Our Lord's promise to remain with us until the end of times finds
concrete expression in the Church's liturgical celebrations. There
Christ is present and makes available to us the fruits of his passion,
death and resurrection, through which he accomplished our salvation.
In her liturgical celebrations during Holy Week the Church commemorates
and represents these mysteries in a distinguished way and invites us to
unite ourselves more closely to Christ and to relive the last days of
his life on earth.
Palm Sunday
Our Lord's entrance into Jerusalem marks the beginning of these last
days. In fervent expectation of the Messiah the people welcomed Christ
into their city as the King of Israel, shouting "Hosanna" and
waving palm branches. Only days later would the same crowd demand his
death. In the liturgy of Palm Sunday, we commemorate these events. For
us, however, Christ's solemn entrance into Jerusalem foreshadows his
future glory and triumph as the risen Son of God. The account of his
passion, read at Mass, reminds us that this triumph would only be won
through his suffering and death.
Chrism Mass
This Jesus of Nazareth, hailed and then rejected, is truly the one
who was sent "to bring the good news to the poor, to proclaim
liberty to captives, to give new sight to the blind and to set the
downtrodden free". For this he was anointed by the Spirit,
consecrated as Son and Servant of God. He continues his saving work
today, and anoints and consecrates his people to make them sharers in
his death and life. Oil and chrism, used in four of the seven
sacraments, are the effective sign of his saving power. This sacred sign
makes some bishops, some priests, but all powerful witnesses to Our Lord
and servants of one another. At the Chrism Mass, therefore, oils and
chrism are blessed for their sacred use, and bishop and priests renew
their dedication to Christ and their commitment to serve.
Holy Thursday
With the Lord's Supper, shortly before his arrest and condemnation,
the most remarkable events begin. Knowing what was about to happen,
Christ wished to give his followers a memorial of his death and
resurrection. Even while still among them, he gave himself to them as
heavenly food and drink which would lead them to eternal life. The first
Mass ever celebrated was the most awe-inspiring of all, where priest and
sacred host were one and the same, just as on the cross the sacrifice
was itself the one who sacrificed it. To this day, hidden under the
external forms of bread and wine and veiled in the person of the priest,
Christ makes present anew what he did once and for all on the altar of
the cross. God is showing us the way to life through death to self and
humble service. Washing his disciples feet, Christ gave us an example of
true authority and power. This is the message of Holy Thursday night.
After the events in the upper room Our Lord went to pray in the garden
that God's will be done. We keep vigil with him after Mass in silent
adoration before the Blessed Sacrament and contemplate God's
unbelievable love for us, a love till death.
Good Friday
It was late during the night that Jesus was arrested, betrayed by a
friend, and brought before the Jewish leaders. Eager to do away with
him, they accused him of blasphemy and presented him to the Roman
authorities for civil trial. Uncertain of Jesus' offense, Pontius Pilate
had the people decide, trusting they would call for his release. When
this failed he complied with the wishes of the Jewish leaders and gave
the order for Jesus to be crucified. His final ordeal was brutal and
humiliating. As a mock-king he carried his own crossbeam and was
crucified on Golgatha outside the walls of Jerusalem. He soon died of
exhaustion. The gravity and sadness of these events are reflected in the
austerity and simplicity of the Good Friday celebration. Prostrating
themselves in front of the altar, the priests express grief and sorrow
in the face of Christ's passion and death. Yet, this death has changed
the world and has made salvation possible for all. Therefore, we
fervently pray for the Church and all Christ's faithful, for those who
do not believe and for those in any kind of need. All are called to
glory in the cross of the Lord, which stands out as the sign of
salvation. During the liturgy, this cross is being solemnly uncovered
for the whole world to see and venerated by believers as their source of
life. In silence and sorrow the body of the Lord was taken down from the
cross and buried in a nearby tomb. In silence and sorrow the liturgy of
Good Friday ends, leaving us watching, like the women, and waiting.
Holy Saturday - Easter Sunday
It was in the early morning hours of the third day when some of
Jesus' disciples went to the tomb and found it empty. Only slowly, doubt
gave way to belief and grief gave way to joy. But like the light of the
Easter candle in the dark Church, the news of the resurrection spreads
and enlightens the world. In the Easter Proclamation of the Vigil the
Church calls us to rejoice and praise God. The one, who was dead, lives
and sheds his light on all the world. This great deed had been announced
and foretold by the people of the Old Testament, and one story after
another is being given in the many readings of the night as a proof of
God's power and will to save. The final proof, however is given in the
account of the empty tomb, that is being proclaimed in the Gospel. An
increasingly joyous and triumphant "Alleluia" ("Praise
God") introduces the Good News. Dying Christ destroyed our death
and rising he restored our life. Through him we have life in its
fullness and can partake of it already now. That is why the Easter Vigil
ever since has been a most appropriate time for candidates to receive
the sacraments of Baptism, Confirmation and First Communion. as these
catechumens accept the faith, we renew our own baptismal promises and
commit ourselves together with them to "keep the flame of faith
alive in our hearts".
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