Holy Week, which begins on Palm Sunday, will soon be upon us, and I thought it might be a good idea for us to reflect on the Rites and Ceremonies by which we enter more deeply into the agony, death and Resurrection of Christ on the special days of this week.
Palm Sunday
We gather at the Login brook, we hear the gospel account of Christ’s entrance into Jerusalem, palms are blessed, and we process to the church singing the ancient hymn ‘All Glory, Laud and Honour’. The church building represents the holy city, and a triumphal arch of flowers and branches symbolizes the city gate. The priest precedes the procession (the only time he does this at a liturgy) representing Christ who leads us into the Holy Mystery of His saving death and resurrection.
The Passion Gospel at the mass is not read by the priest as usual. The account of Christ’s passion is read by a narrator, the words of the crowd spoken by the congregation, another reader speaks the words of individuals (Pilate etc) and the priest reads the words of Christ.
Maundy Thursday
Today we recall Christ’s institution of the Holy Sacrament of the Eucharist, and his agony and betrayal in the Garden of Gethsemane. The mass on this day vividly portrays these mysteries. The altar and priest are vested in white, the Gloria is sung, and the mass eloquently encaptures the joy and sorrow which comingle on this night. Joy, that Christ bestows this solemn promise that he will be present wherever, whenever bread is blessed; Sorrow, that God’s love which feeds and sustains us costs such a price.
Immediately after the peoples’ communion, the Sacramental Presence of Christ is solemnly processed down to the side altar, which garlanded with flowers and many candles portrays the garden to which Christ went with his disciples after the Last Supper. The Watch before the Sacrament is kept till midnight, and we have the opportunity to enter into that sorrowful garden to watch and wait with Christ. There will be a list at the back of St. Mary’s for you to tick the time (short or long) that you can keep Christ company during the Watch.
Good Friday
The only day when Mass is never celebrated. We enter a stripped desolate church when we come to the Liturgy to celebrate the Lord’s death. The crucifix is solemnly carried to the front of the church, and we are given the opportunity to approach and kiss the feet of the crucified. We then receive the sacrament which has been ‘reserved’ from the night before, in one kind only (the consecrated bread/host).
Holy Saturday
The night when we celebrate the rising of Christ from the dead. A fire is kindled in the churchyard, it is blessed and the Paschal or Easter Candle is lit from the flames.
The candle is pierced in five places in the form of a cross to symbolize Christ’s holy wounds (feet, hands and side). The candle is processed down the church, with the people following, bearing candles lit from the Paschal Candle. Christ goes before us, leading us through life and death to eternal life with Him.
The Candle is enthroned on a stand, and the priest sings the ‘exultet’, a song of solemn joy for the victory of Christ over death, and all things. Readings and collects follow, and the Mass is saturated with the joy of Christ’s rising and victory.
Do celebrate these Holy Days by being present at these services. Just ‘turning up’ on Easter Day is a sure way of somehow missing out on the profound joy of the One who has passed through death and opened the Gates of Heaven to all believers.
God bless you all,
