The week of all weeks begins today, a week of betrayals, cruelty, lies, false accusations, horror, death and the final victory won by Christ.
 
Today we begin with the triumphal entry of the Lord into Jerusalem.   For the past few weeks of Lent, we have been travelling with the Lord as He approaches the Holy City for Passover.   We met many people along the way, we were given the words of eternal life, we saw miracles and teachings.  Now it will all culminate over three days beginning this Thursday.  Let us enter this week with the Lord.

Today you receive palm branches to remind you of the first Palm Sunday. Today until Wednesday evening, it is still Lent, then starting Holy Thursday evening, the new season of the Church’s calendar begins: The Sacred Triduum, or The Three Days.
 
The Church gives us a singularly dramatic, intense and richly symbolic liturgy, the three days is one continuous act of worship that lasts for 72 hours. It begins with the sign of the cross on Holy Thursday Mass, ending with the blessing and dismissal on Holy Saturday evening. The liturgy of Good Friday picks up with Holy Thursday ended, and it is concluded in the Great Vigil of Easter.
 
In anticipation, we will celebrate Tenebræ on Spy Wednesday evening, starting at 7:00 PM.   (=darkness, or shadows) is a very ancient service of prayers, which takes place during the darkness of night; it is basically a wake service for Jesus. This extraordinarily beautiful and moving service, which consists of three Psalms and verses from the Lamentations of Jeremiah, is prayed.
 
The service begins with the church in darkness, except for a candelabrum on a stand in the sanctuary containing fifteen unbleached candles arranged in an inverted `v', called a `Tenebræ hearse.' As each psalm and lamentation is chanted two of the candles is extinguished until only one, representing the Light of Christ remains. Then this will be extinguished, leaving the church in darkness. The ministers and cantor leave the sanctuary, and a loud noise like a thunderclap (representing the earthquake during the Crucifixion) is heard; after which a single candle representing the Light of Christ is brought in, placed on the altar and the people leave in silence. This is a very impressive service, and I hope you can attend with your children at least once during the Triduum. On Friday and Saturday morning we will have Tenebræ as well.
 
The Sacred Triduum, the Mass of the Lord’s Supper and the Mandatum (=command) of the Washing of the Feet on Holy Thursday at 7:00 PM. Many people keep the custom of visiting the churches on this night to keep watch with the Lord. 
 
The next day, we will have Tenebræ: Morning Prayer and the Lamentations, at 10:00 AM.  The Solemn Liturgy of the Lord’s Passion begins at 3:00 PM. That night we will have the Choral Stations of the Cross at 7:00 PM: the 14 Stations of the Cross with short choral music by the Masters will be sung by our choir after certain Stations. Then the Church will be locked until Holy Saturday morning, when we will gather once again to chant the lamentations at 10:00 AM.   The church will remain empty until we gather outside by the bonfire to celebrate the Great Vigil of Easter beginning at 8:00PM. 
 
As a parish, we should be together for these days.   It is also important that our young people experience these great Catholic moments of prayer. None of these services will be extraordinarily long, so they are more than welcome to be with us, we are family, and these days are our family days.
 
Sadly, many Catholics go to their graves without ever having celebrated the most important days of their faith! So, come, let us enter the prayer of the High Holy Days of the Church, it is time to celebrate our faith to enter into the mystery of God’s love for us. 
 
See You in Church.