HOLY WEEK AND THE TRIDUUM

As we enter the most important week of the year for Christians, let us take a moment to reflect on its significance. Pope Francis has said that the triduum is not simply “the culmination of the whole liturgical year”, but also “the pinnacle of our Christian life.”

Holy Week begins with Palm Sunday on 10 April, when we recall the crowds welcoming Jesus into Jerusalem with palms and cheering. Traditionally people in Adelaide take olive branches or palms to Mass to be blessed and there are often processions around churches or in them to recreate the sense of occasion.

We are reminded how Jesus rode triumphantly through the crowds at the start of the week. However, this changes as the week progresses as Jesus is not triumphant, but separated from his followers, insulted, struck, spat upon, and finally carrying his cross to crucifixion on Golgotha.

Holy Week is a time to remember the events that make up this amazing time in history. Holy Thursday with the remembrance of the last supper which we celebrate in the Eucharist. John describes to us how Jesus passed over to us the example of how to love one another as he had loved us by washing the feet of others.

On Good Friday, through the celebration of the Lord’s Passion we are reminded of the crucifixion of Jesus when his friends deserted him, but he trusted in the Lord. Can we too pray, “Father, I put my life in your hands?”.

On Easter Sunday the importance of women in the scriptures is presented, when Mary of Magdala is the first to witness Jesus missing from the tomb and hence his resurrection from the dead. Easter Sunday celebrates when darkness is overcome with light. Let us hope this good news story, when goodness emerges from violence, just as we are observing in the Ukrainian war, touches the hearts of people in the world.

God bless and have a safe and Holy Easter.

Mr Robert Dempsey, Director of Mission