Today begins the most solemn week in the Christian world. This should not be just another same ole week like all the rest. This week should be lived as if your life depended on it!! And it fact, it does! The life giving events of our salvation are remembered and celebrated in three days called the Sacred Paschal Triduum (Holy Thursday, Good  Friday, Easter Vigil). Many understand these three days to be a re-enactment of the historical events – that Holy Thursday commemorates the day Jesus instituted the Eucharist; Friday, commemorates the day he was executed on the cross; and the vigil commemorates his emergence from the tomb. But to make these sacred three days truly meaningful, we need to see them in a different light. Precisely because these faith-anchoring events are historical, they cannot be repeated or “re-enacted.” That is why the church’s long tradition insists that what happened once in history passes over into the mystery of our liturgical and sacramental celebrations. What the Sacred Paschal Triduum actually celebrates is mystery, not history. The liturgies of these days do not “take us back” to the upper room or the path to Calvary. Their ultimate purpose is not to retrace or relive the last hours of Jesus’ life, nor catch sight of him emerging from the tomb at Easter’s dawning. They celebrate not what once happened to Jesus but what is now happening among us as a people called to conversion, gathered in faith, and gifted with the Spirit of holiness. They celebrate God’s taking possession of our hearts at their deepest core, recreating us as a new human community broken like bread for the world’s life – a community, rich in compassion, steadfast in hope, and fearless in the search for justice and peace. And so, with this perspective, Fr. Mark and I cordially invite you and yearn for your joining us in celebrating three days of sacred mystery!

The Sacred paschal Triduum

Holy Thursday Mass of the Lord’s Supper – March 29th at 7:00PM
Good Friday Celebration of the Lord’s Passion – March 30th at 7:00PM
The Easter Vigil in the Holy Night – March 31st at 8:00PM

If you can’t make the Easter Vigil Mass on Saturday evening, we look forward to seeing you at one of our Easter Sunday Masses. Please note that our Easter Sunday schedule is different from our regular Sunday schedule. Masses on Easter Sunday are at 7:00AM; 9:00AM in church and activity center; 11:00AM in church and activity center; and the last Mass on Easter is at 12:30PM. There will be no 5:30PM Mass on Easter Sunday.

Have a Blessed Holy Week!