Palm Sunday - Holy Thursday
Holy Thursday The Washing of the feet
EXPLANATION AT EASTER FIRE
The first part of tonight’s Mass, MOST SOLEMN NIGHT OF OUR PASSOVER, begins with the Service of Light. This takes place outside, in front of the Easter fire. The dominant liturgical symbols of our Church are all present at Easter Vigil. Symbols speak
to us of our identity as Catholic Christians. For example, the symbol of light has its genesis in Christ, the light of the world. Since we are to walk as children of Light, light identifies us and we become its reality, we become light. The first symbol of light at this Easter Vigil is the new fire. Fire is used only once in our tradition, at Easter Vigil. In the first prayer of the Mass, Father will bless the fire, reminding us that through Christ, the fire of God’s glory was given to us and prays that we may be “inflamed with heavenly desires”
From this new fire, the Paschal candle will be lit. Before it is lit however, it will be prepared. First Father will cut a cross in the wax of the candle, first the vertical arm of the cross, then the horizontal, reciting our belief of “Christ yesterday and today, the beginning and the end”. He will then trace the Greek letters alpha above the cross and omega below the cross as well as the numerals of 2018, reminding us as he does it that “All times belong to him and all ages. To him be glory and power through every age and forever. Amen”. These actions symbolize that God is the beginning and the end of all things and that the Word of God is here now, in the past, the future, is eternal.
After he has done this he will insert 5 nails with imbedded grains of incense into the candle in the form of a cross symbolizing the 5 wounds of Jesus, his hands, feet and side. He will say as he does this “By his holy and glorious wounds may Christ our Lord guard
us and keep us.”
The Easter candle is then fully prepared and will be lit from the blessed Easter fire. The flame of the Paschal candle symbolize the Risen Christ as the light of the world and his presence in the midst of his people, banishing darkness and death.
This lit Paschal candle will then be processed into the dark church where 3 times the priest carrying it will stop and sing “The Light of Christ” and we will respond “Thanks be to God”. Our Light returns to us in our darkness.
Mass continues with the 2nd part of our 4 part Mass, the Liturgy of the Word, when the Church meditates on all the wonderful things the Lord has done for his people from the very beginning. It begins with the chanting of the Exultet by our pastor which is the
announcement of the Good News, then the beautiful proclamation of our faith history and the Resurrection of Christ in the gospel. The 3rd part of our Mass is the Liturgy of Baptism when new members are reborn as the day of the resurrection approaches and the rest of us renew our Baptismal promises. The final part of the Mass is the Liturgy of the Eucharist where the Lord has called the people to his table prepared by his death and resurrection.
We’ll now take a few moments of silence as we reflect on all this night is for us.
to us of our identity as Catholic Christians. For example, the symbol of light has its genesis in Christ, the light of the world. Since we are to walk as children of Light, light identifies us and we become its reality, we become light. The first symbol of light at this Easter Vigil is the new fire. Fire is used only once in our tradition, at Easter Vigil. In the first prayer of the Mass, Father will bless the fire, reminding us that through Christ, the fire of God’s glory was given to us and prays that we may be “inflamed with heavenly desires”
From this new fire, the Paschal candle will be lit. Before it is lit however, it will be prepared. First Father will cut a cross in the wax of the candle, first the vertical arm of the cross, then the horizontal, reciting our belief of “Christ yesterday and today, the beginning and the end”. He will then trace the Greek letters alpha above the cross and omega below the cross as well as the numerals of 2018, reminding us as he does it that “All times belong to him and all ages. To him be glory and power through every age and forever. Amen”. These actions symbolize that God is the beginning and the end of all things and that the Word of God is here now, in the past, the future, is eternal.
After he has done this he will insert 5 nails with imbedded grains of incense into the candle in the form of a cross symbolizing the 5 wounds of Jesus, his hands, feet and side. He will say as he does this “By his holy and glorious wounds may Christ our Lord guard
us and keep us.”
The Easter candle is then fully prepared and will be lit from the blessed Easter fire. The flame of the Paschal candle symbolize the Risen Christ as the light of the world and his presence in the midst of his people, banishing darkness and death.
This lit Paschal candle will then be processed into the dark church where 3 times the priest carrying it will stop and sing “The Light of Christ” and we will respond “Thanks be to God”. Our Light returns to us in our darkness.
Mass continues with the 2nd part of our 4 part Mass, the Liturgy of the Word, when the Church meditates on all the wonderful things the Lord has done for his people from the very beginning. It begins with the chanting of the Exultet by our pastor which is the
announcement of the Good News, then the beautiful proclamation of our faith history and the Resurrection of Christ in the gospel. The 3rd part of our Mass is the Liturgy of Baptism when new members are reborn as the day of the resurrection approaches and the rest of us renew our Baptismal promises. The final part of the Mass is the Liturgy of the Eucharist where the Lord has called the people to his table prepared by his death and resurrection.
We’ll now take a few moments of silence as we reflect on all this night is for us.