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SENSE OF THE DAY: THURSDAY

SAINT

Meaning of the Paschal Triduum

On Palm Sunday we begin the

Holy Week, we have already talked about what it is
Holy Week, the culmination of the
redemptive mission of Christ Jesus.
Today Thursday we enter the
second part of Holy Week, which
is constituted by the Paschal Triduum; in
this we commemorate, step by step, the
latest events in the life of
Jesus, developed in three days. The
triduum rises as a celebration of the feast
Great Easter, starting from its vigil,
and includes the entirety of the paschal mystery.
Remember that the annual celebration of Easter is from the 2nd century.
The triduum was originally made up of Friday and Saturday.
saints as days of fasting, reading of the passion, and vigil, alongside Sunday of
Resurrection. Subsequently, between the 3rd and 8th centuries, Thursday was added, which
In reality, it was the last day of Lent and time to prepare for the triduum.
These three holy days are the celebratory culmination of the entire liturgical year.
spiritual retreat of believers in community and main moment of
Christian decisions. Understood as a vital community time, the triduum,
It must be prepared in advance. Rather, Lent is actually
a forty-day retreat of preparation for the celebration of Easter.
Let us remember that the Easter celebrations are not only venerable for their
antiquity (2nd century), but also because they focus on the basic core of
Christianity. They are almost consecutive, have breadth, are related to each other and
they manifest the meaning of Christian life in community.
At Easter we celebrate the memorial of the saving liberation (transition
from the death of Jesus Christ to life), through which we remember the past,
we confess the presence of God in the present and we anticipate the future. In
In strict rigor, the Easter of Christ is the passage "from this world to the Father" (Jn
13.1). The whole life of Christ is a Passover: 'I came from the Father and have come into the world.'
world. Now I leave the world again and go to the Father" (Jn 16:28). Jesus is
embodies in the world without losing his divine condition. The return to the Father, to
through resurrection, it represents an abandonment of existence in the flesh
to enter into a new existence in the Spirit. This is, ultimately, the
radical liberation, which is Easter. Therefore, Easter implies a
process of social transformation and personal change. It is a process of
liberation from all servitude and oppression.
The Easter Triduum is more than just a mere psychological remembrance of the
last days of Jesus or an anniversary of his death; it is the Christian celebration
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-sacramental and communal- of the essence of Christianity (person, actions and

words of Christ in his transit); the most important assembly of the meetings
Christians; the connection of our time with the liberating paschal event; the
rediscovery (always on Sundays and especially annually) of identity
Christian, of the being and mission of the Church in the world.
Ultimately, it is the Easter "memorial" in which Christ changes the false.
values that circulate in society -especially, the one that idolizes power, the
weapons and money-, creating an alliance, a new heart and a new people. It is
current commitment from the root of the kingdom's justice, the cause for which he died
Christ for the salvation of all; this justice is radically different from the
which, unfortunately, is still relevant in the world. It is life expectancy
full, of total love and complete truth, based on the triumph of Christ
about the 'hells' of human nature, about sin as death and
about the idols of this world.

Maundy Thursday

Holy Thursday is at the crossroads between Lent and the

Easter. It is the last day of Lent, and its evening Mass marks the beginning of the Triduum.
Pascual, which is the immediate preparation for Easter, at the same time as
start your celebration now.
Master, therefore, the atmosphere of preparation on this day. Everything in it is
leads to Easter. This is how the first Holy Thursday occurred, when the Lord
I sent Pedro and Juan to make preparations: "Go and prepare so that
let us eat the Passover" (Luke 22:8).
For the faithful, it is a day of spiritual preparation. On it, they would reconcile.
with the Church, the public penitents of the early days. They were returned to
to receive in full communion with the Church, absolving them of their sins
through a public and solemn rite, so that they could celebrate again the
Easter and receiving the Easter communion with the other faithful. It is very in line with
the tradition of making the Easter confession on this day, if it has not been done
before.
On Holy Thursday, two masses are celebrated: the so-called chrism mass, which
takes place only in the cathedrals, and the evening mass at dinner of
Lord, in the parishes and religious houses. The chrism mass includes the
consecration of the oils used for baptism and other sacraments.
In this liturgy, the theme of the priesthood and its institution by
Christ. The evening mass commemorates primarily the institution of the Eucharist.
Both topics are closely related to each other, but it is advisable
distinguish them with two celebrations.

The Chrism Mass

As we mentioned above, this mass is celebrated only in the
cathedrals and takes place in the morning. The diocesan bishop consecrates the oils
and presides as the main celebrant. It is a beautiful and impressive rite, that
It also has rich catechetical content.
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In this assembly of the people of God, we have an expressive

manifestation of the Church, because the diocese is the Church of God in
miniature. In past times it was possible for a bishop to celebrate the
Eucharist surrounded by almost all of his parishioners. This is very difficult in our
days, but it is still the ideal. This is expressed in the constitution about the liturgy.
from Vatican II:
It is advisable that everyone holds the liturgical life in high regard.
diocese around the bishop, especially in the cathedral church, convinced of
that the main manifestation of the Church takes place in the full manifestation
and active of all the holy people of God in the same liturgical celebrations,
particularly in the same Eucharist, in one single prayer, alongside the only one
altar where the bishop presides, surrounded by his presbytery and ministers1.

The Holy Thursday liturgy in the cathedral comes very close to this ideal.
In it we have the bishop, head of the local Church, surrounded by priests of
all the parishes of his diocese and representatives of the religious. The bishop
he concelebrates with his priests as a sign of unity and fraternity, and it is
assisted by them in the consecration of the oils. The deacons and others
ministers are also present and have an active role in the celebration.
As a visible expression of the hierarchical Church, it is a unique occasion; and
but if there are also a good number of faithful present. The attendance
the participation of the laity is very desirable because the Church is not
complete if it does not include this part of the people of God.
It is highly significant that the consecration of the oils that are to
to be used for the sacraments takes place in the context of the Eucharist and in the
proximity of Easter. The sacraments receive their significance and effectiveness
of the paschal mystery of Christ, which is renewed in every Eucharistic celebration,
and with special solemnity on Easter day. Let us once again mention the
constitution on the liturgy:
The liturgy of the sacraments and sacramentals ensures that in the
devoutly disposed, almost all acts of life may be sanctified by the
divine grace that emanates from the Paschal mystery of the passion, death and
resurrection of Christ, from which all the sacraments and sacramentals receive
his power2.
All sacraments are connected with Easter; they are sacraments.
pascual. We must remember it when we attend a baptism, confirmation
in ordination and the holy chrism is used; and also when someone is anointed with
the chrism of the sick.
All priesthood is a participation in the unique priesthood of Christ. He
He is our mediator and high priest, and his anointing comes from the Holy Spirit.
Thus it is derived from the reading of Isaiah (61,1-3.6.8-9) and the Gospel of Luke.
(4,16-21), where the Lord quotes and applies to himself the prophetic texts: 'The
The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because the Lord has anointed me.

1
SC 41
2
SC 61
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Through the sacrament of orders, men share in a way

especially the priesthood of Christ. They are given the power to forgive the
sins and of turning the bread and wine into the body and blood of Christ, thing
what they do in his name and by his own power. They are, in a special way,
pastors and teachers of the Church, as well as administrators of the
sacraments. All of this is summarized in the preface:
They renew in the name of Christ the sacrifice of redemption,
Prepare your children for the Paschal banquet, preside over your holy people in it.
love, they feed it with your word and strengthen it with the sacraments.
It is not easy for the priest to live up to his vocation and ministry.
He needs the support and prayer of other Christians. He needs from time to time
when "rekindling the flame", the gift that he has received from God (2 Tim 1:6).
One of the most impressive parts of the Chrism Mass, added
recently, it is the renewal of the commitment to priestly service.
After the gospel and the homily, the bishop invites his priests to renew
his dedication to Christ and to the Church. Together they solemnly promise to unite
closer to Christ, be His faithful ministers, teach and offer the holy
sacrifice in his name and lead others to him.
In this act of delivery, the bishop asks for the prayers of all his
people. It needs your prayers. As the great bishop Saint Augustine said in a
an occasion for his faithful: 'If on one hand I am terrified by what I am to you, on
another comforts me for what I am with you3.
A bishop represents Christ in his diocese in a very real way.
The bishop must be regarded as the great priest of his flock, of whom
derives and to some extent depends the life in Christ of its faithful4.
The blessing of the oils and the consecration of the chrism can be done
after renewing the commitments or at another later point in the mass.
The oldest tradition places the blessing of the oil of the sick
immediately before the end of the Eucharistic prayer; the blessing of the oil
the catechumens and the consecration of the chrism have a special interest.
All the concelebrating priests join in the consecratory prayer.
it is one of the most solemn in the liturgy. It contains an authentic lesson.
about the dignity and power of the sacraments, particularly baptism.

The Evening Mass

The Easter Triduum begins with the evening Mass of the Lord's Supper.
All the mystery of Holy Thursday and the Paschal Triduum is contained in these
words of John (13,1): "It was before Passover (Jewish). Jesus knew that there had
the hour had come for him to pass from this world to the Father (Passover of Christ);
He had loved his own (delivery, Holy Thursday) who lived in the midst of the
world and loved them to the end (death, Good Friday). They were dining
(Eucharist, Christian Easter)... In the Eucharist of Holy Thursday, the Church
revive the last supper of Jesus and celebrate fraternal charity for
3
Liturgy of the Hours IV,1201, Office of Readings for the Feast of Saint Januarius.

4
Constitution on the Liturgy, 41.
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means of two gestures: one, testimonial (the washing); the other, sacramental (the
Eucharist). With the evening Mass on Thursday, the triduum currently begins.
That is why it is stated that Holy Thursday is "commemoration of the dinner of the
Lord. All the readings of this day evoke the surrender of Jesus, who fulfills
with the old rite of the ancient Easter (the reading), offers his body in place of the
lamb (2nd reading) and proclaims the commandment of service (Gospel). But,
At the same time, Jesus is betrayed by Judas and abandoned by the others.
disciples.
Currently, since Caritas has declared Holy Thursday as "day of
brotherly love", both the institution of the Eucharist and that of the priesthood have
past, so to speak, to a second plane. Only those who participate in the
liturgical offices realize the mystery that lies within this day.
An important symbol of Holy Thursday is the washing of the feet, in the
It would be good for as many faithful as possible to participate, we
remember the essential commandment of Love that manifests itself in the
service. The "monument" could be located in an appropriate place of the temple,
Where will the "holy hour" be celebrated? It ends on Thursday with a prayer.
prolonged personal in silence.

BIBLIOGRAPHY
Casiano Floristan. From Sunday to Sunday. The Gospel in the Three Liturgical Cycles, SalTerrae. Santander
1993.pages 61-73

VINCENT RYAN. Lent - Holy Week. Paulinas. Madrid-1986. Pages 80 and beyond.

(mercaba.org)