and fasting for these causes.
May God send upon all of us peace, love, goodness and the faith to believe in the Easter promise of eternal life.
A REFLECTION ON HOLY WEEK
By: Archbishop Oscar Romero
For the church, the many abuses of human life, liberty and dignity are a heartfelt suffering.
The church, entrusted with the earth’s glory, believes that in each person is the Creator’s image and that everyone who tramples it offends God.
As the holy defender of God’s rights and of God’s images, the church must cry out.
It takes as spittle on its face and lashes on its back, as the cross in its passion,
all that human beings suffer, even though they be unbelievers.
They suffer as God’s images. There is no dichotomy between humans and God’s image.
Whoever tortures a human being, whoever abuses a human being, whoever outrages
a human being abuses God’s image, and the church takes as its own
that cross, that martyrdom.
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