SHARING SPIRITUAL FOOD FOR HOLY WEEK
Guide for Individuals & Families (archmil.org)
HOLY THURSDAY (April 9): EVENING MASS OF THE LORD’S SUPPER (Ex 12:1-8, 11-14; 1 Cor 11:23-26; Jn 13:1-15)
Holy Thursday begins the holiest time of the liturgical year - the Paschal Triduum - the days of Our Lord’s Passion, Death, and Resurrection. This first night of the Triduum takes a more celebratory tone. At the Last Supper, Jesus washes the feet of His apostles, consecrates them to the priesthood, and institutes the Sacrament of the Eucharist. At Mass, we show this joy by putting away the purple of Lent and wearing white; we also sing the Gloria again. Despite the sorrow to follow, we pause to celebrate this final meal between Jesus and His disciples.
Why is the other side empty? Have you ever noticed that in Leonardo da Vinci’s painting of the Last Supper everybody is on one side of the table? The other side is empty. “Why’s that?” someone asked the great artist. His answer was simple. “So that there may be plenty of room for us to join them.” Want to let Jesus do his thing on earth through you? Then pull up a chair and receive him into your heart, especially in Holy Week
GOOD FRIDAY (April 10) PASSION OF THE LORD Is 52: 13-53:: 12; Heb 4:14-16; 5:7-9; Jn 18:1-19:42
The Paschal Triduum continues into Good Friday. After the Last Supper, Jesus is arrested in the Garden of Gethsemane, put on trial, and sentenced to death by crucifixion. While we know the promise and reality of the Resurrection, we pause every Good Friday to remember the truth that Jesus was mocked, beaten, and brutally put to death - a death He submitted to because of His infinite love for each of us. As the world entered silence on the first Good Friday, so does the Church. No Masses are celebrated between Holy Thursday and the Easter Vigil. Good Friday gives us a blessed opportunity to walk with our Lord to the Cross, for He tells us “If any man would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me” (Mark 8:34). We call today “GOOD Friday” because the cross is proof of the powerful love that God has for each of us. No one, not even God, would do something like that unless He truly loved us. Here we see a love that was prepared to endure the ultimate suffering in order to rescue us.
HOLY SATURDAY & EASTER VIGIL Gn 1:1-2:2 or 1:1, 26-31; Gn 22:1-18 or 22:1-2,9a, 10-13. 15-18; Ex 14; 15-15:1; Is 54;5-14. 55:1-11; Bar 3:9-15, 32-4:4; Ez 36:16-17a, 18-28; Rom 6:3-11; Mt 28:1-10
Because there are no liturgies from Good Friday until the great Easter Vigil, Holy Saturday can be easy to overlook. However, Christ was at work on this day, descending into the dead and preparing to open the gates of heaven for us! The high point of the liturgical year happens at the Easter Vigil. Salvation History reaches its climax as we journey from the dawn of Creation to the Resurrection of Christ. Many new Catholics enter the Church and receive the sacraments at this Mass, and we renew our baptismal promises, rejoicing in the salvation won for us through Jesus’ Passion, Death, and Resurrection.
EASTER SUNDAY: ACTS 10:34a, 37-43; COL 3:1-4; JOHN 20:1-9 or Mt 28:1-10
Easter is the greatest and the most important feast in the Church. It marks the birthday of our eternal hope. “Easter” literally means “the feast of fresh flowers.” We celebrate it with pride and jubilation for three reasons: 1) The Resurrection of Christ is the basis of our Christian Faith; 2) Easter is the guarantee of our own resurrection. 3) Easter is a feast which gives us hope and encouragement in this world of pain, sorrows, and tears. “He is Risen! He is Risen indeed!” This traditional Easter greeting encapsulates the great joy of Easter morning. We rise to find that the tomb is empty - that our Lord has risen as He said, and that we have access to eternal life because of Him. It is truly a joyful day, and we should celebrate it as such!
HAPPY EASTER TO ALL. JESUS IS RISEN, ALLELUIA!!! ALLELUIA!!! ALLELUIA!!!
(Fr Davies Edassery