Pastor’s Letter: April 13, 2025

Pastor’s Letter: April 13, 2025

11 Apr 2025 | Posted by: chadmin

Dear St. Philomena Parish Family,

Blessed Holy Week to you all! I pray that these special days will draw all your hearts closer to our Savior! To help prepare us, I thought it might be helpful to review some highlights of this special week. As we reviewed last week, each year, Holy Week begins with Palm Sunday, also called Passion Sunday.  This liturgy celebrates the Lord’s triumphal entry into Jerusalem and the recognition of Jesus as the Messiah.  Carrying the palm branches invites us all to participate in a unique way, adding our voices to the reading of the Passion (the Gospel of Jesus’ suffering and death).

Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday of Holy Week help us prepare for the rest of Holy Week. The Scripture readings will focus on the suffering servant passages from the Book of Isaiah and the Gospels focus on the time before and the first part of the Last Supper.  In our Diocese, we celebrate the Chrism Mass on Tuesday of Holy Week each year.  During this special Mass the Holy Oils used for the sacraments are blessed and all the priests renew the promises we made at ordination.  Traditionally, Wednesday has been called “spy Wednesday” as the day when Judas arranged to hand over Jesus…his arranging (spying) for the right time to carry forth the plan is in the Gospel for this day.

Beginning on Holy Thursday, we celebrate what is called the Triduum—a Latin word that means “three days.” Of course, those three days are Holy Thursday, Good Friday, and Holy Saturday of Holy Week. These three days really make up three parts of one extended liturgy…each one flowing into the next. These days help us journey with Jesus through his suffering, death, and resurrection.

On Holy Thursday, we celebrate the Liturgy of the Lord’s Supper.  Highlights from this Mass are:  the institution of the priesthood; the institution of the Holy Eucharist; as well as the mandate to serve one another (that is why this day is sometimes called Maundy Thursday—from the mandate for service given). After the homily, the priest will wash the feet of those representing the apostles, and at the end of the Mass there is a procession of the Holy Eucharist around the Church, ending at what we call the altar of repose. Prayer with Jesus in the Blessed Sacrament then takes place during the night that follows.

On Good Friday, we celebrate the Liturgy of the Lord’s Passion. Since there is no Eucharistic Prayer and Consecration in this celebration, we properly call it a “Liturgy” and not a “Mass.” The focus of this day is on the suffering of Jesus and His death on the cross. Similar to Palm Sunday, we have the reading of the Passion, on this day always from the Gospel of St. John. Following the homily, we pray together the grand intercessions which cover a wide range of people and needs. After these prayers, we have a solemn veneration of the cross, followed by the reception of Holy Communion. To extend the solemn nature of this Liturgy, we are invited to leave the church in silence.

Traditionally, Holy Saturday has been a day of quiet prayer and fasting, focused on Christ being in the tomb. During the night, after sunset, the celebration of Our Lord’s resurrection begins! This special Mass contains four distinct parts of the celebration.  First, we have the blessing of the fire and lighting of the new Paschal Candle, called the service of the light. Second, we have an extended Liturgy of the Word that takes us on a journey through salvation history. Third, we have the Sacraments of Initiation for those joining the Church. Fourth, we have the liturgy of the Eucharist like a typical Sunday. Always something with unique joy, we have a special dismissal we use for Easter that includes a “double Alleluia.” After holding it in all throughout Lent, we are ready to sing together the gift of the Resurrection of Jesus Christ!

If you haven’t done so in the past, I invite you to consider joining us for these special days—knowing that each of the days will invite us to participate more fully in the life of Christ. Know of my prayers and blessing for you all to enjoy a great Holy Week!

In Christ,

Fr. Luke