March 30, 2018
Last evening we embarked on the Triduum, the holiest three days of the year. Here is what you need to know for each.
Maundy Thursday
Yesterday we commemorated the institution of the Last Supper in a manner that is reminiscent of the way the early Christians celebrated the Lord’s Supper, and not unlike the meal Jesus shared with his disciples on the night before he suffered.
Good Friday
We remember the Passion and death of our Lord Jesus with Good Friday services at noon and 6:30pm. The evening service will have appropriate music.
-The Stations of the Cross, a journey with Jesus through the crucifixion, will begin prior to the evening service at 5:30pm.
-There is no celebration of Holy Communion on Good Friday.
Holy Saturday
This also is part of the Triduum. We don’t do anything on Holy Saturday, and there is not much for us to do.
This is the day upon which Christ rested in the tomb, and that is what makes Holy Saturday difficult. There is nothing we can do, and acknowledging that reality runs counter to our culture and individual way of thinking. “Surely there is something we can do!” is ingrained into our very being. In this case, there is nothing we can do — except wait. Holy Saturday reminds us resurrection is God’s business, and God’s alone. Yet death and burial must come first. As Jesus himself told us: “Unless a grain of wheat falls to the ground and dies, it remains only a single seed. But if it dies, it produces many seeds” (John 12:24). Holy Saturday has us dwell in that brief but difficult in between time .
According to 1 Peter 3:18-19 and Church tradition, this also is the day in which Christ visited and freed those in Hades, showing that the mercy of God extends beyond this life.
On this day, it is appropriate for us to watch, wait, and pray at home. Here is a prayer to use:
O God, Creator of heaven and earth: Grant that, as the
crucified body of your dear Son was laid in the tomb and
rested on this holy Sabbath, so we may await with him the
coming of the third day, and rise with him to newness of
life.
And a reading: 1 Peter 4:1-8
Easter Day
Join us for a glorious celebration of Easter at our 9:30 morning worship. Remember to bring flowers for the Flowering of the Cross, a new part of our Easter celebration this year.
-Invite someone to join you for our Easter service!
And Then…
Once Easter is over, we move right away into preparations for our 10th Anniversary Celebration, Bishop’s Visit, and Confirmation on April 15th. But the Triduum and Easter come first. Look for a posting next week with more information about plans for April 15th.
See you Sunday!
-Bill
