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Palm Sunday of the Lord’s Passion
31 March 2007
Dear Friends in Christ,
The Catholic Church does a lot of things well, but the thing she does the best, besides saving souls, is her liturgy. Even despite the ravages of the postconciliar upheavals where many ancient traditions were lost, where her liturgy is still celebrated with reverence and devotion, Holy Week never fails to impress.
Today we come into church and commemorate the triumphal entry of Christ as King into Jerusalem. How appropriate that, as He is on the eve of His Passion, He is recognized with great spontaneity as Messiah and LORD. We wave palm branches in the air, sing joyful songs and process around the church to the glorious tones of the organ whose voice has been muted for Lent. But soon enough, the Praying Church is plunged back into Passiontide. The haunting psalm, My God, my God, why have You abandoned me? reminds us that the crowds who acclaimed Jesus on Sunday would turn on Him not even a week later.
The priests of the diocese gather around their Bishop and celebrate the Chrism Mass this week and those hallowed oils are sanctified in the name of Christ who heals through them, and the liturgy speeds its way towards that intimate account of the Last Supper. What a night! Betrayal by a kiss, tears of blood, denial and protestations of love. Better than any other story known to man.
On Holy Thursday we gather around the tabernacle and spend time with Jesus, and then, at the stroke of midnight, He is taken away. Adoration ends; the altar is stripped and the tabernacle doors flung open. And we wait in stillness until He appears again on Good Friday, beaten and scourged, struggling His way to an ignoble death. The Church mourns the death of her Redeemer.
But the best is yet to come: the longest Vigil of the year, Christians gathered in prayer, listening to the history of their salvation, welcoming new believers through baptism, and celebrating the Resurrection.
The weekdays of Holy Week are not Holy Days of Obligation. But why would you want to miss them? If you have never been to the solemn services of this Great and Holy Week, then this year is your chance. You want to make Easter seem real and meaningful? Then we’ll see you in church every day this week. You won’t regret it!
In His Death and Resurrection,
Father Christopher