April and The Paschal 2020

THE PASCHAL TRIDUUM On this evening the Gloria is sung boldly as we reflect on the Paschal The word triduum is a Latin term meaning three days. Mystery. The readings for this night The Paschal Triduum are the three days of Christ’s deal with life and death. They speak Passion, Death and Resurrection. These three days are of blood on the doorposts, the angel begun and ended not from midnight to midnight, but of death and the Lord’s death until He comes in from sunset to sunset—from sunset on Holy Thursday glory. The calls us to imitate the One who is until sunset on Sunday. betrayed. The Paschal Triduum is the most solemn event of the On Holy Thursday we also gather together to do Christian year. It contains three main liturgies: 1) the something strange. We wash feet. The Gospel of evening of the Lord’s Supper on Holy Thursday, 2) John tells us that on the night before died, the Solemn Service on afternoon, which is while he was at supper, he got up and washed the the reading and reflection on the Passion and death of feet of his disciples. This is a powerful symbol of our Jesus, and 3) the Mass. identity as a servant people. There are no words of introduction to this ritual. It should be noted that the HOLY THURSDAY does not speak of washing the feet of Holy Thursday is the final day of , the 40th day of “twelve” people, which reminds us that the ritual IS the 40 days. But at the beginning of the Mass of the NOT A HISTORICAL RE-ENACTMENT. We are Lord’s supper, Lent ends and the Paschal Triduum ALL called to service—men and begins. women, the young and the One day during Holy Week, the bishop celebrates the elderly. This year, as past years, . During this event the oil of the sick and the Washing of the Feet ritual the oil of catechumens are blessed and the sacred will include everyone, men and chrism is consecrated. After the Chrism Mass, the oils women, young and elderly in an are sent out to the parishes of the diocese. The oils are effort to be true to the Lord’s sometimes called the Easter gifts of the bishop to the command to love one another. people. Chrism is needed for the and confirma- “I have given you an example. You should do tion that will take place during the for each other what I have done for you.”

Easter Vigil Mass. As this Mass comes to a close, the is Chrism (balm) is a mixture of olive stripped in silence and with great reverence. The oil and perfume. After people are tabernacle is emptied and there is no holy water in baptized, they are anointed with the fonts. The is then placed in a place of chrism. Chrism is the sacramental repose for reservation for the sick and infirm until sign of the gift of the Holy Spirit. The Good Friday. People are free to stay for Eucharistic olive oil reminds us of Noah’s dove, Adoration, in Church, and pray until midnight and who returned to the ark with an olive leave whenever they choose. Note that there is no branch. When Noah saw the branch , no real ending of this liturgy; people he knew the earth was dry and it was time to leave the simply disperse and continue their prayer and ark. Perfume is a sign of the Spirit, which invisibly works fasting at home. to make us, in the words of St. Paul, the “aroma of During the hours from the transference of the Christ.” Eucharist to midnight, all are encouraged to There is no morning Mass on Holy Thursday. Instead, continue to pray. we prepare to celebrate the evening MASS OF THE LORD’S SUPPER. During this Mass there will be the GOOD FRIDAY

Presentation of the Oils, which were blessed at the This is the day of Jesus’ death. There is no Mass Chrism Mass earlier at the Cathedral. These three oils today. The liturgical services of Good Friday have will be used at the Easter Vigil and throughout the year no formal beginnings or endings—no greetings or for the Sacraments of , and Anoint- dismissals. In continuance of the Triduum, the main ing of the Sick. service on Good Friday is the CELEBRATION OF THE LORD’S PASSION which is held at 3:00 p.m. in the afternoon. This is the time when the lambs were slaughtered in the Temple of Jerusalem to Keep for handy reference 1 prepare for the feast. April 2020 This is the staff that Moses held up to split the waters of the Red Sea. Is it any wonder that the people call this Friday “good”?

This is the time when Jesus died. The Solemn Liturgy begins in THE PASCHAL FAST complete silence, without the usual People fast on Good Friday and . . The priest and deacons, This is called the “Paschal fast.” simply enter, with no cross or Before a big event, or after a candles. The presider and assisting tragedy, most people lose their ministers reverence the bare altar and appetites. That’s one reason that then fully prostrate themselves. This members of the Church fast during signifies both the abasement of these days. We’re filled with earthly man and also grief and sorrow of the anticipation. Church. Then everyone rises and a prayer is read. Another reason for the fasting is to The traditional prayer for this day is very old. It remind us of Adam and Eve in paradise. God told reminds us that this is the day God created the them not to eat the fruit of a particular tree. On very first humans from clay. Then the presider sits these days the children of Adam and Eve stand down for the liturgy of the word. Thus this liturgy before the tree, the holy cross of Christ, and they begins almost as a continuation of last night’s refuse to eat. liturgy, reminding us that the whole Triduum is one All Catholics, who are 18 years of age but not yet integrated period of worship. 59, are to fast AND abstain from meat on Good John’s account of the passion is heard Friday. The Second Vatican Council observed: “Let today. This account is in many ways the paschal fast be kept sacred. Let it be celebrated different from those in the other three everywhere on Good Friday, and, where possible, . John shows us how God’s glory prolonged throughout Holy Saturday, so that the is seen in the suffering and death of joys of the Sunday of the Resurrection may be Jesus. We hear that Jesus was buried attended with uplifted and clear mind.” like a monarch with a hundred pounds of sweet-smelling myrrh. The tomb was in a garden. HOLY SATURDAY AND EASTER VIGIL Perhaps John is telling us that because of the death, burial and resurrection of the Lord, we are The Paschal lasts from Good Friday welcomed back to paradise. sunset to Holy Saturday sunset. This is the middle On Good Friday the gathered Church also prays day of the Triduum. It is perhaps the strangest, most for the world and all its people. mysterious day on the calendar. A large wooden cross is carried into Church. In Latin, Holy Saturday is Sabbatum Sanctum, the Then everyone comes forward in procession to Holy Sabbath. In the tomb, Jesus rested on the honor the holy wood, “on which hung the Savior of Sabbath. The Church rests in Christ the world.” The Veneration of the Cross takes today. It’s customary to keep Holy place not simply to mourn Jesus’ suffering and Saturday free from all kinds of work, death but to acknowledge that through the cross even the preparation of food. That’s of Jesus we are led to glory. one reason to continue the paschal Holy is distributed. Then, before the fast this day. prayer after Communion, the Eucharist remaining At nightfall on Holy Saturday, the is carried without ceremony by an assisting blessed Sabbath is over. The first day minister to a suitable place outside the Church. of the week begins. After the Sabbath, Without offering the traditional greeting, the according to Jewish custom, the first presider extends hands toward the assembly and work to be done was to make a fire and to kindle the offers a prayer. Like the night before, there is no evening lamp. That is what the Church does. That is dismissal. how the Easter Vigil Begins. The is built In mystery, we say that this wood is the cross on outside the Church...in our case, in the courtyard. which Jesus died. We also say that this is the tree (This is called the Service of Light.) The fire and the of life in Eden. This is the ark that saved Noah and Easter Candle are blessed. The “Light of his family; the creatures huddled inside. Christ...thanks be to God!” acclamation becomes the processional song. The deacon carries the can- 2 dle (held high) preceded only by the censer bearer and followed by the presider. They lead the proces- April 2020 sion into Church. The one who will sing the carries the scroll with the text and music. The Easter They need to hear the good Candle is honored with incense when it is placed in news of reconciliation, its stand. Then the Easter Proclamation, called the forgiveness, peace and the Exsultet, is sung. Then there are a series of invitation to believe. We should readings, and prayers. be mindful that these people The lights are turned on and the will be among us and be as Gloria is sung joyfully and bells warm and hospitable as if we are rung announcing the good were welcoming Christ Himself! news to all! Try to make the Mass so much On this night, every member of a joy for them that, with the grace of God, they will the Church is asked to gather with the soon-to-be- be back next Sunday. baptized. We keep watch together. We settle down Let us pray that all who worship with us on this and listen to the paschal scriptures. St. Augustine day will be moved to a fervent faith throughout the said that on this night above all other nights, the year. Church keeps watch over the Church. The states that the entire celebration of the Easter Vigil takes place at EASTER SUNDAY night...after nightfall, not after sunset. The Vigil is not to begin before nightfall and is to end before Easter is the oldest and primary feast of the daybreak on Easter Sunday. This year the Easter and there is an echo of it in the Vigil will take place on Saturday, April 11th at 8:00 liturgy of every Sunday, each of which can be p.m. called a Little Easter. As St. Paul tells us, if Christ is not risen, then our faith is in vain (1 Corinthians The Easter Vigil is the high point of the entire 15:14). Church . The new fire is blessed and Easter, like , is a season. Eastertime candles glow in the celebration of Christ as our light. is the 50 day celebration that flows from the Salvation history is proclaimed through Scriptures, Triduum and ends with . climaxing in the joyous Everything about Easter presumes proclamation that Christ has risen. springtime, nature’s rebirth, the Those who have been prepared blossoming of plants, the budding of for baptism enter the church, and trees, the birthing of animals, the all Catholics renew their baptismal revival of humans. promises, for this night Easter Sunday is both the third day commemorates our share in the of the Triduum and the first day of dying and rising of Jesus. Easter. Throughout this festive Let us remember in our prayers all those who will season, white are worn. enter the Church tonight throughout the world. They are sung and the Easter candle stands in will share the Eucharistic Meal with us for the first the midst of the assembly. Christ is risen, reigns time. glorious with the Father and is present through the Let we, the faithful, remember that there are many gift of the Spirit. This is the Easter mystery that is who will come to Mass this weekend, who come celebrated in the symbolic period of Fifty Days. only at Christmas and Easter. Inactive family mem- Each Mass is a celebration of the risen Christ. In each Mass, Christ comes to share his victory with bers and friends should be warmly invited to return us. to Church; they will not be won over by chastise- Each Eucharist is a renewal of our baptism. The ments. risen Christ plants in us the seed of our own resurrection when he comes to us under forms of bread and wine.

! 3 April 2020

ALL SERVICES WILL LIVE-STREAM ON OUR FACEBOOK PAGE AND WEBSITE AVAILABLE FOR VIEWING LIVE AND AFTERWOODS AT mhtcc.net Spiritual (NOT OPEN TO THE PUBLIC)

MONDAY— 4:00 p.m. Communion

TUESDAY— Morning & Evening Mass: 7:15 a.m. & 4:00 p.m. My Jesus, I believe that you WEDNESDAY— Morning & Evening Mass: 7:15 a.m. & 4:00 p.m. are truly present in

the Most Blessed

HOLY THURSDAY Sacrament. No morning Mass I love You above all

7:00 p.m. Mass of the Lord’s things and I desire Supper to possess You within my soul. GOOD FRIDAY Since I am unable at this No Mass today moment to receive You 12:00 NOON - Meditation on the sacramentally, Last Words of Christ come at least spiritually 2:00 pm -

into my heart. 3:00 p.m. - Celebration of the I embrace You as being Lord’s Passion Good Friday already there, and unite

HOLY SATURDAY myself wholly to You. No morning Mass Never permit me to be

8:00 p.m. - Easter Vigil Mass separated from You. Amen.

EASTER SUNDAY Mass at 11:00 a.m.

Easter...

The word Easter comes from the same root as the Lord, by Your cross and words “star” and “east.” It means “dawn light.” This resurrection, You have word has become a wonderful way to describe the Christian set us free! Passover. In the words of Psalm 118:24

“This is the day the Lord You are the Savior of has made. Let us rejoice and be glad in it!” the world! 4