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In his Palm Sunday homily, Pope Francis said, “May we reach out to those who are suffering and those most in need. May we not be concerned about what we lack, but what good we can do for others.” <1>
Welcome to All Things Catholic. I’m your host, Deacon Rudy Villarreal, and I’m so glad you’re here! Together we are going to explore what it means to be Catholic. In today’s episode we’re going to the significance of Holy Week and the various liturgies common to the Catholic tradition.
This week the Christian world observes Holy Week, the week beginning with Palm Sunday when Jesus entered Jerusalem through his Passion and death and culminating on Easter Sunday. What is this week all about and what are all the liturgies that Catholics, for example, will celebrate this week despite the pandemic lockdown?
Well first, let’s define a few terms. What is worship? When I use the term “worship”, I mean the act of reverence and honor shown to God. For Christians, worship is rooted in Jesus Christ who alone gives God the fulness of reverence and honor.
The term “liturgy” comes from a Greek work that means “public work”. Liturgy in the context of Christian worship means the public act of worshiping God rooted in Christ Jesus. Back in 1947, Pope Pius XII describes Christian liturgy as the gathering of the Mystical Body of Christ in its entirety with Jesus Christ as the Head where the Son renders to the Father and where we, the community of believers, render to Christ as our founder and through Him to our Heavenly Father. <2>
That’s a mouthful, I know, but coming together as a community to worship is the central part of our faith, at least as Catholics. Private devotion and worship is good, but everything we do flows from our communal worship of Jesus Christ and through Christ to the Father. The culmination is Jesus present in the Eucharist is what gives meaning and relevance to the spiritual life. That’s why we describe the Eucharist as the source and summit of our faith. <3>
Now, everything I just described about worship and the liturgy comes to the fore during this most holy of all weeks. Let’s jump into then.
Holy Week begins on Palm Sunday, which we just celebrated this past Sunday, most of us in isolation. Palm Sunday recalls when Jesus entered Jerusalem. The Gospel account according to Matthew 21:1-11 tells us how Jesus sent his disciples ahead to secure a donkey for him so that he can ride it into the city. Why a donkey instead of a horse? Well, a horse in the ancient world would have symbolized wartime strength whereas a donkey symbolized peace. Jesus enters Jerusalem as the Prince of Peace.
In the Scripture, people were waving palm branches as a way to cheer for Jesus. Think football scarves, foam fingers, noisemakers and other various novelties sports fans wave to cheer on their favorite teams. To this day almost 2,000 years later, Catholics mark the occasion of Jesus’ entrance to Jerusalem with palm leaves. Typically, we begin Palm Sunday outside the church building where the palms are distributed and blessed, and we hear the Gospel account of Jesus riding into Jerusalem. After this, there is a solemn procession of the faithful inside to continue the mass.
The next big event during Holy Week is the Chrism Mass – a huge gathering of believers including all the priests and deacons of the diocese and a large number of the consecrated religious men and women and the laity. Now, the instructions for this celebration say that it should take place on the morning of the Thursday before Easter, what we refer to as Holy Thursday. Why? Well we believe, (who’s we? Catholics, Orthodox, Anglicans and other mainline Christian denominations), we believe that two very important things happen during the Last Supper on the Thursday before Easter: the institution of the Eucharist and the institution of the ministerial priesthood).
Since we believe the priesthood was instituted at the Last Supper, at the Chrism Mass, all the priests will renew their vows of service to Jesus Christ and submission to the bishop who we see as a modern-day apostle. So, the Church is renewed in a special way at the Chrism Mass. Now for practical reasons, this celebration can be moved. It can be difficult for all the priests and deacons to attend this mass and then get home in time to celebrate the Mass of the Lord’s Supper on Thursday evening. In my home diocese of Austin, the Chrism Mass is usually celebrated on the Tuesday morning of Holy Week.
During the Chrism Mass, all of the holy oils we use throughout the year are prepared and blessed. Any oils leftover from last year will generally be burned at the Easter Vigil on Saturday night. There is a long tradition in Scripture for anointing with holy oils. Today, the Catholic Church uses three Holy Oils: The Oil of Catechumens, the Oil of the Sick, and the Sacred Chism.
The Oil of Catechumens is used on those preparing to enter the Church and comes from the biblical idea of God’s anointing to fortify us in battle against evil, as in Psalm 45:8 or in Hebrews 1:9. The fruit of this oil is to enlighten us so that we can overcome falsehood, as in 1 John 2:27.
The Oil of the Sick traces its origin to Mark 6:13, “And they threw out many demons, and they anointed many sick people with oil and cured them.” James 5:14 gives witness to sacramental anointing of the sick.
The Sacred Chrism is an oil mixed with balsam which is a sweet perfume used since ancient times. Think of 2 Corinthians 2:15-16, when St. Paul describes Christians as, “Christ’s ‘sweet scent’ to God, among those who are being saved and among those who are being lost.”
The Sacred Chrism is used to consecrate, which means to spiritually separate, sanctify and purify. In other words, to dedicate people and churches and altars to God. The Sacred Chrism is used in baptism to consecrate new believers. We use it to consecrate altars, and it is used at the ordination of priests and bishops. In the notes, I’ll list many of the Scripture passages that reference consecration with oil, (see Genesis 28:18, Exodus 29:7, Exodus 30:25-29, Leviticus 8:12, Isaiah 61:1, 1 Samuel 10, 1 Kings 19:16, Luke 4:18).
Following the mass, the oils are distributed to all the parishes in the diocese. In the United States, the oils are formally received by the parishes during the Mass of the Lord’s Supper on Holy Thursday. Let’s discuss the Mass of the Lord’s Supper.
The Thursday, Friday and Saturday before Easter are referred to as the Sacred Paschal Triduum. These days begin with the Mass of the Lord’s Supper on Thursday reaching a highpoint in the Easter Vigil on Saturday night. These are the days that lead us to the empty tomb. And we formally bring these days of waiting to a close with evening prayer on Easter Sunday.
Ok, Thursday, Mass of the Lord’s Supper, we’ve already said that during this mass the parish will receive the Holy Oils. These oils will be brought up one at a time and presented to the pastor. While each oil is processed, there will be a brief explanation for each oil. Then generally, it’s mass as usual. Right after the homily, then the pastor will wash the feet of certain people selected ahead of time. Of course, this reenacts when Jesus washes the feat of his closest disciples at the Last Supper. But what this also reaffirms is that the entire purpose for the ministerial priesthood, the purpose of bishops and priests, is to serve the people of God. Jesus’ sacrifice is rooted in his love for us. So too the ministry of bishops and priests be rooted in love if their ministry is authentic.
The mass will proceed pretty much as normal except that at the Eucharist, the pastor will consecrate enough Eucharist not only for those at the mass, but also for those who will come on Friday. There are no masses anywhere in the world on Friday as we mark the day when Christ was so brutally murdered and left the world.
After everyone has received the Eucharist, the pastor will say the prayer after communion and then the clergy will take the remaining Eucharist and lead the people on a procession, perhaps to a chapel. In the chapel, the priest will lead the people in adoration of Jesus present in the Eucharist. Meanwhile the altar in the church is stripped bare. The faithful will be invited to remain with the Eucharist. At some time during the night, the Eucharist will be reserved.
On Good Friday, the faithful will gather, typically near the hour of 3pm when tradition tells us Christ died. The altar is still bare because the focus is on the cross. The narrative of the Lord’s Passion according to John (18:1 – 19:42) is proclaimed. After a brief homily, the priest or deacon will lead the assembly to pray the Solemn Intercessions – petitions we bring to God. Then the cross is processed in covered. At various points in the procession, part of the cross is revealed until at last it arrives at the front of the worship space. “Behold the wood of the Cross.” The faithful will be invited to venerate the cross – an act of humility honoring the fact that Jesus had to endure such a horrific death.
After the veneration of the Cross, a simple cloth will be placed on the altar, and the Eucharist from Thursday’s mass is brought in. The priest or deacon who processes the Eucharist in wears a special out vestment called a humeral veil. With the veil, the deacon or priest tries to shroud himself including his hands so that the focus is on Jesus present in the Eucharist. After the Lord’s prayer and communion, there are a few prayers and then everyone leaves in silence.
Notice, the mass on Thursday never formally ended, and since the Friday gathering is not a mass, there is no closing. Mass in fact will not end until the end of the Easter Vigil mass celebrated late in the night on Saturday. From Thursday through the Easter Vigil, the Church waits at the Lord’s tomb. We pray and we fast and we meditate on the Passion and Death of Jesus and his descent into Hell.
On Saturday before Easter, the congregation gathers outside the church building in the dark. A fire will be lit and the remainder of last year’s Holy Oils might be burned in the fire. The priest will bless this fire and prepare a new Paschal candle also known as the baptismal candle. The baptismal candle is a solitary white candle larger than most others in the church. It will be used throughout the Easter season, and at baptisms and funerals.
The Paschal candle is the lit from the fire blessed by the priest and it will process into the dark church. This is to symbolize the light of Christ coming into the world – the risen Christ dispelling the darkness. As the congregation enters the church, their smaller candles will be lit from the Paschal candle. The first part of this continuation of the mass takes place in the church which is only lit by these candles.
A lot happens during this mass. There is the Easter proclamation, which is an accounting of what’s happened, of Christ’s journey to the underworld and his triumphant return. Next, the community receives those who want to join the Church beginning with those to be baptized. But before there can be a baptism, the holy water, which has been emptied, must be blessed. Everyone is invited to renew their baptismal promises. Those being confirmed will be confirmed, and those receiving their first Holy Communion will do so first at communion.
The mass will proceed as normal and will finally come to a close hours after it began. The people leave joyous because Easter has come at last! We are sent into the world filled with love and peace to share the Good News of Jesus Christ because we are an Easter people and alleluia is our song!
I know this was a little longer than normal, but I hope it helped explain some of the ways that we keep Holy Week. It’s not about the Catholic Church. Through our liturgies and firmly rooted in the present, we look to the past and the future. We celebrate what God has already done for us in Christ and the Holy Spirit. We are drawn into the mystery of God’s saving action giving us a glimpse of the heavenly banquet. Easter is the heart of Christian faith, hope and love. So, as we continue on our Holy Week journey, I invite all of you, despite our isolation, to open our hearts and minds to the Word of God so that can be nourished and carry on our mission to bring others to Jesus Christ.
Do you got it? Do you get it? Good! Now go make disciples! May Almighty God bless you, Father, Son and Holy Spirit! +Amen!
You’re listening to All Things Catholic. This episode was produced by deacon rudy’s notes. Our theme music was composed by Silent Partner. You can find all sorts of helpful information on the website at www.deaconrudysnotes.org. I’m your host, Deacon Rudy Villarreal. Join us again next time and don’t forget to check out the weekend edition where we break open the Word. I wish all of you a most holy week and a joyous Easter! Peace!
Notes:
Celebration of Palm Sunday of the Passion of the Lord
Homily of His Holiness Pope Francis
<1> Francis, “Celebration of Palm Sunday of the Passion of the Lord, Homily of His Holiness,” April 5, 2020, https://www.vaticannews.va/en/pope/news/2020-04/pope-palm-sunday-homily-full-text.html.
<2> Pius XII, Mediator Dei [1947], n. 20. See also the Second Vatican Council, Constitution on the Sacred Liturgy, n. 7.
<3> Constitution on the Sacred Liturgy, n. 10.
References:
1. Francis. Vatican News. “Celebration of Palm Sunday of the Passion of the Lord, Homily of His Holiness.” April 5, 2020. Accessed April 8, 2020, https://www.vaticannews.va/en/pope/news/2020-04/pope-palm-sunday-homily-full-text.html.
2. Pius XII. Mediator Dei. Accessed April 8, 2020. Vatican.va.
3. Roman Missal, Study Edition. “Holy Week.” Collegeville, Minnesota: Liturgical Press, 2011.
4. The Bible: A Study Bible freshly translated by Nicholas King. Buxhall, Suffolk UK: Kevin Mayhew, 2013.
5. Vatican Council II. Constitution on the Sacred Liturgy. Accessed April 8, 2020. Vatican.va.
Catechism References: Easily search the Catechism at http://www.scborromeo.org/ccc.htm
1. Jesus’ ascent to Jerusalem, 557-58
2. Jesus’ messianic entrance into Jerusalem, 559-60
3. Jesus suffered under Pontius Pilate, 571-91
4. Jesus died crucified, 595-97
5. All sinners were the authors of Christ’s Passion, 598
6. Jesus handed over, 599-600
7. Jesus died for our sins, 601-09
8. The Last Supper, 610-611
9. Agony at Gethsemane, 612
10. Christ’s death, 613-18
11. Christ was buried, 624-628
12. Jesus descended into hell and rose again, 631-35
Readings for Triduum:
1. Holy Thursday: http://cms.usccb.org/bible/readings/040920-lord-s-supper.cfm
2. Good Friday: http://www.usccb.org/bible/readings/041020.cfm
3. Holy Saturday: http://cms.usccb.org/bible/readings/041120.cfm