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The Triduum - Holy Week


We have reached the pinnacle of the Christian faith: Holy Week. For some, it is referred to as “The Triduum” which begins after Palm Sunday and includes Holy Thursday, Good Friday and the Resurrection. Why is this so special….or, maybe be bold enough to ask, “why should I care?”

Well, Holy Week is the most solemn and glorious week in Christianity, the pinnacle of the liturgical year. This is because Holy Week commemorates the final week of Our Lord's life and the establishment of the New Covenant. Here is why we should care:

HOLY THURSDAY: Jesus sets the example. He washes the Disciples’ feet (John 13:14-15) and gathers them in the Upper Room. Here Jesus is literally celebrating the Jewish Passover with them….but then, stops at the institution of the Third Cup (Cup of Blessing) …as told in Mark 14:22-26, Jesus introduces the NEW covenant by telling his Disciples to both “eat” and “drink” his body and blood given and shed for them (and for us).

I am sure, knowing the steps of the Passover Meal by memory, the Disciples were  not expecting Jesus to make such a radical shift in the ceremony. In fact, they didn’t even finish the “regular Passover” meal….they still had a Fourth Cup (Cup of Praise or Restoration), but instead sang the customary “Great Hallel” (Psalm 114-118) and then went out to the Mount of Olives, where, in the middle of the night, Jesus is arrested and the Disciples scatter.

GOOD FRIDAY:  Good Friday is a solemn remembrance of what took place upon the Cross of Calvary between the hours of 9:00AM to 3:00PM. It is also a time to recount the seven last phrases spoken by Christ from the Cross.

Jesus said, "Father forgive them" (Luke 23:34), "Today you will be with me in paradise" (Luke 23:43), "Woman, here is your son” (John 19:26-27), "My God, why have you forsaken me?" (Mark 15:34), "I am thirsty" (John 19:28), "It is finished" (John 19:30), and "Into your hands I commend my spirit" (Luke 23:46).

Good Friday is our way of remembering our Jewish heritage of Yom Kippur. This is the great day of atonement when the high priest of the Temple symbolically transferred Israel's sin onto the head of a goat. The goat was then led outside the city walls and into the wilderness to die. This is where we get the phrase "scapegoat!" Now, JESUS becomes our scapegoat!

Because he was a scapegoat, he had to be taken outside the city walls to die. That place was Golgotha; the place of the skull. Now that Jesus has carried the sins of the world on his shoulders, he is nailed to the cross, abandoned by the Father, and left to die.

Jesus dies upon the cross, his work fully complete and the need for sacrifices are no more. Jesus has become both our lamb and scapegoat. He carried our sins outside the camp and he died for us, once and for all. THAT'S why we can refer to it as GOOD Friday!

HOLY SATURDAY: As the body of Christ rests within the tomb, the church continues in prayer and fasting on this day. We wait with the women at the Lord's tomb. We use this time to meditate on the redemptive suffering and death that Jesus has just endured for us as sinners.

As Christ has descended into hell and is now in the midst of conquering the grave for us, we are invited to be in a state of fasting and prayer.

On this day, as the crucified body of Jesus Christ remains in the tomb, let us anticipate the dawning of the third day when he fulfills his promise by coming back to life, walking out of the tomb and rising again in newness of life.

EASTER SUNDAY:  Easter morning is an occasion of great joy and renewal. CHRIST HAS RISEN! There's even more good news because Easter is not just one particular Sunday in April! Easter is actually a season which is also know as the "Great Fifty Days." It begins Easter Eve and continues through to Pentecost.

During this time we joyously and festively celebrate the resurrection of Christ, the Ascension of Christ, the giving of the Holy Spirit on the very first Easter (John 20:22-23), and the Day of Pentecost (Acts 2).

We can now celebrate the promise of eternal life and the empowerment of the Holy Spirit. Not only that, but we can rejoice knowing that after Christ died and rose again, God became accessible to all who will come to Him through Jesus' sacrificial death. We are no longer separated from the presence of God!

Because of Easter, we no longer need a priest to intercede between us and our heavenly Father because our Lamb has become our Priest, the veil has been torn, and we can enter the very presence of God.

Now, we can see why “Holy Week” is the holiest week in our Church calendar. Now, we can see why we have cause to rejoice, celebrate and share such great news! May we cherish “The Triduum” of Holy Week and proclaim our “Mysterium Fidei” or “The Mystery of our Faith” that states, “Christ has died, Christ has Risen, Christ shall come again.” Hallelujah!

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