Preparing for Holy Week
Dear brothers and sisters in Christ our Savior, from the Liturgy of the Palm Sunday, we begin the Holy Week. The Liturgy of the Palm Sunday marks the triumphant entry of Jesus into Jerusalem. It reminds us about the Divinity of Christ, and the sufferings He went through on the cross, through the betrayal of human beings. The same people who praised Jesus and recognized Him as King, even shouted hosanna for him, were the same who crucified him. When we gaze upon the cross of Christ, and the aƫtude of people who shouted hosanna for Jesus and at the same time crucified Him, we see the ugliness of human aƫtude. Palm Sunday invites us to deeper reflection on the Holy Week.
Holy Thursday
The Lenten observances and sacrifices we have been doing are preparing us to embrace the great mystery of our salvation. The Holy Week is the week that unfolds the great mystery of Christ suffering, death, resurrection, and Ascension to the Father. All of us have been purifying ourselves in one way or the other to embrace the Joy of Easter. We have been preparing to help our lives suit our vocation as Christian.
In the Mass of the last supper (as Archbishop Sample once reflected), the Church in the last 2000 years ago, are gathering once again in the upper room with Jesus and His Apostles to celebrate a Solemn Liturgy with Jesus our Savior. In the last supper my brothers and sisters, Jesus our savior celebrated Mass for the first time in our world. At that Last sup
per, Jesus did something very powerful and remarkable. By the Power of His Words, Jesus changed the substance of Bread and Wine, into the substance of His Body, Blood, Soul, and Divinity, and ordained twelve of His Apostles that very day as priests to act in His Person (Persona Christi) in memory of Him for the worship of God and for the sanctification of the people and the world. In that way, the Holy Mass becomes the source and summit of our lives, the center of our worship, and the highest of all prayers, because Christ is the one saying the Mass at anytime a priest is celebrating Mass.
The Holy Eucharist transforms us and changes us in to the very life of Jesus Christ, especially when we are spiritually disposed for Christ to change us. Also, at that last supper at the washing of feet, Jesus taught us a great sense of humility and care that flows from Christ to us. By such humble acts of washing His disciple’s feet Jesus also demonstrated to his disciples and to all of us, the need to reverence God in the service of another. Jesus reflected the fact that we are nothing, God is everything.
Chrism Mass and Sacred Oils
At Chrism Mass all over the world, all priests renew their priestly commitments (please keep all of us priests in your prayers), Sacred Oils are Blessed and brought back from the Cathedral to all parishes. They include; the Oil of Catechumen, Oil of Sacred Chrism, and Oil of the Sick. In our archdiocese, on April 11th, Archbishop Sample will concelebrate with his archdiocesan priests and consecrate the sacred Chrism and bless the other Oils. For it is with the sacred Chrism consecrated by the Bishop that the newly baptized are anointed and those to be con
firmed are signed. It is with the Oil of Catechumens that Catechumens are prepared and disposed for Baptism. Finally, it is with the Oil of the Sick that those who are ill are comforted in their infirmity.
Good Friday
On Good Friday, we reflect on the passion of Jesus Christ proper and His Death on the cross. It is a day we reflect and gaze upon the cross of Jesus Christ. That same day we have special stations of the cross and the veneration of the cross afterwards. In sum
Mary, Good Friday, draw us to reflect on our own sins and make atonement for our sins. When we look at the cross, it is important we meditate on how much our individual sins contributed to the wounds of Jesus Christ. For example, reflectively, we see on the cross of Jesus Christ, our inhuman aƫtude. We see on the cross; lies against Jesus, hate, lack of love, Irreverence to God, mockery, gossip, persecution, misunderstanding, power tussle, unforgiving spirit, pride, jealousy, envy, and selfish interest etc.… The Holy Week is asking us to go back to the Lord, repent, seek forgiveness, and embrace a transformative joy of Christ Resurrection.