Our Easter Triduum this year began as always with the Mass of the Lord’s Supper on Holy Thursday. It is the final time the Eucharist is celebrated before the Easter Vigil.
The gospel focuses us on the act of Jesus washing the disciples’ feet. This year, as is the tradition, Fr. Bernard, Prior of our Carmelite Community, washed the feet of parishioners. The very point here is that Bernard did something that people simply don’t do for each other. In doing so, he put himself in a very humbling position; placing himself at the service and care of others.
Note what the gospel tells us: as Christ served his disciples, so does he expect us to serve one another. Notice how he did this as part of his final meal where he instituted the Eucharist. The Eucharistic meal is to inspire and nourish us to go out and serve one another.
Later in that same Mass we shared in that meal Jesus asked us to do in his memory. He blessed, broke and shared bread. He blessed, poured out and shared wine. How many of us actually receive communion under both kinds? Holy Thursday and the weeks that follow offer us an opportunity to consider whether we share in the Eucharistic meal in the same way as Christ and his disciples.
Finally, the Liturgy Committee met on Tuesday and discussed, among other things, the celebration of our Lenten Season and the Easter Triduum. Thank you to all the parishioners who have given feedback to members of our team. It has helped greatly, and it is good to hear of so many parishioners who found these celebrations to be spiritually rewarding.
Liturgy 