Our celebration this weekend for Passion (Palm) Sunday leads us into the most sacred and special season of the Church’s liturgical calendar, Holy Week. The palm branches we bless and carry today remind us of the entrance of Jesus into Jerusalem. He comes not as a victorious king as some had hoped for, but rather as a willing servant that lays down his life for all. Truly he is a new type of king, one that the world had never seen.
We pray that these palms remind us of that entrance long ago and, most importantly, what followed. Are we willing to go to the cross with Christ and die to the sin in our lives? If so, then this will indeed be a triumphant journey that ends not in death but in victory and life-everlasting if we are willing to embrace the one and same cross of our Lord.
I urge you to make this entire week different than normal. Don’t simply go on with all the other tasks of the week and then rush to Mass on Easter morning. Enter into the beauty and rhythm of the week and I guarantee it will make a difference in your spiritual life. Let’s take a look at each day in Holy Week and the schedule of services here at CtR:
Mon.-Tue.-Wed., March 25-26-27: These are the final days of the season of Lent. How has your 40-day journey been? Have you kept to your Lenten promises and sacrifices? Have you wavered or maybe even failed at times? Has it been, to use common language, a “good Lent”? If so, great. Stay the course these final days. But if not, fear not! There is still time to turn it around. Use these final three days to recommit yourself to the Lenten journey. Remember the three hallmarks of the season: prayer, fasting, and almsgiving. Work a little bit on all three. It’s never too late to have a “good Lent.” Please note that there is no Wednesday Mass at 7 p.m., but Fr. Vincent and I will hear confessions that evening from 5:30 – 7:30 p.m.
Holy Thursday, March 28, Mass at 7 p.m.: Lent ends quietly on Thursday morning and we begin the season of the Triduum with the Mass of the Lord’s Supper that evening. On this night we recall the Last Supper Jesus had with his disciples, and the Church celebrates both the institution of the Eucharist and the ministerial priesthood. We do so in service to others represented by the washing of feet and the Eucharistic Procession and Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament after Mass. We will process from the main church into the chapel to spend time in adoration of the Blessed Sacrament until midnight. As the Eucharist is at the heart of Catholic faith and the priesthood is forever tied to that sacrifice, this is a most special Mass for the life of the Church community. It’s a beautiful, prayerful liturgy and I encourage you to attend.
Good Friday, March 29, Service at 3 p.m.: Darkness comes over the land as we remember the death on the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ. Our service begins at 3 p.m. with the reading of the Passion and the veneration of the cross that frames this day. I know that given work schedules, not all are able to come at the traditional time in the afternoon, but if your schedule does permit it, I certainly hope you will make every effort to join us. It’s a somber service in tone and feel, and it should be. You should feel the “weight” of the day and spend it in prayer and fasting. The church will be open for prayer and contemplation beginning at 12 noon if you’d like to come early and quietly make the Stations of the Cross privately.
Holy Saturday, March 30, Easter Vigil at 8 p.m.: The morning is quiet as we contemplate and meditate on the death of Jesus Christ. There is a small prayer service for our Elect who are in the final hours of their preparation for entrance into the Church. If you do nothing else this Holy Week, please remember to keep in prayer these 11 brothers and sisters of ours, who will be baptized and the 29 others who will make their full entry into the Church the following week. It is most vital that we as a community support them as they are initiated into the life of the Church. Please note, there are no confessions on this Saturday.
At 10 a.m. we will bless Easter baskets and Easter foods in the chapel. This is a nice little tradition we’ve had for a few years. It’s a good way to keep holy the commercial aspect of Easter. If your kids have Easter baskets, bring them for a blessing and bring your food items for your Easter table that you would like blessed. It’s one of those simple, yet profound Catholic gestures of our faith that only takes a few minutes, but is a nice tradition to pass on to the younger generation.
The Easter Vigil Mass at 8 p.m. is the highest, holiest celebration of the entire Church year and I hope you will participate in it fully. Running close to three hours, it’s a longer Mass than a regular Sunday service, but I truly hope you might celebrate with us. This is the night when time doesn’t matter. We spend so much of our lives (both in church and in the world) tied to a clock worrying whether we’re on time or late. We are slaves to a schedule and what does it get us? Nothing. Put all that aside for this one night. It honestly doesn’t matter. Come this year and give yourself over to the beauty and power of the Easter Vigil and experience the lighting of the new fire, the story of salvation history in the readings from Scripture, the baptisms of newest members, the oil of Chrism that confirms them, and finally the grace of Holy Eucharist of the Risen Christ! The empty tomb reminds us that He is risen from the dead. What greater gift could God give us? This is the night to shout to the heavens the triumphant cry of “Alleluia! Alleluia!”
Easter Sunday, March 31, Masses at 7 a.m., 9 a.m., 11 a.m., and 1 p.m. (in Spanish), with overflow seating and video link in the Parish Hall as needed: This day of days dawns to find the crucified Christ risen in glory. It stands to reason that this is a day we must join together to praise God in the highest. Please note our mass schedule for the day: the last mass will begin at 1 p.m., not the usual 5 p.m., and it will be in Spanish. Please plan your schedule accordingly. If we fill up in the main church, there will be additional seating with Mass projected onto the screen in the Parish Hall and we will bring Holy Communion to you.
Incense will not be used at the 7 a.m. or 1 p.m. masses, so if your allergies are troublesome, you might keep that in mind. As always, we expect very large crowds. Let’s practice hospitality and be especially welcoming to visitors and newcomers. Allow yourself plenty of time to get here and park, and follow the direction of the police officers. It’s a great opportunity to show God’s love to everyone. The impression we leave may just be the thing someone needs to get back into a regular practice of the faith. So come one, come all and celebrate the Risen Christ!
All of these great services and events of Holy Week and Easter do not happen without committed volunteers, staff and ministers. My special thanks to all who give so much of their time and talent in service to the community, especially our Liturgy, Music and Art & Environment departments. May God bless you. If you are an usher, greeter, Eucharistic Ministers of Holy Communion, altar server or lector, please double-check this week with the sacristans and your liturgical coordinators to assure that everything is covered. We will need multiple ministers at every mass so please volunteer to help when and where possible. Above all, let’s make this a prayerful week so that our “good Lent” will culminate in an even more glorious Easter!