Tag: deacon rudys notes

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ATC 12 Prostration on Good Friday

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Pope Benedict XVI said, “I shall never forget lying on the ground at the time of my own priestly and episcopal ordination… The fact that the praying Church was calling upon all the saints, that the prayer of the Church really was enveloping and embracing me, was a wonderful consolation.”

He is RISEN! Alleluia! Thank you for joining me for All Things Catholic on this Wednesday within the Octave of Easter. I’m your host, Deacon Rudy Villarreal, and together we are going to explore what it means to be Catholic. Someone asked a question about something they saw on Good Friday that I did not address. They were watching their parish’s Good Friday service and they noticed something. At the start of the service, the priest and the deacon prostrated themselves before the altar. What’s that all about?

I’m so glad you asked! If you have a question you’d like me to address, please use the comment form on the website, or send me an email to rudy@deaconrudysnotes.org.

Ok, so why do bishops, priests and deacons prostrate themselves on Good Friday? Well, to answer that question we need to go back to ordination, although this is also true in the consecration of men and women as monks/brothers or nuns/sisters.

Various church documents describe prostration as the ultimate act of humility. Indeed, Scripture describes lying prostrate before the Lord as a position of deep, intense, emotional prayer. Moses lay prostrate before God for 40 days and nights (Deuteronomy 9:18-20, 25-27). Jesus lay prostrate in Gethsemane when he prayed that the cup might pass him (Matthew 26:39).

In a similar way, that time before ordination or consecration is a time of intense, humble prayer. When we lay down, we die to ourselves so that we may rise a new. After ordination or consecration, about the only time most of us will see prostration is at the beginning of the Good Friday service. Although just so you know, if a priest or deacon are unable to safely prostrate themselves, they are permitted to kneel, but prostration is preferred.

At Good Friday, the act of prostration is first and foremost an act of humility. Not unlike who David who lay prostrate before the Angel of the Lord for his sin (1 Chronicles 21:16-17), when the bishop, priest and deacon lay prostrate on Good Friday, it is an expression of the profound grief and sorrow of the Church (that means on all of our behalf) for the crucifixion of Jesus.

Now we’ve already said a couple of times that lying prostrate is an act of humility. What does that mean exactly? Well, the Church teaches that humility is a virtue that enables us to see ourselves as we truly are and to be in touch with this reality as we contribute to what God is doing in the world. Does that mean that bishops, priests and deacons have it more together than everyone else?

No, I don’t think so except maybe in this one way. When we clergy as disciples lay prostrate, we acknowledge that we have given our lives to Jesus Christ. Our act is symbolic of us laying everything down for the Kingdom – and I mean everything. We remind ourselves that everything we are and everything we have is a blessing meant to serve Jesus Christ, His Church, and the people of God – including our very lives. Our story as a people of faith is filled with the stories of martyrs, some clergy and some lay, who freely surrendered everything for the sake of discipleship. That was true then, and it is true now.

Ok, now that we’ve discussed what prostration is from its biblical roots to Church teaching and to the effect it has on the clergy, I’d like to briefly explore what this means in our (all of our) everyday lives. To do that, I’d like to share one of the many COVID-19 stories being shared out there.

It’s about Fr. Jorge Ortiz-Garay of St. Brigid’s in Brooklyn. He was a charismatic and pastoral priest. He served a predominately blue-collar neighborhood. It was not uncommon to see him out on Ash Wednesday walking the streets bringing ashes to the mechanics and other workers who couldn’t get off work to come to mass. I know that some people frown at the idea of drive-thru ashes, but Fr. Jorge wanted everyone to feel connected to the community. He also wanted to send every hardworking person a clear message that Holy Mother Church did not forget them.

Father suffered from bronchitis, so he was not concerned when started feeling a little sick. But he kept on working. In his virtual mass on March 19th, he looked into the camera and said, “There’s no better time than this time of trials, this time of challenges, to fulfill our call to holiness. At these moments of trial and crisis, at these times when maybe we are asking what will happen to us, trust in the Father.”

Not long after, he asked Fr. Joseph Dutan, the junior priest in the rectory, to drive him to Wyckoff Hospital. Fr. Joseph urged Fr. Jorge to fight. He said, “Don’t worry, I am happy. I am not scared because I know the Lord is with me.” Fr. Jorge died on March 27 at the age of 49. He was the first priest in the United States to die of COVID-19.

Fr. Jorge was at higher risk because as a priest he was in a people-facing job and because of his history of bronchitis, but that didn’t scare him. Don’t get me wrong – he clearly took some reasonable precautions like implementing virtual masses, but unlike some people I’ve visited with who are afraid, he didn’t allow the virus to scare him. There’s a lesson there for all of us.

When the clergy prostrate themselves, it’s not just for their own sake. Each and every one of us is drawn into that act of humility. We are all reminded that, like Fr. Jorge, we have nothing to fear because as disciples, the Lord walks with us. If we believe – I mean if we really believe that we have been saved and renewed by the blood and water that flowed from Jesus’ side, then how can we be afraid to die? Maybe it’s not death that scares some, but all the unfinished business before us.

This pandemic should give all of us pause. Not only should it encourage us to rethink our priorities, but it should also remind us that there is no better time than the present to set our life in order. Think of all the people around the world who have had to die alone. Now is the time to reach out and say, “I’m sorry,” or “I forgive you,” and “I love you.” While I don’t normally assign homework on Wednesdays, if there is some unfinished business, then I encourage you to get to it. Don’t wait until next Good Friday when you see the priest and deacon prostrate themselves to say to yourself, “Oops! I forgot something!”

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. I hope you enjoyed today’s show where we discussed prostration from its biblical roots to Church teaching to the effect it has on the clergy and what it means to all of us in the pews. If you have a question you’d like me to discuss, please use the comment form on the website, or send me an email to rudy@deaconrudysnotes.org.

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. He is RISEN! Alleluia!

Notes:
<1> Congregation for Divine Worship. Letter Concerning the Preparation and Celebration of the Easter Feasts. Vatican.va. 1988.
<2> Roman Missal, Study Edition. “Holy Week.” Collegeville, Minnesota: Liturgical Press, 2011.
<3> The Bible: A Study Bible freshly translated by Nicholas King. Buxhall, Suffolk UK: Kevin Mayhew, 2013.

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He is Risen!

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Easter Sunday of the Resurrection of the Lord Mass Readings
First Reading: Acts 10:34A, 37-43
Responsorial: Psalm 118:1-2, 16-17, 22-23
Second Reading: Colossians 3:1-4 or 1 Corinthians 5:6B-8
Gospel: John 20:1-9

http://www.usccb.org/bible/readings/041220.cfm
https://www.deaconrudysnotes.org/

Happy Easter! Isn’t today’s Gospel account from John interesting? Mary Magdala went to the tomb. Why? If she believed that Jesus would rise from the dead, why would she visit the tomb to anoint his dead body? When she finds the tomb empty, she runs to tell Peter and some of the disciples. They run to the tomb. Why are they running?

Wait, wait! Why did she have to go find Peter and the disciples? If they were waiting for his return, why weren’t they camped out in front of the tomb entrance? Did they not believe that Jesus was going to rise on the third day?

Whatever the case, once they arrived at the tomb, their lives were transformed! We see in the first reading from Acts that Peter was out preaching and testifying about Jesus Christ. The resurrection of Jesus and his encounters with the risen Jesus forever changed.

This year, these readings hit me in a profound way. We’ve all been affected by COVID-19, and so many of us have experienced this profound isolation. I’ve been so moved by the prayer chains and incredible videos of choirs performing from their homes, inspiring acts selflessness and service. Is this faith rediscovered or is this just a fad?

Despite the virus, so many of us continue to work from home and in some small way, life seems relatively normal. But in other ways life is a different now – maybe a little slower – I don’t know, but things have changed. This is truly the strangest Easter most of us have ever experienced. Yes, there have been some challenges for a lot of us too. But how many of us have thought about how many things distract us from getting anything done – all the B.S. in the pre-COVID-19 world that we did but that had no value or meaning. For example, I’ve been floored by people’s stories of loved ones who have had to pass away alone during this time and by small numbers allowed to attend funerals.

I wonder, is this experience of self-isolation or quarantine or whatever we’re calling it, has this been our empty tomb moment? Many of us were believers before, but maybe this experience of isolation is like us running to the tomb to find that yes indeed, He is risen! Praise God! Alleluia!

So, as governments begin to consider relaxing restrictions, are we beginning to re-evaluate our priorities? Will we allow ourselves to get caught up again by all the pointless busyness of this world, or will we try to maintain a better a balance with Jesus Christ at the center?

Look, the question for each one of is, do you believe? Do you believe that Jesus was really born, suffered and died and rose from the dead for our salvation? Do you believe that Jesus left us this incredible church which is the fullness of the life Christ wanted for us? Do you believe, I mean do you really believe that we can encounter the body, blood, soul and divinity of Jesus in the Eucharist?

If the answer is yes, then this is a good time to think about how we will live our lives after COVID-19. Let this Easter be the moment when we recommit ourselves to our baptismal promises and put Jesus in the center of our lives. And may we have the renewed sense of courage to share our faith with those we encounter.

Homework! Nourished by the Word of God and by Spiritual Communion, I ask you to reflect on the following two questions during this first week of Easter.

  1. Recall from Gospel that Jesus was not in the tomb. How confident am I in my faith? What encourages me in times of doubt?
  2. In the Gospel, they went away from the tomb, fearful and overjoyed. What fears and concerns keep me from sharing my faith? When have I found great joy in sharing my faith?

I think that doing our homework will help us recommit our discipleship in service to Jesus and the people of God. Do you got it? Do you get it? Good! Now go make disciples! May Almighty God bless you, Father, Son and Holy Spirit! +Amen!

References:
1. Hamm, Dennis. Philippians, Colossians, Philemon. Grand Rapids, Michigan: Baker Academic, 2013.
2. Kurz, William S. Acts of the Apostles. Grand Rapids, Michigan: Baker Academic, 2013.
3. Lectio Divina Of The Gospels. Washington, D.C.: United States Conference of Catholic Bishops, 2019.
4. Martin, Francis and William M. Wright. The Gospel of John. Grand Rapids, Michigan: Baker Academic, 2015.
5. Montague, George T. First Corinthians. Grand Rapids, Michigan: Baker Academic, 2011.
6. The Bible: A Study Bible freshly translated by Nicholas King. Buxhall, Suffolk UK: Kevin Mayhew, 2013.

Catechism References: Easily search the Catechism at http://www.scborromeo.org/ccc.htm
1. Salvation outside the Church, 776, 846-48
2. Jesus anointed by the Spirit, 438, 486
3. Paschal mystery, 571-72
4. Jesus and Pharisees, 575
5. Jesus as paschal lamb, 608
6. The Resurrection of Christ and our resurrection, 638-55, 989, 1001-02,
7. The empty tomb, 640
8. Jesus’ resurrection as a transcendent event, 647
9. Easter, the Lord’s Day, 647, 1167-70, 1243, 1287
10. Judge of the living and dead, 678-79
11. Feast of Passover, 1164
12. The Sacraments of Initiation, 1212
13. Baptism, 1214-22, 1226-28, 1234-45, 1254
14. Confirmation, 1286-89
15. Eucharist, 1322-23

Easter Sunday of the Resurrection of the Lord
Mass Readings http://www.usccb.org/bible/readings/041220.cfm
Lectionary: 42

First Reading
Acts 10:34A, 37-43
Peter proceeded to speak and said:
“You know what has happened all over Judea,
beginning in Galilee after the baptism
that John preached,
how God anointed Jesus of Nazareth
with the Holy Spirit and power.
He went about doing good
and healing all those oppressed by the devil,
for God was with him.
We are witnesses of all that he did
both in the country of the Jews and in Jerusalem.
They put him to death by hanging him on a tree.
This man God raised on the third day and granted that he be visible,
not to all the people, but to us,
the witnesses chosen by God in advance,
who ate and drank with him after he rose from the dead.
He commissioned us to preach to the people
and testify that he is the one appointed by God
as judge of the living and the dead.
To him all the prophets bear witness,
that everyone who believes in him
will receive forgiveness of sins through his name.”

Responsorial
Psalm 118:1-2, 16-17, 22-23.
R. (24) This is the day the Lord has made; let us rejoice and be glad.
or:
R. Alleluia.
Give thanks to the LORD, for he is good,
for his mercy endures forever.
Let the house of Israel say,
“His mercy endures forever.”
R. This is the day the Lord has made; let us rejoice and be glad.
or:
R. Alleluia.
“The right hand of the LORD has struck with power;
the right hand of the LORD is exalted.
I shall not die, but live,
and declare the works of the LORD.”
R. This is the day the Lord has made; let us rejoice and be glad.
or:
R. Alleluia.
The stone which the builders rejected
has become the cornerstone.
By the LORD has this been done;
it is wonderful in our eyes.
R. This is the day the Lord has made; let us rejoice and be glad.
or:
R. Alleluia.

Second Reading
Colossians 3:1-4
Brothers and sisters:
If then you were raised with Christ, seek what is above,
where Christ is seated at the right hand of God.
Think of what is above, not of what is on earth.
For you have died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God.
When Christ your life appears,
then you too will appear with him in glory.

Or 1 Corinthians 5:6B-8
Brothers and sisters:
Do you not know that a little yeast leavens all the dough?
Clear out the old yeast,
so that you may become a fresh batch of dough,
inasmuch as you are unleavened.
For our paschal lamb, Christ, has been sacrificed.
Therefore, let us celebrate the feast,
not with the old yeast, the yeast of malice and wickedness,
but with the unleavened bread of sincerity and truth.

Sequence Victimae Paschali Laudes
Christians, to the Paschal Victim
Offer your thankful praises!
A Lamb the sheep redeems;
Christ, who only is sinless,
Reconciles sinners to the Father.
Death and life have contended in that combat stupendous:
The Prince of life, who died, reigns immortal.
Speak, Mary, declaring
What you saw, wayfaring.
“The tomb of Christ, who is living,
The glory of Jesus’ resurrection;
bright angels attesting,
The shroud and napkin resting.
Yes, Christ my hope is arisen;
to Galilee he goes before you.”
Christ indeed from death is risen, our new life obtaining.
Have mercy, victor King, ever reigning!
Amen. Alleluia.

Alleluia CF. 1 Corinthians 5:7B-8A
R. Alleluia, alleluia.
Christ, our paschal lamb, has been sacrificed;
let us then feast with joy in the Lord.
R. Alleluia, alleluia.

Gospel
John 20:1-9
On the first day of the week,
Mary of Magdala came to the tomb early in the morning,
while it was still dark,
and saw the stone removed from the tomb.
So she ran and went to Simon Peter
and to the other disciple whom Jesus loved, and told them,
“They have taken the Lord from the tomb,
and we don’t know where they put him.”
So Peter and the other disciple went out and came to the tomb.
They both ran, but the other disciple ran faster than Peter
and arrived at the tomb first;
he bent down and saw the burial cloths there, but did not go in.
When Simon Peter arrived after him,
he went into the tomb and saw the burial cloths there,
and the cloth that had covered his head,
not with the burial cloths but rolled up in a separate place.
Then the other disciple also went in,
the one who had arrived at the tomb first,
and he saw and believed.
For they did not yet understand the Scripture
that he had to rise from the dead.

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ATC 11 Holy Week

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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