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Holy Week
01 Palm Sunday 02 Traitor Wednesday 03 Holy Thursday 04 Good Friday 05 Holy Saturday 06 Easter Sunday -
01 Palm Sunday
The first big day of Holy Week is Palm Sunday, the day that we commemorate Jesus entering into Jerusalem. There are a few different ways in which a community can celebrate the beginning of Mass on Palm Sunday but they all begin with the blessing of palms. As Catholics enter the church or gather around the back of the church everyone is given a palm (either before or after the blessing). As we gather and listen to one of two Gospels that we will hear at Mass that day we are not just remembering what happen almost 2,000 years ago but rather we are bringing the past into the present. It is a special way of recalling past events with the help of signs, symbols, gestures, and our own imaginations. Jewish people use this special type of memory every year also as they celebrate Passover.
The first Gospel that we have today is an account of Jesus’ entry into Jerusalem. In each account we see Jesus riding into Jerusalem on a donkey and people spreading the cloaks on the road before Him. Only Luke does not mention people cutting down branches (palms) and laying them on the road also. The people heralded Jesus as the Messiah by singing: “Hosanna! Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord! Blessed is the kingdom of our father David that is to come! Hosanna in the highest!" (Mark 11:10). But what type of Messiah was Jesus to be? One thought was that the Messiah would be a political and military leader who would help through off the Roman yoke like Joshua, Gideon, or Samson. Other ideas flourished around the idea that He would reestablish the Davidic line of kings and direct people back to the true worship of Yahweh.
One interesting thought is that Jesus rode in on a donkey because a donkey was considered an animal of peace where a horse was considered an animal of war (i.e. a war horse) and thus Jesus was showing that He came as the Prince of Peace. It is also interesting to note that in all the Gospels accounts that Jesus does not own the donkey or the upper room but rather that all his needs are met by some sort of divine providence. We should remember that Jesus promised us that God would take care of all our needs also. Jesus receiving all that He needs is also a continuation of a theme of Jesus borrowing from others to complete His ministry. He borrows Peter’s boat for His pulpit, the loaves and fishes from a young boy to feed 5,000 and now a donkey from an unnamed man. He will eventually borrow even a tomb.
As if joining in that original procession the priest and all liturgical ministers (and sometimes with the people following process into the Church after the palms are blest. We proclaim Christ to be our victor and our sovereign. The procession at Mass should always remind us of the joy that we should have that Christ (Emmanuel: God with Us) has come into our midst) and of a military parade proclaiming Christ’s victory over sin and death.
The other important thing to note is that on Palm Sunday for our second Gospel of the day (think of it as a double main event) we proclaim one of the accounts of the Passion of Christ according to Mathew, Mark, or Luke. We will proclaim the Passion of Christ according to John on Good Friday. It is often the tradition to break up the parts of the passion so that there are at least four proclaimers: the Christ figure (normally the priest), the narrator, the voice, and the crowd. Once again this is done to make us physically present at this historical event. We are able to listen to each word, witness Judas’s betrayal, hear Peter’s denial, witness the contempt and abuse the chief priests, Herod, Pilate, and the soldiers heap upon Jesus. Most importantly though. We are able to yell “Crucify Him” with the crowds and admit that we helped nail Jesus to the Cross because of our sins. The painter Salvador Dali in one of his paintings of the Crucifixion intentionally left out the nails to declare that it was not the nails that held Jesus to the Cross but rather His love for us and His desire to forgive us. We as Catholics believe that if only one person needed to be saved that God’s love for that one person would be so strong that He would have endured the cross for that one person. Have you sinned? Then you are responsible for Christ’s death on the Cross. The Good News is that Jesus came to save us and not to condemn us. While the reading of the Passion takes us all the way up to the death of Christ and his burial in the tomb, Holy Week has really just begun. -
02 Traitor Wednesday
As we continue to explore Holy Week, we find ourselves in the midst of a political thriller is this Jesus Christ going to over through the imposter King Herod and rid the country of the evil and merciless Romans? Will the warrior Christ be able to defeat the evil monster “Death” itself? What will happen when Jesus is betrayed, denied, and left all alone at the moment of His greatest need? Will the Son of God revolt against His Heavenly Father’s will? Is God truly the Good Shepherd who will go into God-forsakenness to find the lost sheep? Will the dead truly rise? What will the confrontation be like when Jesus comes face to face with Herod (who had John killed) or with Pilate who had the blood of the some of the Jews mixed with their own sacrifices. Sometimes, I think that because we have celebrated Holy Week over and over again we can forget how exciting the story really is.
One of my favorite series of books is called The Spanish Bit Saga by Don Coldsmith. In the first book of the series The Trail of Spanish Bit he describes a Native American Tribe (known as “the people”) first encounter with the horse and how it would revolutionize their culture. In that book the Medicine Man known as White Buffalo was a minor character and almost never talked about. Later Don Coldsmith would write “The Changing Winds” and as I read it I discovered that this was a retelling of the “Trail of the Spanish Bit” but from the point of view of White Buffalo. I was amazed to learn how much of a role White Buffalo had actually played in the tribe’s acceptance of the horse and it gave me a new prospective on the entire story. I think that it can be very good to take time to re-read each of the Gospel’s passages concerning the events of Holy Week from the point of view of the many different characters. Maybe one time read it from Peter’s point of view or another Pilate’s or maybe even from the little girl who accused Peter of being a follower of Jesus. What do you think their emotions were and the reasons behind their actions? How is God being accepted or rejected by each character? What do you feel God telling you as you read and imagine yourself in the different roles?
On Wednesday of Holy Week, which is unofficially called “Traitor Wednesday” because the story of Judas betraying Jesus is read as the Gospel, we have the chance to immerse ourselves into the character of Judas. Why did Judas betray Jesus? Were his reasons much different from ours? Why did Judas not seek forgiveness? -
03 Holy Thursday
As we continue our journey we find ourselves liturgically on Holy Thursday morning although sometimes this next Liturgical celebration can be moved forward in the week or even to the week before so as many priests as possible can attend. In St. Louis, the Chrism Mass is always celebrated at 10AM Holy Thursday morning at the New Cathedral with the Archbishop presiding. There are two major parts to the Chrism Mass - the first part being the blessing of Holy Oils and the second part being the celebration of the priesthood and the renewal of priestly vows.
At the Chrism Mass the Bishop blesses the three Holy Oils: the oil of Catechumen, the oil of the infirm/sick, and the Sacred Chrism. Think about the fact that the any Catholic bishop can trace his roots all the way back to the original apostles. An analogy that helps me is to think of each bishop as an extension cord bringing the light of Christ into the world today. Some extension cords are longer and others shorter just like some bishops have longer lives than others. No other religion can make this claim.
Finally at the Chrism Mass all the priests of a given diocese are invited to gather together and to renew their priestly vows. On the day (Holy Thursday) in which Christ began the priesthood priests gather no matter what their ordination day was or how long ago it was and they renew their vows. I can speak from my own heart and say that it is always a very great and humbling occasion for me. I also appreciate the support of all the lay people in attendance which is normally demonstrated through a large amount of clapping after the priests have renewed their vows.
As this week’s Spiritual Ponderings concludes, we look forward to Mass of the Lord Supper and the beginning of the Sacred Tridium.
As we continue our Holy Week Journey we come to the Sacred Triduum. Starting Thursday Night and keeping time as the Jewish people at the time of Christ did (evening was considered to be the start of a new day) for three days the Church celebrates one continual liturgy. We can see this by the fact that the Sign of the Cross at the beginning of Holy Thursday Mass does not repeat and only at the end of the Easter Vigil do we have a final blessing.
The first part of the Sacred Triduum is called the Mass of the Lord’s Supper and it is where we celebrate the very first Eucharist. Jesus gathered the twelve (and probably others) and according to St. Paul’s letter to the Corinthians: For I received from the Lord what I also handed over to you, that the Lord Jesus, on the night he was handed over, took bread, and after he had given thanks, broke it and said “This is my body that is for you. Do this in remembrance of me.” In the same way also the cup, after supper, saying, “This cup is the new covenant in my blood. Do this, as often as you drink it, in remembrance of me.” For as often as you eat this bread and drink the cup, you proclaim the death of the Lord until he comes. Much can be said and has been written about the Eucharist so all I wish to do here is to point out that in the early Church everyone including Paul knew the story and placed great emphasis on receiving the Eucharist.
On Holy Thursday we also celebrate in a very visual way Christ’s love for us by ritually re-enacting Jesus’ washing the feet of His disciples. If we thought John was humble because He did not feel worthy to untie the strap on the sandal of the Messiah how much more humble must the Messiah had been to bow down and perform the work of a servant. One cannot help but think of Philippians 6:2-10: Have among yourselves the same attitude that is also yours in Christ Jesus, Who, though he was in the form of God, did not regard equality with God something to be grasped. Rather, he emptied himself, taking the form of a slave, coming in human likeness; and found human in appearance, 8he humbled himself, becoming obedient to death, even death on a cross. Because of this, God greatly exalted him and bestowed on him the name that is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bend, of those in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father. For centuries (and even today) people thought that to be like God one must be all powerful, always in control, and famous. Jesus reveals to us the truth that to be God is all about love and of being of loving service to others.
After everyone has received the Eucharist on Holy Thursday any extra Eucharist is then transported to another place of rest that is not the tabernacle that is normally used. In a symbolic way we are re-enacting Jesus’ time of prayer in the Garden of Gethsemane. Just like the Garden of Eden in this garden a choice will need to be made. Will Jesus trust in the Father’s love and do His Father’s will or will He doubt His Father’s love and disobey like Adam and Eve did? We like Peter, James, and John are invited to spend time in prayer with Jesus. Now without fanfare the first part of the Triduum is over. -
04) Good Friday
The second part of the Triduum is called the Veneration of the Holy Cross. Good Friday is the only day of the year in which Mass is not celebrated in honor of Christ’s death. The first major part of the Good Friday service is the reading of the Passion according to John.
Following the Passion a large cross is brought into the Church and we are asked to venerate it as if it was the real cross. Some people simply bow to it and others will kiss it. There is no wrong way to do venerate the Cross as long as we do so respectfully as St. Dismas did. Dismas is the name given to the repentant thief who hung upon the cross next to Jesus. He came to Jesus’ defense when the other thief mocked Jesus and Jesus promised Dismas that Dismas would enter into paradise - reminding all of us that it is never too late for us to accept Christ as long as we are alive.
After the veneration of the Cross we are invited to receive the Eucharist. This Eucharist though was not consecrated today but rather on Holy Thursday. Even in His death Jesus is providing for His people and once again with no fanfare the celebration ends and people depart. -
05) Holy Saturday
We have now come to the climax of our Holy Week liturgies with the Easter Vigil. This will be a night in which we both celebrate Christ’s Resurrection and the welcoming of new Catholics. Adults who wish to become Catholic and who have never been baptized and have been preparing for the Sacrament through the RCIA are baptized tonight. In some parishes but not all those who have been Baptized but missed one of the other two Sacraments of Initiation (Eucharist and Confirmation) may also receive them for the first time at this special Mass.
The Catholic community gathers outside the Church building around a fire that represents God’s love. From the fire of God’s love the Easter Candle is lit. The Easter Candle, sometimes called the Paschal Candle, is normally a large candle that is decorated. It is to be a symbol for us that Christ is the Light of the World and that Christ has conquered the power of darkness and death. People then process into the Church led by the Easter Candle and normally singing and repeating an antiphon like “Christ our Light” – “Thanks be to God”. As they process in the light from the Easter Candle is spread throughout the Church by one person lighting their candle from the Easter candle and the next person lighting their candle from that person’s candle and so on. It is truly an awesome sight to see and see demonstrated how faith in Christ spreads from one person passing it on to another and so on.
After everyone is in Church and normally with the Church only lit by candles the deacon, priest, or cantor sings the Exulted. The Exulted is a hymn of praise singing about how God has saved us from the darkness of sin. After the Exulted everyone sits down and begins to listen to the readings. Instead of having three readings (a first, a second, & a Gospel) there are at least 5 and can be as many as ?. Each reading talking about God’s faithfulness and how He has saved His people.
After all the readings, the celebration continues with the Rites of Christian Initiation if there is anyone wishing to join the Church. Adults receive the sacrament of Baptism and then all present renew their Baptismal vows. Once again reminding us how God has saved us through the gift of Baptism. We have died with Christ and will rise with Him. Following the Baptism any adult who just received the sacrament of Baptism can also receive the sacrament of Confirmation and so the person is Confirmed and is now a full fledge member of the Catholic faith. These people will go onto receive their first Holy Communion also. (There is no need for 1 st Reconciliation at this point because the Baptism has wiped away all sins. The people who are brought into the Church at Easter will eventually celebrate this sacrament later and on their own.
Finally to conclude the Sacred Triduum we receive a final blessing (remember there was no final blessing on Holy Thursday or Good Friday) and a dismissal normally ending with a “Double Alleluia” to symbolize just how excited we are to praise Yahweh the God who has saved us and give us new life through Christ Jesus. -
06) Easter Sunday
I would like to end this month’s Spiritual Ponderings with a few thoughts from Fulton Sheen’s The Life of Christ.
In the history of the world, only one tomb has ever had a rock rolled before it, and a soldier guard set to watch it to prevent the dead man within from rising: that was the tomb of Christ one the evening of the Friday called Good. What spectacle could be more ridiculous than armed soldiers keeping their eyes on a corpse? But sentinels were set lest the Dead walk, the Silent Speak, and Pierced Heart quicken to the throb of life. They said He was dead; they knew He was dead; they would say He would not rise again; and yet they watched! They openly called Him a deceiver. But, would He still deceive? Would He Who “deceived” them into believing they had won the battle, Himself win the war for life and truth and love? They remembered that He called His Body the Temple and that in three days after they destroyed It, He would rebuild It; they recalled, too, that He compared Himself to Jonah and said that as Jonah was in the belly of the whale for three days, so would He be in the belly of the earth for three days and then would rise again. After three days Abraham received back his son Isaac, who was offered in sacrifice, for three days Egypt was in a darkness that was not of nature; on the third day God came down on Mount Sinai. Now, once again, there was worry about the third day.
Their request for a guard until the “third day” had more references to Christ’s words about His Resurrection than it did to the fear of the Apostles stealing a corpse and propping it up like a living thing in simulation of a Resurrection.
The most astounding fact about this spectacle of vigilance over the dead was that the enemies of Christ expected the Resurrection, but His friends did not. It was the believers who were the skeptics; it was the unbelievers who were credulous. His followers needed and demanded proofs before they would be convinced.
The men would not come to the tomb until they were summoned—so little did they believe. But the women came, only because in their grief they sought consolation in embalming the dead. Nothing is more antihistorical than to say that the pious women were expecting Christ to rise from the dead. The Resurrection was something they never expected. Their minds were not made up of the kind of material on which such expectations could grow.
To an angel, the Resurrection would not be a mystery, but His death would be. For man, His death was not a mystery, but His Resurrection would be. What had been natural to the angels, therefore, was not made the subject of the announcement.