Holy Triduum

Finding the Hidden Gems of Holy Week

/ chicoinematt / 2 Comments

Have you ever wondered about the week leading up to Easter? It’s called Holy Week, and it’s packed with traditions, history, and deep spiritual meaning. Even if you’ve been celebrating Easter your whole life, there might be some fascinating aspects of Holy Week you’ve never noticed before. Let’s take a closer look at this important time in the Church calendar and uncover some of its hidden gems.

What Exactly Is Holy Week?

Holy Week is the week right before Easter Sunday. It starts on Palm Sunday of the Passion of the Lord. Think of it as a special time to walk with Jesus through the last days of his life, from his triumphant entry into Jerusalem to his crucifixion and burial. The traditions of Holy Week developed in Jerusalem in the 4th century, when Christians wanted to re-enact the final scenes of Jesus’ life in a liturgical way. Because Holy Week is so important, the celebrations that happen during this time take precedence over any other celebrations.

Palm Sunday: A Day of Triumph and Foreboding

Have you ever experienced a day that starts with joy and ends with sorrow? Palm Sunday is like that. On this day, we remember Jesus’ triumphant entry into Jerusalem and his Passion. The crowds waved palm branches to welcome him, which is why we use palm fronds in the liturgy on this day. But the joyful atmosphere quickly changes as we hear the Gospel reading about Jesus’ suffering and crucifixion. It’s a stark reminder that the road to glory passes through the Cross.

Maundy Thursday: A Night of Firsts and Farewells

Maundy Thursday, also known as Holy Thursday, is a night of significant events. It’s the day we commemorate the Last Supper Jesus had with his Apostles before his death on the Cross. The Gospels of Matthew, Mark, and Luke all contain narratives of this event. The Gospel of John gives a different account where Jesus washes the feet of his Apostles. During the Mass on Holy Thursday, the priest washes the feet of parishioners as a sign of service.

Institution of the Eucharist and the Priesthood

One of the most important themes of the Holy Thursday Mass is service and the role of the priests. It was at the Last Supper “when the Lord Jesus gave to the Church the gift of the Eucharist, and with it instituted our priesthood”. The priest or deacon washing the feet of the laity recalls Christ’s act of service to Peter and the other Apostles.

The Eucharist is “the source and summit of the Christian life.” Those in RCIA might find a special appreciation for Holy Thursday as they have been slowly trekking through the teachings of the Church. The peak is the Eucharist― the gift of Jesus’ body, blood, soul, and divinity.

The Chrism Mass

On the morning of Holy Thursday (in some dioceses it may be another morning during Holy Week), the bishop and the priests of his diocese celebrate a “Chrism Mass,” in which the oils used in the sacraments are consecrated.

Stripping of the Altar

After the Mass of the Lord’s Supper, the altar is stripped, the Eucharist is processed to a place of repose, and a period of silent Eucharistic adoration is held.

Good Friday: A Day of Sacrifice and Silence

Good Friday is a day of solemn remembrance of Jesus’ sacrifice on the Cross. Mass is not celebrated on this day. Instead, a Communion service is held. This consists of a liturgy of the word, the veneration of the cross, and the distribution of holy Communion. During the Crucifixion, “from the sixth hour there was darkness over all the land until the ninth hour” — that is, from about noon to about 3 p.m. — at which point Jesus died.

Ven. Fulton Sheen reminds us, “Unless there is a Good Friday in your life, there can be no Easter Sunday.”

Holy Saturday: Waiting in Hope

Holy Saturday is a day of waiting and anticipation. During the daytime hours, Mass is not celebrated, and holy Communion is given only to the dying. However, after nightfall, a vigil Mass commemorating the Resurrection of Jesus on Easter is celebrated. It is also customary for catechumens to be baptized and, in many places, for already baptized candidates to be received into the Church. They are also confirmed and receive their first holy Communion, completing the sacraments of Christian initiation.

St. Catherine of Siena encourages us: “He will provide the way and the means, such as you could never have imagined. Leave it all to Him, let go of yourself. Lose yourself on the Cross, and you will find yourself entirely.”

Easter Sunday: The Dawn of New Life

Easter Sunday is the day we celebrate the Resurrection of Jesus. In the Gospels, the disciples first learned of the Resurrection after the women went to the tomb and met angels, who revealed that it was empty. The Gospel reading is from John 20:1-9, which records the discovery of the empty tomb by Mary Magdalen and how Peter and the beloved disciple ran to the site and found her report was true.

Embrace the Journey

Holy Week is a journey through the final days of Jesus’ life, from his triumphant entry into Jerusalem to his glorious Resurrection on Easter Sunday. It’s a time to reflect on the meaning of Christ’s Passion, Death, and Resurrection for our lives. As St. Bruno said, “While the world changes, the Cross stands firm.”

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Review on Christ’s Descent into Hell: Theology of Holy Saturday

/ chicoinematt

Jesus descends to hell Holy Saturday

The next chapter relates to Joseph Ratzinger’s theology of Holy Saturday prior to his papal election in 2005. Pitstick shows that the German theologian moves away from the extremity of Balthasar’s theology. Using evidence from Introduction to Christianity (1968), Eschatology (1977), “Meditations on Holy Week,” Introduction (1997), The Spirit of the Liturgy (2000), Mediations on Holy Week (1967) and Behold the Pierced One (1981), Ratzinger’s Holy Saturday theology distances itself from his mentor, Balthasar. According to Pitstick, the major differences between the two theologians is that Ratzinger focuses on God’s apparent, but not real, abandonment of Christ during his descent, while maintaining that there is no suspension in the Incarnation.

Continuing with the theology of Ratzinger, chapter 3 examines his view of the descent, after Ratzinger’s papal election. Here, the Pontifical University of St. Thomas Aquinas graduate makes use of homilies, encyclicals, and books Benedict XVI wrote to survey his theological development on Holy Saturday. Like his view prior to becoming the Vicar of Christ, Benedict XVI continues to diverge from Balthasar by stressing the apparent abandonment of God in the descent.

Chapter four charts out John Paul II’s Holy Saturday theology. Similar to Benedict XVI, the Polish pope diverges from Balthasarian thought. Where John Paul II differs from Ratzinger is that the former is more direct. According to Pitstick: “John Paul II’s clarity makes his beliefs about Christ’s descent easy to see” (p. 59).

Between the analysis of chapters six and seven is a brief tangential section on Cardinal Christoph Schönborn in regards to a parenthetical mention of Balthasar in the Introduction to the The Catechism of the Catholic Church. Pitstick provides the content of what Schönborn said about Balthasar, the cardinal’s Holy Saturday theology, and the possible impacts that it has for Balthasar’s theology moving forward.

Christ's Descent into Hell: John Paul II, Joseph Ratzinger, and Hans Urs von Balthasar on the Theology of Holy Saturday

Pitstick presents a clear and concise summary of the entire book. She reiterates how the three theologians differed on the doctrine of the descent. John Paul II ‘s theology aligned closest to traditional Catholic doctrine, as outlined in the catechism; Balthasar’s view of the theology was the most controversial, and Ratzinger’s theology landed in the middle.

Despite the unnecessary chapter on Schönborn, this treatment on the theology of Christ’s Descent into Hell was an enjoyable and insightful read. Pitstick did a great job of focusing on each theologian individually. She contrasted the differences in their theology well too. Priests and deacons will acquire a new depth and understanding of the Mystery of Holy Saturday. This book will be invaluable to any homiletic and theological toolbox. 

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