With this weekends Palm Sunday liturgies we have officially begun Holy Week. The rich liturgy of Palm Sunday, where we hear the Gospel at the start of Mass of Jesus' triumphant entry into Jerusalem to the reading of the Passion, sets the mood for the week ahead. We continue the normal daily cycle of masses and readings for Monday - Wednesday and we wear the color of Lent - purple. It is common for many church parishes in these three days to make available extra times for reconciliation. Then we reach Thursday, Holy Thursday and we realize that there is no daily Mass. There is no more purple. We have begun the Paschal Triduum.
The word triduum is a Latin term meaning three days. The Paschal Triduum refers to the three days of Christ's Passion, Death and Resurrection. This period begins at sunset on Holy Thursday and continues to sunrise at Easter Sunday.
The Paschal Triduum is the most solemn event of the Christian year. It contains three main liturgies; the evening Mass of the Lord's Supper on Holy Thursday, the Solemn Service of Good Friday afternoon which includes the reading and reflection of the Passion and Death of Jesus and the veneration of the Cross, and finally the joyful Easter Vigil Mass, begun in darkness and transitions to light. It is at this celebration that all the new Catholics, both those being baptized and those making a profession of faith, are welcomed into the Church.
I'll describe more of the details of these celebrations later in the week. For now, on this beautiful Palm Sunday, may we plan on fully and actively participating in Holy Week and the Paschal Triduum.
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