Dear friends in Christ
Unlike last Holy Week, this year we can celebrate the liturgy with the presence of parishioners, albeit with restricted numbers. This is the most important time of the year; the whole of Lent has been moving towards the three days—or Paschal Triduum—of Maundy Thursday, Good Friday and Easter. As I have already explained, some of the elements of the Holy Week ceremonies will be reduced or omitted in order to comply with the pandemic restrictions. For example, on this Palm Sunday only the priest will read the shorter form of the Passion of St Mark; on Thursday there will simply be the celebration of Holy Mass without the procession and watching at the Altar of Repose; on Friday there won't be a general veneration of the Cross; and the Easter Vigil will be shortened with fewer readings. However, we shall still celebrate the mysteries of our Redemption with calm and dignity and those who cannot manage to be present in the church may follow on the livestream.
I refer you to the weekly schedule for all of the times of the Holy Week services. You will see that there will be a priest available each day for the Sacrament of Penance—Confession—which is a most important Sacrament in preparation for the Easter celebration. Please take a poster from the back of church which will remind others in your area of the sacred nature of this Week; also a blest palm.
Let us walk with Our Lord in faith and devotion during these days ahead, so that we may rejoice with Him at the Resurrection!
One of of my favourite passages on the Passion is from a Sermon of St Gregory Nazianzen:
So let us take our part in the Passover prescribed by the law, not in a literal way, but according to the teaching of the Gospel. If you are a Simon of Cyrene, take up your cross and follow Christ. If you are crucified beside him like one of the thieves, now, like the good thief, acknowledge your God. Worship him who was hung on the cross because of you, even if you are hanging there yourself. Derive some benefit from the very shame; purchase salvation with your death. Enter paradise with Jesus, and discover how far you have fallen. Contemplate the glories there, and leave the other scoffing thief to die outside in his blasphemy. If you are a Joseph of Arimathea, go to the one who ordered his crucifixion, and ask for Christ’s body. Make your own the expiation for the sins of the whole world. If you are a Nicodemus, like the man who worshipped God by night, bring spices and prepare Christ’s body for burial. If you are one of the Marys, or Salome, or Joanna, weep in the early morning. Be the first to see the stone rolled back, and even the angels perhaps, and Jesus himself.
God bless you all this Holy Week.
Msgr Kevin Hale