DIDN’T THEY DO WELL?

Fr LoughranWho? Everyone concerned with the celebration of the Easter Triduum. The Church calls the week before Easter ‘Holy Week’, some liturgist call it the Great Week; and it is towards the end of the week that we celebrate the Triduum, those three days which actually form a continuum of celebration. That is to say that Maundy Thursday, Good Friday and Holy Saturday meld into one celebration over three days; one links into the other like a seamless garment. Together they tell the great story of our redemption; the story of the Last Supper, the Passion of Jesus and his Resurrection are brought before us in word and deed and song. This is a Sacramental celebration of our Lord’s victory over the powers of darkness.

So many people where part of these celebrations: the servers, the readers and ministers, the musicians and singers, the cleaners and sacristans, the launderers and seamstresses, the ministers and clergy, the florists and caterers. Lots of people in hidden and obvious ways combined to make this a blessed celebration. And this is as it should be; everyone has his or her part to play. And we should not underestimate the importance of just ‘being there.’ That prayerful attitude in church, joining in the singing and taking part with all our hearts. Thank you.

Thank you too, to our boys and girls in the top class at school who, just before they broke up for Easter, put on the most delicate Passion Play and told the story to the younger children at an assembly on the last afternoon. It was  very moving: the innocence of the children telling the story of suffering and death of Jesus, and the great joy of the resurrection. Thank you boys and girls and thank you to our teachers.