Week of April 9, 2017

Week of April 9, 2017

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Dear Parishioners,

Welcome to Holy Week. It is at this point in the Church’s Liturgical Calendar that we focus on the events that are at the center of our faith: Jesus’s life, death and resurrection. One thing I love about Holy Week is that the events play out in about the same time that Jesus experienced them in His life. It gives us a chance to experience the most important week in Christ’s life. The traditions we carry out during this week go back to the 4th century and have been cherished by Christians in every generation since. If you have never come to these events, then I encourage you to give them a try this year.

Today is Palm Sunday when Our Lord was greeted by the crowds in Jerusalem. They are happy to see Him and want to hear from Him. Traditionally, the Church waves palms on this day in imitation of this crowd. We quickly see how this crowd turns against Jesus as we read the account of the passion.

On Holy Thursday, we remember that Our Lord on the night he was betrayed instituted the Eucharist and at the same time calls His disciples to be His priests. This mass is known as the Mass of the Lord’s Supper. It is the only Mass that can take place that day. (In other diocese, they may also have the Chrism mass that day. We have ours on a Monday.) In imitation of the humble service of Christ, the pastor of the parish washes the feet of twelve volunteers who represent the disciples. Then, at the end the Eucharist is taken away from the main sanctuary of the Church and into the side chapel to represent Jesus being captured. This begins the Easter Triduum which covers Good Friday, Holy Saturday and Easter Sunday.

The next day, we celebrate the Good Friday service. No Mass can be celebrated this day because we remember that Our Lord died for us. So, it is appropriate to refrain from television and other luxuries and to instead focus in prayer on Our Lord’s death. At the Good Friday service, we listen to the Passion according to St. John. Then, we adore the cross which is a sign of God’s love for us: a remembering of Our Lord’s sacrifice for our sins. Then, we receive Holy Communion which was consecrated at the Mass the night before.

On Holy Saturday, there are no services during the day because Our Lord is in the tomb preparing for the resurrection. But, in the evening, new life is restored at the Easter Vigil. This is the most important Mass of the year and a time that we welcome adults into the church with the sacraments of Baptism, Confirmation and Holy Communion. The Church begins in darkness which represents the world without Christ. We light a fire that represents Christ the light coming into the world. As we come into the Church, the light that began outside spreads through the whole congregation with lit candles. The deacon sings the Exultet to welcome the light of Christ. Then, we have a longer form of the liturgy of the word, the catechumens and candidates receive their sacraments, and then the holy sacrifice of the Mass. It is a long night. But, time moves quickly when you are with God.

With the following Sunday, we experience Easter. We are renewed in Christ and remember what He has done for us. May we live out this resurrection in our own lives and remember that Our Lord has overcome the world.

God bless,

Fr. Carter

P.S. As a far lesser event in the grand scheme of things, I wanted to mention that my installation as pastor will take place Sunday, May 21st at the 12 Noon Mass.