KEEP WATCH WITH ME! - HOLY WEEK
PASSION (PALM) SUNDAY – HOLY WEEK
They brought the colt to Jesus and threw their cloaks across its back, and he sat on it. (Mark 11:7)
Reflection.
His coming is a revelation, a radical, total revelation of God's holiness. “Holy, Holy, Holy Lord, God of power and might. Heaven and earth are full of your glory...” Precisely this Week which humanly speaking is filled to the brim with suffering, humiliation, despoliation, in a word, with the kenosis of God this Week contains the revelation of God's holiness, the culmination of world history. "Holy, Holy, Holy.... Hosanna in the highest"....
To embrace the Cross on this day, to pass it from hand to hand, is a very eloquent gesture. It is like saying: Lord, we do not want to stay with you only at the time of the "Hosannas", but with your help we want to accompany you on the way of the Cross as did Mary, your mother and ours, and the Apostle John. Yes, O Lord, because "You have the words of eternal life" (Jn 6:68), and we have believed that precisely your Cross is the word of life, of eternal life!
Lenten Fact.
According to the account of a fifth-century Spanish pilgrim to the Holy Land, Passion Sunday Mass was celebrated in Jerusalem at the Church of the Holy Sepulcher. After this, the people were invited to meet again in the afternoon at the Mount of Olives, in the Church of Eleona (the grotto of the Our Father). They then proceeded to the Church of the Ascension for a service consisting of hymns and antiphons, readings and prayers, where at five o'clock in the afternoon the Gospel of the palms was read and the procession set out for the city. The people responded to the antiphons with the acclamation, "Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord," as we say even today.
Triduum Question.
Q: How early may the Easter Vigil begin?
A: This question is the enduring legacy of the time when the Vigil took place on Holy Saturday morning. For most Catholics and other Western Christians, "Easter" means Easter Sunday morning, after sunrise.
The restoration of the Triduum by Pius XII envisioned the Eucharistic liturgy of the paschal Vigil as commencing at midnight. This is the age-old practice of the Orthodox churches, still observed today. While Catholics accept (or even expect) a midnight service on Christmas, the association of midnight with Easter has been lost. Before long, concessions were granted which allowed the liturgy to take place in the evening of Holy Saturday, but after nightfall. Despite these regulations, some parishes begin the Vigil at the same time as the Mass of the Lord's Supper and the Liturgy of the Lord's Passion; some even revert to the usual time for Saturday evening Mass.
The entire celebration of the Easter Vigil takes place at night. It should not begin before nightfall; it should end before daybreak on Sunday. This rule is to be taken according to its strictest sense. Reprehensible are those abuses and practices which have crept into many places in violation of this ruling, whereby the Easter Vigil is celebrated at the time of day that it is customary to celebrate anticipated Sunday Masses.
Those reasons which have been advanced in some quarters for the anticipation of the Easter Vigil, such as lack of public order, are not put forward in connection with Christmas night, nor other gatherings of various kinds (Circular Letter 78).
We might also recall the Jewish tradition by which the Sabbath does not end until three stars are seen on Saturday night. The Easter Vigil should not begin until the Great Sabbath of Holy Saturday has passed. But for those who must follow a clock, it is sufficient to say that the entire Vigil must take place neither in the evening nor in twilight, but in the dark, generally understood as beginning about sixty to ninety minutes after sunset.
-- Rev. Paul J. Niemann
Lenten Action.
A diet of amoral and immoral programs can and will corrupt your values. Do you control the media you watch and listen to?
Prayer.
Lord, you have satisfied our hunger with this eucharistic food. The death of your Son gives us hope and strengthens our faith. May his resurrection give us perseverance and lead us to salvation. We ask this through Christ our Lord. Amen.
Source: Daily Meditations During Lent.
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MONDAY- HOLY WEEK
Then she dried his feet with her hair, and the house was filled with the ointment's fragrance. (John 12:3)
Reflection.
Adoration
Jesus, my God, I adore You, here present in the Blessed Sacrament of the altar, where You wait day and night to be our comfort while we await Your unveiled presence in heaven. Jesus, my God, I adore You in all places where the Blessed Sacrament is reserved and where sins are committed against this Sacrament of Love. Jesus, my God, I adore You for all time, past, present and future, for every soul that ever was, is or shall be created. Jesus, my God, who for us has endured hunger and cold, labor and fatigue, I adore You. Jesus, my God, who for my sake has deigned to subject Yourself to the humiliation of temptation, to the perfidy and defection of friends, to the scorn of Your enemies, I adore You. Jesus, my God, who for us has endured the buffeting of Your passion, the scourging, the crowning with thorns, the heavy weight of the cross, I adore You.
Jesus, my God, who, for my salvation and that of all mankind, was cruelly nailed to the cross and hung there for three long hours in bitter agony, I adore You. Jesus, My God, who for love of us did institute this Blessed Sacrament and offer Yourself daily for the sins of men, I adore You. Jesus, my God, who in Holy Communion became the food of my soul, I adore You.
Jesus, for You I live. Jesus, for You I die. Jesus, I am Yours in life and death. Amen.
Lenten Fact.
Hunting was for many ages considered as forbidden during Lent: the spirit of the holy season was too sacred to admit such exciting and noisy sport.
Triduum Question.
Q: Any suggestions for the Easter fire?
A: In so far as possible, a suitable place should be prepared outside the church for the blessing of the new fire, whose flames should be such that they genuinely dispel the darkness and light up the night" (Circular Letter 82).
A "fire that illuminates the night" requires some careful preparation: a safe place, appropriate fuel, and permission from local authorities and the fire marshal. In the springtime, many areas experience rather volatile weather conditions. Unpredictable wind can make a large fire dangerous. But what can be more attractive and festive than a large fire on a damp, cold night? The whole bonfire experience may unnerve parishioners who will break into giggles with references to campfires and barbecues. Such is our disconnection with our ritual tradition. While we can manage bonfires for football games and Halloween, we seem to lose our expertise for the Triduum. Parishes may consider recruiting their local scout troop for this task.
Because of the work involved, many are content with a small brazier inside the church, without realizing the potential of smoke damage and irritation. An inside fire is best fueled by alcohol (isopropanol) and salt. This fire, however, is extremely hot and requires an unbreakable vessel.
-- Rev. Paul J. Niemann
Lenten Action.
Let go of a long-standing grudge. Practice real forgiveness after the example of Jesus.
Prayer.
God of mercy, be close to your people. Watch over us who receive this sacrament of salvation, and keep us in your love. We ask this in the name of Jesus the Lord. Amen.
Source: Daily Meditations During Lent.
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TUESDAY- HOLY WEEK
"I tell you solemnly, one of you will betray me!" (John 13:21)
Reflection.
A Simple Gesture
Mark was walking home from school one day when he noticed the boy ahead of him had tripped and dropped all of the books he was carrying, along with two sweaters, a baseball bat, a glove and a small tape recorder.
Mark knelt down and helped the boy pick up the scattered articles. Since they were going the same way, he helped to carry part of the burden. As they walked Mark discovered the boy's name was Bill, that he loved video games, baseball and history, and that he was having lots of trouble with his other subjects and that he had just broken up with his girlfriend.
They arrived at Bill's home first and Mark was invited in for a Coke and to watch some television. The afternoon passed pleasantly with a few laughs and some shared small talk, then Mark went home. They continued to see each other around school, had lunch together once or twice, then both graduated from junior high school. They ended up in the same high school where they had brief contacts over the years.
Finally, the long-awaited senior year came and three weeks before graduation, Bill asked Mark if they could talk. Bill reminded him of the day years ago when they had first met.
"Did you ever wonder why I was carrying so many things home that day?" asked Bill. "You see, I cleaned out my locker because I didn't want to leave a mess for anyone else. I had stored away some of my mothers sleeping pills and I was going home to commit suicide. But after we spent some time together talking and laughing, I realized that if I had killed myself, I would have missed that time and so many others that might follow. So you see, Mark, when you picked up those books that day, you did a lot more, you saved my life."
Every little hello, every little smile, every helping hand saves a hurting heart. Pass it on.
Lenten Fact.
After Constantine legalized Christianity in the year 312, the pathway of our Lord's passion was marked with its important stations. St. Jerome (342- 420), living in Bethlehem during the later part of his life, attested to the crowds of pilgrims from various countries who visited those holy places and followed the Way of the Cross.
Triduum Question.
Q: Must we buy a new paschal candle every year?
A: This is probably a question, which never occurred to our ancestors in the faith or to people who live in less technological, consumer-oriented societies. Only the invention of electric lamps and candle-shaped cylinders for various fuels makes this a point of discussion.
The paschal candle should be prepared, which for effective symbolism must be made of wax, never be artificial, be renewed each year, be only one in number, and be of sufficiently large size, so that it may evoke the truth that Christ is the light of the world (Circular Letter 82).
Good liturgy demands authentic symbols; good ritual requires beautiful materials; festivity always involves some extravagance. Better a more striking (and likely more expensive) Easter candle than another row of lilies, which will barely survive the octave. The Easter candle is the Catholic Easter symbol. It deserves to be magnificent.
If finances are tight or the parish simply wishes to consume less, the candle need not be wasted the following year. Many candle suppliers will accept the unused portions of previous Easter candles and credit the parish for the wax.
-- Rev. Paul J. Niemann
Lenten Action.
Call a relative with who you have been out of contact with. Smile at everyone you meet today.
Prayer.
All-powerful God, by the suffering and death of your Son, strengthen and protect us in our weakness. We ask this through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.
Source: Daily Meditations During Lent.
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WEDNESDAY- HOLY WEEK
I looked for sympathy, but there was none; for comforters, and I found none. (Psalm 69:21)
Reflection.
PRAY IT AGAIN, SAM. My mom has prayed the daily rosary for as long as I can remember. We used to say it together as a family. At home, she always used a large wooden rosary she had owned for many years.
After we kids had moved away, she started praying with the devoted group of parishioners who said a rosary after each weekday mass. At church, she began using a new set of plastic rosary beads she kept in her purse. An elderly gentleman named Sam led the prayers, and the others faithfully responded.
The count of "Hail Marys" through five mysteries everyday was always accurate except for the third decade. Here, as my mom fingered the last "Hail Mary" bead, Sam would always say one more "Hail Mary" and naturally, everyone would give the "Holy Mary" response. "There he goes again," she'd think to herself as he began the "extra" prayer. "Why does he always say eleven 'Ave Marias' in the third decade?"
That pattern continued for several years until one day when my mom left her purse in the car and had to borrow a pair of rosaries from the lady sitting next to her. Lo and behold, this time when my mom fingered the final "Hail Mary" bead of the third decade, Sam dutifully followed with the "Glory Be."
This prompted my mom to do something she otherwise wouldn't have thought of: to check the rosary beads in her purse - that set only contained nine beads in the third decade!
Lenten Fact.
A plenary indulgence is granted for those who piously exercise the Way of the Cross, actually moving from station to station where they are legitimately erected and while mediating on the passion and death of our Lord ("Enchiridion of Indulgences," No. 63).
Triduum Question.
Q: How is the alleluia to be sung at the Vigil?
A: The liturgical books describe a single alleluia, intoned by the presider and repeated by the assembly; this alleluia is repeated three times, each time on a higher pitch. This alleluia is, of course, the traditional and somewhat embellished Gregorian chant setting. For communities unused to the simple elegance of chant, this alleluia may not adequately serve as the joyful acclamation of the resurrection Gospel. The alleluia of the Vigil is not a rite unto itself but the processional song for the Gospel, as on other Sundays.
The lectionary calls for a triple alleluia to be repeated between verses of Psalm 118. This extended Gospel acclamation provides a good opportunity for parishes to have (or introduce) a full procession of the Gospel, ideally through the assembly, accompanied by incense and other appropriate processional elements such as banners or hand-bells. Remember that candles are explicitly excluded from this pro-cession at the Vigil.
As with the Easter Proclamation or Exulted, the alleluia of the Easter Vigil deserves to be intoned by the best singer in the assembly.
-- Rev. Paul J. Niemann
Lenten Action.
Today is the day we remember Judas betraying the Lord. Ask the Lord for forgiveness for all your sins.
Prayer.
Father, in your plan of salvation your Son Jesus Christ accepted the cross and freed us from the power of the enemy. May we come to share the glory of his resurrection, for he lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.
Source: Daily Meditations During Lent.
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THURSDAY- HOLY WEEK
"But if I washed your feet...then you must wash each other's feet." (John 13:14)
Reflection.
In April of 1945, American artillery in the town of Siegburg, Germany, was shelling a nearby village, in which there were about 20 German soldiers. The natives were in constant danger of being hit by bullets from either side. Toward evening of April 12, the people persuaded the German soldiers to cease-fire. Next morning the village priest carried a white flag to the American outpost to inform the commander that the German soldiers had gone and the civilian population had no desire to resist further. Instructions were given to fly white flags from all the houses. The question uppermost in the minds of the towns-people was: How will the Americans treat us?
They had heard terrible tales of cruelty on the part of the Russians. How would these conquerors act?
The Americans began a thorough search for weapons and German soldiers. Two soldiers armed with pistols came to a certain three- room home. They stopped short in the living room before a hand- carved family altar. Into the bedroom they went, to find there a beautiful crucifix. The soldiers noticed the cross. They stopped, took off their steel helmets, changed their automatics from right hand to left, and respectfully made the sign of the cross.
As a member of the family related, the members of that household feared no longer. Yes, the sign of the cross is the salute of the true follower of Christ whether he is conqueror or conquered, whether he is German, Chinese, American or Australian. It is the countersign of the Christian. In particular, it is the special salute of the Catholic.
Lenten Fact.
Those who are impeded from visiting a church, during the Stations Of The Cross, may gain indulgences by piously reading and meditating on the passion and death of our Lord for one-half hour. The continued importance of the stations in the devotional life of Catholics is attested by both Pope Paul VI, who approved a Gospel-based version of the stations in 1975, and Pope John Paul II, who has also written his own version.
Easter Question.
Q: Some parishes have a blessing of food after the Easter Vigil. What is the significance of that custom?
A: The first meal of Easter breaks the paschal fast. The more rigorous the fast, the more significant this first meal became. Because our ancestors spent most of the Triduum in church, the preferred Easter foods were those that could be prepared in advance and served cold or with a minimum of cooking—for example, hams or sausages. It was also customary to include among the foods those items, which had been forbidden for the entire Lenten time, such as eggs and other dairy products. Special sweet breads decorated with crosses or other Christian symbols are also typical.
The blessing of Easter foods would serve as a fine beginning to the reception or celebration provided for the neophytes and newly received.
The rite found in the Book of Blessings, chapter 54, may be used either after the Easter Vigil or after the Mass on Easter Sunday morning.
-- Rev. Paul J. Niemann
Lenten Action.
Imagine what it would feel like, if your loved one was taken to prison without due cause. Imagine how the apostles felt as Jesus was carried away.
Prayer.
Father, by the power of the Holy Spirit you anointed your only Son Messiah and Lord of creation; you have given us a share in his consecration to priestly service in your Church. Help us to be faithful witnesses in the world to the salvation Christ won for all mankind. We ask this through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.
Source: Daily Meditations During Lent.
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GOOD FRIDAY- HOLY WEEK
Fast & Abstinence Today
Yet it was our infirmities that he bore, our sufferings that he endured. (Isaiah 53:4)
Reflection.
(1) It is related in the annals of Clairvaus that St. Bernard asked Our Lord which was His greatest unrecorded suffering and that Our Lord answered, "I had on my shoulder while I bore My cross on the Way of Sorrows a grievous wound which was more painful than the others which is not recorded by men. Honor this wound with devotion, and I will grant thee whatsoever thou dost ask through its virtue and merit, and in return to all who venerate this wound I will remit to them all their venial sins and will no longer remember their mortal sins. "
(2) At the crucifixion, a young soldier, Longinus, thrust a spear into the Sacred Heart of Jesus. Water spilled forth, washing Longinus, and Blood followed, giving Longinus the grace of conversion. Having been touched by the healing contents of Our Lord's Sacred Heart, Longinus became a martyr, giving up his own life for the One he helped crucify. Longinus opened a Door into the Sacred Heart of Jesus. This Door stands open, ready to receive all. We each have many opportunities to cross this threshold, to enter this Door, to be immersed in the Love within. How we respond to that invitation is dependent on how much we love. This Door can be wide, but it is often hard to pass through.
Fact.
Jesus of Nazareth underwent Jewish and Roman trials, was flogged, and was sentenced to death by crucifixion. The scourging produced deep stripelike lacerations and appreciable blood loss, and it probably set the stage for hypovolemic shock, as evidenced by the fact that Jesus was too weakened to carry the crossbar (patibulum) to Golgotha. At the site of crucifixion, his wrists were nailed to the patibulum and, after the patibulum was lifted onto the upright post (stipes), his feet were nailed to the stipes. The major pathophysiologic effect of crucifixion was an interference with normal respirations. Accordingly, death resulted primarily from hypovolemic shock and exhaustion asphyxia. Jesus' death was ensured by the thrust of a soldier's spear into his side. Modern medical interpretation of the historical evidence indicates that Jesus was dead when taken down from the cross.
Easter Question.
Q: When should we decorate the church for Easter?
A: Two approaches come to mind. Because the Vigil is the first celebration of the Great Sunday, all may be prepared in the early evening hours before the liturgy begins. This often becomes a morning event, thus filling the Great Sabbath with activity. Visitors to the church on Saturday afternoon will find it full of decorations and flowers and not the quiet empty place the liturgy describes. A pre-Vigil decoration session will require a fair amount of coordination and planning, lest we exhaust our volunteers before the Vigil begins.
Another option is to wait until the Vigil is finished and take some time after the liturgy for a communal decorating of the church. But this seems to suggest that Easter does not begin until Sunday morning.
The Circular Letter steers a middle course and calls for placing flowers at the altar during the singing of the Gloria during the Vigil liturgy itself. A well-rehearsed procession with candles and flowers would be striking ritual. One must ask, however, if this custom continues the former liturgy's separation between the "Vigil" and the "Mass of the Resurrection." The ritual books, it should be noted, conceive of decorations in simple, almost austere terms. The large floral displays some churches create for Easter are not envisioned in the rites.
One priest in this author's diocese served for some time as a chaplain in a community of religious women. He used to order corsages for all the sisters to wear, explaining that he simply wanted to decorate the Church for Easter.
-- Rev. Paul J. Niemann
Prayer.
Lord, by shedding his blood for us, your Son, Jesus Christ, established the paschal mystery. In your goodness, make us holy and watch over us always. We ask this through Christ our Lord. Amen.
Source: Daily Meditations During Lent.
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SATURDAY- HOLY WEEK
"He has been raised up; he is not here." (Mark 16:6)
Reflection.
THE CROSS
The cross is the hope of Christians
the cross is the resurrection of the dead
the cross is the way of the lost
the cross is the savior of the lost
the cross is the staff of the lame
the cross is the guide of the blind
the cross is the strength of the weak
the cross is the doctor of the sick
the cross is the aim of the priests
the cross is the hope of the hopeless
the cross is the freedom of the slaves
the cross is the power of the kings
the cross is the water of the seeds
the cross is the consolation of the bondsmen
the cross is the source of those who seek water
the cross is the cloth of the naked.
We thank you, Father, for the cross.
Fact.
On Holy Saturday the Church is, as it were, at the Lord's tomb, meditating on his passion and death, and on his descent into hell, and awaiting his resurrection with prayer and fasting. It is highly recommended that on this day the Office of Readings and Morning Prayer be celebrated with the participation of the people (cf. n. 40). Where this cannot be done, there should be some celebration of the Word of God, or some act of devotion suited to the mystery celebrated this day. The image of Christ crucified or lying in the tomb, or the descent into hell, which mystery Holy Saturday recalls, as also an image of the sorrowful Virgin Mary can be placed in the church for the veneration of the faithful. On this day the Church abstains strictly from the celebration of the sacrifice of the Mass. Holy Communion may only be given in the form of Viaticum. The celebration of marriages is forbidden, as also the celebration of other sacraments, except those of Penance and the Anointing of the Sick. The faithful are to be instructed on the special character of Holy Saturday. Festive customs and traditions associated with this day on account of the former practice of anticipating the celebration of Easter on Holy Saturday should be reserved for Easter night and the day that follows.
Easter Question.
Q: What are the liturgical symbols of Easter?
A: The most important liturgical symbol is always the assembly of the faithful. During the Easter season, the neophytes (newly baptized) hold first place among us. It is in the neophytes that we recognize the Lord Jesus risen from the dead. In ancient times, the neophytes wore their white baptismal garments to church for the entire Easter octave.
The second most important liturgical symbol is the Easter candle. This candle remains in the sanctuary, near the ambo or a similar prominent place, and is lighted for every liturgical service through Pentecost. Ideally, the candle is large enough that it might remain burning between Masses, at least on Sundays, so that its witness to the resurrection is not diminished.
A third characteristic of the Easter season is the singing of alleluia. Outside of Lent, the alleluia fittingly accompanies the proclamation of the Gospel, in which the risen Christ speaks to us each day. But during Easter, alleluia is added to every antiphon of the liturgy and should rightly be included in every hymn.
The font, in which the water blessed during the Easter Vigil remains throughout the Easter season, deserves attention as well. The parish's baptismal font should be a significant container, and the presence of water in it should be remarkable enough. Unfortunately, this is rarely the case. Special tanks are often set up and decorated for the Vigil, only to disappear with the lilies. Another unfortunate practice is the creation of elaborate fountains, which have nothing to do with baptism or even the renewal of baptism. A permanent fountain is surely a welcome feature of the courtyard, garden, or gathering space: it does not belong in the sanctuary or baptistery unless it is part of the font and its waters are blessed and used in sacramental celebration.
In addition, white vestments and flowers at the altar are a familiar sign of festivity. Parishes may wish to have a set of white vestments that is worn every day of the Easter season—and exclusively during that time.
Some "symbols" are foreign to the Roman liturgy. A large wooden cross draped with a white cloth does not signify Easter in our tradition. There is more to the resurrection than an empty cross or tomb.
Similarly, statues of the risen Christ are questionable. Resurrection is, after all, not the same as resuscitation. An image of Jesus loosely draped in a shroud and portraying his mortal features contradicts the Gospels, which describe him as unrecognized by his disciples. (Not to mention that the shroud was left in the tomb!) The transcendence and power of the resurrection is beyond our comprehension; it should certainly not be limited by a soulless representation.
If the church usually displays a crucifix above the altar, this is not contrary to the Easter mystery, for it is the resurrection of the Crucified One that we proclaim. The image on the cross reminds us of the historical reality; our breaking of the bread enables us to touch the mystery.
-- Rev. Paul J. Niemann
Prayer.
Lord, by the suffering of Christ your Son you have saved us all from the death we inherited from sinful Adam. By the law of nature, we have borne the likeness of his manhood. May the sanctifying power of grace help us to put on the likeness of our Lord in heaven, who lives and reigns for ever and ever. Amen.
Source: Daily Meditations During Lent.