The Sacred Triduum

The most sacred three days of the entire year in the Church is the Sacred Triduum, encompassing Maundy Thursday, Good Friday, and Holy Saturday. The liturgy, and yes, it is a single liturgy that spans the course of three days, is a tapestry of symbolism, poetry, and sublime beauty.

I invite you to make every effort to attend all three evenings of the Triduum Liturgy to experience and appreciate the fullness of its rich prayer and meaning. The Triduum Liturgy begins with the Mass of the Lord’s Supper at 7:00pm on April 14, continues with the Liturgy of the Lord’s Passion at 7:00pm on April 15, and concludes with the Easter Vigil at 8:00pm on April 16. Additionally, to help prepare us for the Triduum, on Wednesday, April 13 at 8:00pm, there will be the Tenebrae Service, which is a somber meditation on the suffering of our Lord with prayer and song.

The Mass of the Lord’s Supper is when we experience the Last Sup-per and the events surrounding it, such as when He instituted the Eucharist, the priesthood, and the commandment of love. The priests wash the feet of twelve people, just as Jesus washed the feet of His disciples as an expression of the commandment of love. The Gloria is sung with bells ringing during it, for the last time until we arrive at the Easter Vigil. After Holy Communion, the Blessed Sacrament is removed from the church and brought to an altar of repose where we are invited to spend the night in prayer with our Lord until midnight, as He asked His disciples to pray with Him in the Garden of Gethsemane before His Passion. After Jesus is re-moved from the church, the altar in the church is stripped and left bare, symbolic of Jesus being stripped by the soldiers and the church mourning for His Passion.

The Liturgy of the Lord’s Passion is not a Mass; Mass is not allowed to be celebrated on Good Friday. It begins with scripture readings relating to our Lord’s suffering and Crucifixion, which is then fol-lowed by the Solemn Intercessions: a special set of petitions for mercy and grace. After this is the Veneration of the Cross, when we are reminded that the cross is not a symbol of defeat but rather the symbol of victory and the Glory of God. We venerate the cross by bowing, touching, or kissing it.

Next week is Palm Sunday when we welcome our Lord’s entry into the Holy City of Jerusalem. In next week’s bulletin, look forward to an explanation of the most important Mass of the church year: the Easter Vigil.