Pastor's Column

March 16, 2008

 

Palm Sunday, otherwise known as Passion Sunday, is a paradoxical feast: the same people that cry "Hosanna to the King!" end up yelling "Crucify Him!" a few days later. This is a reminder that each of us is quite capable of both great holiness and terrible sinfulness. The palms we bring home are sacramentals or reminders of our faith. We place them in our homes as a reminder of the love and salvation that is ours through the passion of Our Lord Jesus Christ.

 

Holy Thursday is one of the most beautiful of all evenings; the night before Christ offered his life for us. Holy Thursday is the anniversary of the Sacrifice of the Mass, when Christ took simple bread and wine at Passover, looked intently at his disciples, and said, "This is my Body; This is my Blood." Holy Thursday is also the anniversary of the priesthood. Many have been moved to enter the Lord's service (including myself) on this night. Here, Jesus dramatically washed the disciples' feet, dramatically demonstrating that true leadership, true love, means service to one another. We are invited to accompany our Lord for an hour after the Mass in adoration. Those who do will be blessed by him. This is also the night when the Blessed Sacrament is removed from the church, just as Christ was arrested and taken away to his death.

 

Good Friday is one of only two days of solemn fasting and abstinence in the Church. It is essential that we make some time to meditate on the passion, for only in this way can we come to understand the great love that God has for us, a love frequently hidden in our own sufferings. If at all possible, we should try to attend a Good Friday service, or at least to read one of the passion narratives at home.

 

Easter Vigil. This is the highlight of the entire church liturgical year. The resurrection of Christ is what we have waited for all of Lent. The Vigil with its themes of light and darkness, the chanted exsultet proclaiming the resurrection, the immersion baptisms, the dramatic lighting of the Easter fire and candle, the welcoming of new members into our Church and the triumphant "Gloria!" are all special to this night.

 

We hope you will be able to join us in these holiest of days and so strengthen your faith, hope and love in Christ!