. . . As for me and my house, we will serve the Lord . . . Joshua 25:15b

Holy Week Yr B
Triduum

Published date 4/1/2021

Contact

Introduction

"The summit of the Liturgical Year is the Easter Triduum—from the evening of Holy Thursday to the evening of Easter Sunday. Though chronologically three days, they are liturgically one day unfolding for us the unity of Christ's Paschal Mystery.

The single celebration of the Triduum marks the end of the Lenten season, and leads to the Mass of the Resurrection of the Lord at the Easter Vigil.

The liturgical services that take place during the Triduum are:

Mass of the Lord's Supper
Good Friday of the Lord's Passion
Mass of the Resurrection of the Lord"

Excerpt from Easter Triduum, USCCB website.

John 13:1-17, 31b-35 (Maundy Thursday)

Now before the festival of the Passover, . . . Jesus . . . got up from the table, took off his outer robe, and tied a towel around himself. Then he poured water into a basin and began to wash the disciples’ feet and to wipe them with the towel that was tied around him. He came to Simon Peter, who said to him, “Lord, are you going to wash my feet?” Jesus answered, “You do not know now what I am doing, but later you will understand.” Peter said to him, “You will never wash my feet.” Jesus answered, “Unless I wash you, you have no share with me.” Simon Peter said to him, “Lord, not my feet only but also my hands and my head!” Jesus said to him, “One who has bathed does not need to wash, except for the feet, but is entirely clean. And you are clean, though not all of you.” For he knew who was to betray him; for this reason he said, “Not all of you are clean.” . . .

“Now the Son of Man has been glorified, and God has been glorified in him. If God has been glorified in him, God will also glorify him in himself and will glorify him at once. Little children, I am with you only a little longer. You will look for me; and as I said to the Jews so now I say to you, `Where I am going, you cannot come.’ I give you a new commandment, that you love one another. Just as I have loved you, you also should love one another. By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another.”

John 18:1-19:42 (Good Friday)

[Ed. note: this is an excerpt of the Passion Gospel according to John. Please read in its entirety.]

Jesus went out with his disciples across the Kidron valley to a place where there was a garden, . . . [he is betrayed by Judas]

Then the high priest questioned Jesus about his disciples and about his teaching. . . . [Jesus' trial begins]

Then they took Jesus from Caiaphas to Pilate's headquarters. . . . [Jesus' trial continues]

Then Pilate took Jesus and had him flogged. . . . [Priests and police call for Jesus to be crucified]

So they took Jesus; and carrying the cross by himself . . . [Jesus is crucified]

After this, when Jesus knew that all was now finished, he said (in order to fulfill the scripture), "I am thirsty." A jar full of sour wine was standing there. So they put a sponge full of the wine on a branch of hyssop and held it to his mouth. When Jesus had received the wine, he said, "It is finished." Then he bowed his head and gave up his spirit.

Since it was the day of Preparation, . . . [Jesus is taken from the cross and entombed]

Mark 16:1-8 (Easter Vigil)

When the sabbath was over, Mary Magdalene, and Mary the mother of James, and Salome bought spices, so that they might go and anoint Jesus. And very early on the first day of the week, when the sun had risen, they went to the tomb. They had been saying to one another, "Who will roll away the stone for us from the entrance to the tomb?" When they looked up, they saw that the stone, which was very large, had already been rolled back. As they entered the tomb, they saw a young man, dressed in a white robe, sitting on the right side; and they were alarmed. But he said to them, "Do not be alarmed; you are looking for Jesus of Nazareth, who was crucified. He has been raised; he is not here. Look, there is the place they laid him. But go, tell his disciples and Peter that he is going ahead of you to Galilee; there you will see him, just as he told you." So they went out and fled from the tomb, for terror and amazement had seized them; and they said nothing to anyone, for they were afraid.

Scripture:

Maundy Thursday: April 1, 2021—Exodus 12:1-4, (5-10), 11-14 (image); Psalm 116:1, 10-17 (image); 1 Corinthians 11:23-26 (image); John 13:1-17, 31b-35 (image). For your journey.

Collect: Almighty Father, whose dear Son, on the night before he suffered, instituted the Sacrament of his Body and Blood: Mercifully grant that we may receive it thankfully in remembrance of Jesus Christ our Lord, who in these holy mysteries gives us a pledge of eternal life; and who now lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.

Reflection: For Jewish people, Passover is a day of remembrance and celebration. For Christians, every Lord’s Supper is also a day of remembrance and celebration. Both Jews and Christians are enjoined to hand on to the next generation what we have received from the Lord. When do you first remember receiving the Lord’s Supper? What words, phrases, memories, or practices of this sacrament do you especially wish to pass on to the next generation?

Good Friday: April 2, 2021—Isaiah 52:13-53:12 (image); Psalm 22 (image); Hebrews 10:16-25 (image); John 18:1-19:42 (image). For your jouirney. For your journey.

Collect: Almighty God, we pray you graciously to behold this your family, for whom our Lord Jesus Christ was willing to be betrayed, and given into the hands of sinners, and to suffer death upon the cross; who now lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.

Reflection: Why is this Friday called good? Is the suffering and death of Jesus something we can and should lament, in the spirit of Psalm 22:1: “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?” Is this event something we can and should celebrate, in the spirit of Psalm 22:31, “[God] has done it” (cf. John 19:30, “It is finished”)? How is it possible both to renounce the evil of Jesus’ crucifixion and to rejoice in the saving mystery of his death and resurrection?

Easter Vigil: April 3, 2021—Genesis 1:1-2:4a [The Story of Creation]; Genesis 7:1-5, 11-18, 8:6-18, 9:8-13 [The Flood]; Genesis 22:1-18 [Abraham's sacrifice of Isaac]; Exodus 14:10-31; 15:20-21 [Israel's deliverance at the Red Sea]; Isaiah 55:1-11 [Salvation offered freely to all]; Baruch 3:9-15, 3:32-4:4 or Proverbs 8:1-8, 19-21; 9:4b-6 [Learn wisdom and live]; Ezekiel 36:24-28 [A new heart and a new spirit]; Ezekiel 37:1-14 [The valley of dry bones]; Zephaniah 3:14-20 [The gathering of God's people]; Romans 6:3-11; Psalm 114; Mark 16:1-8

Collect: Almighty God, who for our redemption gave your only- begotten Son to the death of the cross, and by his glorious resurrection delivered us from the power of our enemy: Grant us so to die daily to sin, that we may evermore live with him in the joy of his resurrection; through Jesus Christ your Son our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen. or this O God, who made this most holy night to shine with the glory of the Lord's resurrection: Stir up in your Church that Spirit of adoption which is given to us in Baptism, that we, being renewed both in body and mind, may worship you in sincerity and truth; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen.

Reflection: Paul’s claim about Christ Jesus in 1 Corinthians 15 is a creed: Christ died, was buried, was raised, and appeared to many disciples and finally to Paul, who writes, “by the grace of God I am what I am” (v. 10). If you were to say those words of yourself, what would it mean that everything about you—all you are and have done—is “by the grace of God”? Where is God’s grace evident in your life today?

For Maundy Thursday:

For families: Study guide, group activity—share a meal with a friend

For children: activity, bulletin games, craft;

For middlers: activity, bulletin games, craft

For youth: A central component of the Maundy Thursday scripture is Jesus telling his disciples that one of them would betray him AND all the disciples denying that possibility. There are many ways to "betray" Jesus. Think about that. Are there times when you are positive that you will behave in one way but when the time comes, you don't. What could you do to remain strong in your resolve?

For Good Friday:

For families: Study guide, group activity

For children: activity, bulletin games

For middlers: activity, bulletin games

For youth: Good Friday is one of the hardest "worship" services of the year for me. To conclude the service, we bring a plain cross into our worship space and sing or say three anthems. One of them is: We glory in your cross, O Lord, and praise and glorify your holy resurrection; for by virtue of your cross joy has come to the whole world. How can you "glory" in Jesus' cross?

For Easter Vigil:

For families: Study guide, group activity—share a story of your history, snacks

For children: activity, bulletin games, craft;

For middlers: activity, bulletin games, craft

For youth: If you had a chance to attend a Great Vigil of Easter service, you heard stories of our history—creation, the flood, commandments for life, and others. Do you have a favorite story about how we go to this place in this year? It doesn't have to be an ancient story, it can be one of this century, or decade, or year, or month. And it doesn't have to be about everyone in the world but perhaps just you and your family. Stories like these shape us, hopefully into better beings. So, again, what's your favorite story of how you/we got here?

Feel free to comment by sending an email to FaithatHome2020@gmail.com

The Easter Vigil is the greatest service of the Christian Year

Augustine called it “the mother of all vigils.”

Just as Jews believe in their Passover seder that they are brought back into the original event of redemption so that they become contemporaries of it, so too the historic Church has believed that in this “Great Sabbath” time, especially its Bible readings recounting the history of salvation, the faithful participate in these events as contemporaries.

When they are sprinkled with water, they are lifted up out of linear time into sacramental time to join Christ in his baptism, both by water and blood. Then at its climax—the Eucharist—they are joined to the risen Christ in his humanity and not only his divinity. The resurrection of their Lord is no longer a past event but a present reality.

Because the service starts in darkness and ends with light, they can recite the Collect with joy and fresh recognition: “O God, [You] made this holy night to shine with the glory of the Lord’s resurrection.”

Excerpted from Gerald R McDermott website.

This is a commentary about Easter Vigil, 3/31/18

Easter Vigil is a celebration of life.
We begin with the story of creation. God made everything, gave life to all living things. God saw all that he had made and it was very good. His creation and conservation continues.

We, made into Godâ€™s image, are partners in that work and stewards to take care of all that makes up this planet, especially all living things. Made in the image of our Creator, we, too, are called to be lifegivers and life preservers. This has been called by one writer the â€œOriginal Blessingâ€, the gift of creation which preceded the failure of human beings to respond and the consequent disasters with which the human race has been visited ever since.

We hear the story of the Exodus. The great event in which Godâ€™s people are brought out of the half-life of slavery into full freedom and full life. We need no longer be slaves but Godâ€™s own people (yet many of us remain enslaved to habits and desires). The liberation from Egypt is an event celebrated and commemorated to this day by the Jewish people at their Passover. And we can join our celebration with theirs at this time.

We hear the stories of the covenant with Noah and the valley of dry bones. The evening is the special time for catechumens to be baptised and become fully members of our community in Christ. It is a time of special joy for them and for us. It is also a time for us to reflect on the meaning and the effectiveness of our own Baptism in our lives right now.

Our Baptism and Confirmation and our sharing in the Eucharist are the signs of our participation in this outpouring of life and love which we celebrate this evening. The going down into the water is our dying to the ways of sin and evil. The coming out of the water is a rising to the life God wishes us to have and experience. Our baptism and confirmation are an ongoing reality reflected in the way we live out the Gospel from day to day. So as we will renew our promises, let us renew our allegiance to Christ and the Christian community, which is his visible presence in the world.

Page updated

Google Sites

Report abuse

Holy Week Yr B Triduum