Holy Week and Easter | Fr Rodney Smyth SM

Holy Week & Easter Reflection

PALM SUNDAY

There is a double focus for this celebration:  the procession with palms and the reading of the passion.  While remembering the Lord’s entry into Jerusalem, the procession becomes for us a powerful symbol of the pilgrim Church as we enter the church in procession for the beginning of Holy Week.
The Passion this year comes from Matthew’s Gospel.  Matthew gives us a crowded canvas, full of characters and incidents.  No one seems to behave as one would expect.  The Twelve are scattered; Judas betrays Jesus, while Peter denies him.  Pilate protests his innocence but hands Jesus over to death; and Pilate’s wife pleads for Jesus’ life.  The Roman centurion who is keeping guard at the cross is the first to acknowledge what has happened – that the man who has been crucified was truly the Son of God. 

HOLY THURSDAY 

The evening Mass of the Lord’s Supper begins in the usual way but ends in silence after the procession of the Blessed Sacrament to the altar of repose.  No blessing and dismissal, no final hymn.  The Gospel is John’s account of the washing of the feet of the disciples at the last supper.  Then follows our own ritual foot washing, celebration of the Eucharist and transfer of the Eucharist to the place of prayer and adoration which extends into the night.  This is the beginning of the Three Days.  As disciples we are people both of the Eucharist and of service.

GOOD FRIDAY 

The celebration of the Passion of the Lord begins and ends in silence.  The key elements for Good Friday are the proclamation of the Passion from John, the General Intercessions in which we remember the needs of all people in the world, Veneration of the Cross and Holy Communion.  The colour of the vestments is red, the same as for Palm Sunday.  We do not try to re-enact the crucifixion of Jesus.  We gather to celebrate the mystery of the cross.
The cross is a symbol both of human torture and suffering, and also of Jesus’ fidelity and surrender to his Father even unto death.  The cross is a symbol of the conflict between good and evil and in this conflict the final word is found in God’s word: goodness overcoming evil and life overcoming death.
As disciples we are a people signed with the cross, for the cross is a central symbol of Christian faith.

HOLY SATURDAY

The Easter Vigil is the climax of the Triduum.  It has four parts.  It begins with the lighting of the fire and Easter candle and the proclamation of the Easter message, the Exsultet.  There is an extended Liturgy of the Word with several readings from the Old Testament.  The Baptism Liturgy is central with the blessing of the Easter water and the baptism of adults together with the renewal of baptismal vows of all present.  The Eucharist is then celebrated.

The strong focus on baptism reminds us that we are plunged into the death and resurrection of Jesus at baptism, and here at Easter we renew our identity as being a baptised people.

BACKGROUND NOTES

• The Easter Triduum is the culmination of the entire liturgical year.
• The three celebrations of the Triduum are distinct but closely related liturgies that form a single unit.
• The mood of these liturgies is solemn but not sombre.
• The Triduum is not a re-enactment of historical events. The purpose of these days is our participation in the paschal mystery through sacramental signs.
• The Easter Season comes to an end with Pentecost Sunday.