My dear friends, today we prepare to enter the Sacred Triduum. I wish to encourage all of this readership to make sure you know what the liturgical schedule is for your parish these next three days; Holy Thursday, Good Friday and the Great Easter Vigil. Our presence and full participation at these liturgies is critical.
Every Christian has a vital role to play in the life of the Church and from there in the world to further God’s Kingdom. We can only accomplish our God-given role when we are walking as disciples with Christ. The Triduum celebration is a privileged means of accompanying Christ in His passion, death and resurrection. The Triduum celebration is an opportune moment to be strengthened in our Life in Christ.
The Easter Triduum recalls the culmination of Christ’s earthly life and ministry.
“Christ redeemed us all and gave perfect glory to God principally through his paschal mystery: dying he destroyed our death and rising he restored our life. Therefore the Easter Triduum of the Passion and Resurrection of the Lord is the culmination of the entire liturgical year. Thus the solemnity of Easter has the same kind of preeminence in the liturgical year that Sunday has in the week.”
Let the paschal fast be kept sacred. Let it be celebrated everywhere on Good Friday and, wherever possible, prolonged throughout Holy Saturday, as a way of coming to the joys of the Sunday of the resurrection with uplifted and welcoming heart.
These days are therefore unique in the liturgical year and their celebration is of utmost importance in the spiritual and pastoral life of the Church.” (Ceremonial of Bishops, nn. 295-296)
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