Holy Triduum

This is my most favorite time of the the year. The Triduum. Here we dissect the Passion, Death, and Resurrection of Jesus Christ. Tomorrow we will proclaim the great Vigil of Easter, and pronounce in faith the Jesus is alone the source of our salvation. We have to go through the passion and death first though.

Yesterday the priests of the Diocese met in Rockford for the Chrism Mass. The Bishop presides with his priests, to reflect on the ministerial priesthood, and to bless the oils to be used in the sacraments of the Church. Then last night we gathered here at St. Mary to celebrate the Liturgy of the Last Supper. We have had a tradition here of doing a Tri-lingual liturgy with the three major ethnic groups, the Anglos, Latinos, and the Vietnamese. I think that some of the more traditional folks are bothered by the upbeat Spanish music, and a language they cannot understand. It is nice to see three different communities worshiping together.

The great movement of the Thursday Liturgy is how it begins with a joyous acclamation of Christ and his work, and leaves us in a very solemn almost somber mode. It is so very important for us to reflect upon our salvation and peace from Christ Jesus.

Good Friday will see us in the Church all day. We have three different passion celebrations going on throughout the day. The Latinos will also have an outside stations of the cross. Again this will be a very powerful and prayerful day.