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March 21, 2024This week we enter the holiest week of our faith. The week begins today as we remember the entrance of Jesus into Jerusalem. One of the common themes in all the Holy Week services is the processions. We are a people on a journey to Jesus and the reign of God and it is reflected in our liturgies all this week.
Today we begin with the Palm Sunday procession remembering the entrance by Jesus into Jerusalem. When we were in Israel, we started our tour at this point. It was also at this point that the raid of Israel by Hamas started and so in retrospect, it is fitting that we started near the Garden of Gethsemane. The reading of the passion with its tension and eventual declaration by one of the Roman soldiers who helped to crucify Jesus is the center of the Gospel. The next three days are quiet, as far as the local church is concerned, but at the Cathedral of the Holy Cross in Boston, there will be a procession of priests and the oils that the cardinal will bless for us to take back to each parish for the sanctification of the people. All of us priests participate in the work of the bishop and taking some of the “Bishop’s oils” reminds us that we are in union with him, and as he is in union with the Pope, we are connected by faith both locally and globally. We will receive these oils as part of the opening procession on Holy Thursday. Holy Thursday also highlights the beginning of the priesthood of service and sacrifice that we all share in as baptized Christians and is the root of the Catholic priesthood. We remember the night the Eucharist is instituted and linked to service to others demonstrated by the washing of feet. The close of the night is a procession with the Eucharist to the chapel and then in adoration, we wait for Good Friday.
Good Friday is marked by solemnity and the reading of the Passion of Jesus from the Gospel of John. After the prayers of the faithful, we will have the procession of the cross which anticipates the Easter candle. Both are symbols of Jesus of course. After the cross is brought in, we will have an opportunity to reverence the cross and then after communion, we retire from the church solemnly to wait for the Holy Saturday and Easter celebrations.
The lighting of the Easter candle and procession into the darkened church to remember that Christ is our light and has pierced the darkness of sin and death is our opening. Next, we celebrate the liturgy of the word and then the celebration of the rites of initiation. This year we will celebrate the baptisms of two people and the reception of three adults. They receive, after making their profession of faith, Baptisms, Confirmation, and Holy Communion.
The processions that we use remind us that we are people who are called to remember and to move. We move from our homes to church to remember and celebrate and then we move from the church to outside to continue processing out to the world to bring the message of Jesus to all. At the heart of every celebration is Jesus. What we hope to remember in this holiest of weeks is that Jesus was sent by God to show us the love of the Father. He takes a week in which fallen humans try to eliminate Him, but nothing can separate us from the Love of God. Holy Week invites us to walk along, process with Jesus, and realize that now that we have seen this great act of love, we are to live in the knowledge of it. What great love God has for us. Process out and tell everyone.
Peace,
Father Murray
PS. A reminder that there will be no 5PM on Easter Sunday.
