Thursday begins the Easter Triduum, the three most holy days in the Church calendar.

Lent is over!  All our sacrifices over the last 40 days comes to a stop and we begin the Easter Triduum  with Holy Thursday Mass of the Lord’s Supper.  It’s important to me to be at this late evening Mass (usually 8pm) because it marks the last day of Jesus’ teaching to his followers, and especially the disciples.  He meets with them in an upper room and breaks bread, telling them He will be going away, but to take and eat in remembrance of Him.  He also offers wine to drink stating that this is His blood, given up for them.  Later that night after praying in the Garden of Gethsemane, He is taken prison by Cesar’s guards and then scourged throughout the night.  Thursday night for me is a good time to draw back from the world, to spend time in quiet adoration or watchingthe movie the Passion, so that I can truly enter Good Friday with a sorrowful heart for all that I have offended Christ by my sins.  The Priest on Holy Thursday will become a servant of the people as Christ was, and offers to wash the feet of men.  This lowly task shows that they can unite themselves to the teaching of Christ to be an example and witness to people of all walks of life.

The Easter Triduum  continues onto Good Friday

This is a day of penance and fasting.  Two lighter meals and 1 meal not to be larger than the other 2 should be the total food intake, as well, time in prayer is suggested.  Often churches will have extra reconciliation time, Stations of the Cross and many begin the Chaplet of Divine Mercy, a 9 day prayer to the sacred heart of Jesus, asking for Divine Mercy for all lost souls.  On Good Friday, no Mass may be said.  Instead, a Communion Service is held, along with what is called the “Veneration of the Cross” whereas we process towards the altar where the Priest and/or Deacon is holding a cross with the body of Jesus on it, and we show reverence by genuflecting, bowing or kissing any part of the cross.  This act is very stirring to the soul as our kiss comes before the suffering picture of Christ, or our hardness of heart can sometime turn us away.  Christ cannot be patronized.  Christians should either participate fully or not at all.  Good Friday is my last day to make good with the promises I made 4o days earlier, it is a time of remembrance that an innocent God-man took to the cross willingly for me so that I may have eternal life.

The Easter Triddum  ends with Holy Saturday

This celebrates Easter Vigil usually at 8pm or after sundown.  This is the grand finale.  Five or more readings are said in candlelight.  When the lights appear, we break into song, sign Gloria.  The readings are the story of salvation history, from Abraham forward.  It is during this Mass that any new adult members coming into the church are received, either with a baptism and or confirmation.  It is a scripture filled two-hour evening of the richness of our Lord’s love and commitment to His  people.  I love this Mass even if it is 2 hours long, because it is so filled with symbolism.  Our Priest sings all of his prayers and so with incense and voices our senses are heightened to the awesome of the liturgy.  We watch new members being baptized or confirmed and become full members of the Church Christ founded.

The Easter Triddum  does not include Easter Sunday

I know growing up that’s all we did, after, of course, hunting for eggs.  How sad we missed out on this for so many years; how sad so much of the world doesn’t even know what it means or that it is occurring. Change has occurred with placing the value of historical events as something we somehow attach ourselves to and draw upon when and if we want.  Not a good change in my mind.

The world does indeed continue to  change.

But God doesn’t, nor does his love for you. Do you believe you are worth it? Guess what? You are. Thats why he created you. He chose you. You are his. Claim it! Be filled with the love he gives you from the cross and then rejoice for Easter arrives!