Holy Week: Our Most Special Time of Year
By Mike Lambrecht
Today we enter into the most sacred part of the Church’s calendar called Holy Week. Each year at this time, we celebrate our Lord’s passion and death. It is for this week that Christ took on human flesh and freely chose to suffer for us. This is the week where God himself, in the fullness of time, chose to pay the price for our sinful disobedience.
We begin with Jesus’ triumphant entry into Jerusalem on Palm Sunday. Jesus enters riding on a donkey. The crowds are gathered and waving palm branches. They are singing praises to their chosen one – their messiah. It is hard to believe that in just five days time they will be calling for his death on a cross. On this day we are given the opportunity to participate in the reading of the Gospel. We put into words what our sinful actions have been saying all of our lives, “Crucify him!” The reading of the passion of our Lord Jesus Christ puts into perspective the extent of God’s love for us. Saint Paul writes, “But God shows his love for us in that while we were yet sinners Christ died for us.”1 God did not have to redeem us, but out of love for us, He chose to do so. This week is the
perfect time to meditate upon these sacred mysteries of our faith.
Next we have Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday of Holy Week. Not much out of the ordinary is happening on these days. These are the final days of preparation that we have before we reach the Holy Triduum, namely, Holy Thursday, Good Friday and Holy Saturday. It has been a practice of the Church to offer the Sacrament of Reconciliation on these days for the spiritual well-being of the faithful.
On Holy Thursday three main events are being celebrated. First and foremost, we celebrate the Last Supper. This is the night that our Lord gave us the Eucharist. We participate in this event each and every time we attend Mass. “In the liturgical celebration of these events, they become in a certain way present and real.”2 Therefore, the Mass is not simply a memorial or remembrance of the last supper, but it re-presents it to us. “When the Church celebrates the Eucharist, she commemorates Christ’s Passover, and it is made present: the sacrifice Christ offered once and for all on the cross remains ever present.”3 As a result, in a mysterious way we are sharing in THE last supper of Christ every time we go to Mass.
Holy Thursday also commemorates the night that Jesus went out into the garden of Gethsemane to pray. It is the evening where Judas betrays Jesus and hands him over to be arrested. It is also the evening when Peter denies Jesus three times. As a reminder of this special time, and in anticipation of Good Friday, the altar is stripped and left barren after the Holy Thursday Mass and the tabernacle is emptied.
The second event that we celebrate on Holy Thursday is the institution of the priesthood. When Jesus commanded his apostles to “Do this in memory of me” he was also giving them the power and authority to do so. As such, this is a very special day of celebration for ordained clergy throughout the Church.
Thirdly, the Chrism Mass traditionally takes place on Holy Thursday. Holy Chrism is the mixture of olive oil and balsam that is used in the Sacraments of Baptism, Confirmation, and Holy Orders. In our Diocese, the oil used is consecrated once a year at the cathedral in La Crosse by the Bishop. It is then distributed to each parish in the Diocese to be used throughout the year. These oils are presented to the parish at the evening Holy Thursday Mass.
Next we come to Good Friday. This is the only full day of the year on which Mass is not celebrated. (The Easter Vigil is celebrated on Holy Saturday in Anticipation of Easter.) We are called to fast and to abstain from meat on this day. The hosts used for communion at this Mass are consecrated the night before. If you attend the service, you will note that there is no beginning or ending sign of the cross to this service. In omitting these customary reverences, the Church is emphasizing the continuity between Holy
Thursday, Good Friday, and Holy Saturday. On Good Friday we come to hear the word of God, to venerate the cross, to receive communion, and to remember the terrible price that our Lord paid for our salvation.
Lastly, we come to Holy Saturday. “On Holy Saturday the Church waits at the Lord’s tomb, mediating on his suffering and death.”4 No Mass is to be celebrated and Holy Communion may only be given as viaticum until the celebration of Easter
begins with the Vigil Mass.
Even though Holy Thursday, Good Friday, and Holy Saturday are not Holy Days of obligation, you are strongly encouraged to worship on these days. During the Holy Triduum, there are great spiritual graces to be obtained. It is a wonderful time to come together to acknowledge the sacrifice that Jesus paid for us and to celebrate with the whole Church this most holy time of year.
1 Romans 5:8
2 CCC #1363
3 CCC #1364
4 Sacramentary p.167