Holy Week
As Catholics, and particularly here at Holy Family, we emphasize the importance of the Triduum. The word is a descriptive one having to do with the number three. The three in this case refers to the sacred three experiences of Holy Thursday, Good Friday and Easter, and it is always good to remember that liturgically these three are in fact ONE Liturgy. In other words, there is not an end to the prayer experience on Thursday and Friday and Saturday, but simply a pause to wait for the next event.
Chronologically the liturgy spans four days – Thursday, Friday, Saturday and Sunday. I like to emphasize that the three of Triduum marks three transitions of four events, ideally prayerfully marked as one.
The three sacred transitions are:
From the Institution of the Eucharist
on Holy Thursday evening
to
Suffering of Good Friday
to
Death later on Good Friday
to
Resurrection on Easter.
The Resurrection celebration begins with the Vigil on Holy Saturday evening and concludes on Easter Sunday.
This three-part transition can also be described as:
Sacred Meal to Suffering (1)
Suffering to Death (2)
Death to New Life (3)
A profound spiritual exercise is not to simply observe these sacred events but to own them, admit that they are your story as well as Jesus’. The reflection opportunity is to identify them in your own life and the lives of your loved ones. Another way to put this is to ENTER into them yourself, not simply for Jesus.
And that is where Palm Sunday comes in. Jesus entered into the holy city of Jerusalem to institute the Eucharist, suffer, die and rise to new life. His entry was dramatically ritualized with palms laid on the path before him.
Practically though, I have noticed many people getting a palm on Sunday, pausing for three days (Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday of Holy Week), then beginning again by going to church on Holy Thursday. I want to invite/challenge you to really ENTER into Holy Week beginning this Palm Sunday. Get yourself ready with extra reflection on your own experience of the Eucharist, your sufferings, your deaths and your new life experiences. May I suggest a simple ritual to enhance your entire experience of Holy Week. Don’t simply take a palm this Sunday and place it somewhere in your home. Use Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday to prepare for the Triduum by holding the palm in your hand as you pray. This may help you to focus on your own Triduum of transitions.
Holy Family’s 2022 Gala
Our 2022 Gala, Rock Fest, will be held here at Holy Family on Saturday, April 23, and for those of you planning on attending get your tickets soon. There are only 350 available this year and they are selling fast! The funds raised at the Gala support efforts in our parish and academy that would not be possible in our regular budgets. Recently we have upgraded our first responder radio coverage on campus; upgraded streaming, sound and video capabilities in our church and chapel; replaced our original kitchen appliances; enhanced our community outreach efforts; purchased new computers and laptops for Academy students along with a new math curriculum; provided student counseling services, and much more. Join us at the Gala and I guarantee you will have a rockin’ good time.
If you can’t make to this year’s Gala you can still show your support by donating to our ‘May I Have The Envelope Please’ challenge. We have 500 envelopes valued from $1 to $500 available; if we can fill all 500 envelopes with the corresponding donation amount, we will have raised $125,000. You can purchase one or more envelopes on-line at the Gala website, or take an envelope from the board in the Narthex and return it with your donation to the front office. See the Gala ad in this Bulletin for more details.
As of this writing there are still 141 tickets available and 23 VIP Tickets. Please join us for some fun and to support a great causes.