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Holy Week and Easter Catechesis
The document outlines the significance and rituals of the Lent, Holy Week, and Paschal Triduum within the Christian liturgical calendar, detailing key events such as Palm Sunday, Holy Thursday, Good Friday, and Easter Vigil. It emphasizes the spiritual meanings behind these observances, focusing on themes of redemption, the institution of sacraments, and the passion of Christ. The narrative underscores the connection between the Eucharist and the sacrifice of the cross, marking the Paschal Triduum as the climax of the liturgical year.
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Holy Week and Easter Catechesis
- 2. General Knowledge •Lent startsfrom Ash Wednesday and it ends on the evening of the Lords Supper. •Holy Week starts from Palm Sunday of the Lords Passion until the vespers of the Easter Sunday of the Resurrection of the Lord. •Paschal Triduum starts from the Evening of the Lords Supper until the vespers of Sunday, the highlight or the center of this Triduum is the Easter Vigil. •Pentecost fifty days of joyous celebration begins Easter Sunday and concludes on Pentecost Sunday.
- 3. Holy Week –is the celebration wherein the Church celebrates the mysteries of salvation accomplished by Christ in the last days of his earthly life, from his messianic entry into Jerusalem, until his blessed Passion and glorious Resurrection. Historical Names of Holy Week • Paschal Week • Greater Week • Week of the Lords Passion • Week of the Sorrowing
- 4. PALM SUNDAY –is the grand opening of the Holy Week, commemorating the messianic entry of Jesus in Jerusalem as King and the proclamation of His passion. Historical Names of Palm Sunday • “Palm Sunday of the Passion of the Christ” • “Passion Sunday” • “Palm Sunday” • “Sixth Sunday of Lent”
- 5. Holy Week The weekdays of this week are dedicated to the celebration of penance, abstaining from celebration of the sacraments of baptism and confirmation, since these have their natural place in the Easter Vigil. The Rites of the Holy Week • Blessing and Procession of Palms • Transfer of the Blessed Sacrament (Holy Thursday) • Celebration of the Lord’s Passion • Easter Vigil
- 6. Spiritual Content/Message ofPalm Sunday 1. The procession shows that we are on our way to Him all our life. We are just “travelers or passing through” this earth going to our heavenly homeland. 2. The contrast of glory and passion in today's liturgy is a picture and an image of human and especially Christian life. 3. Palm Sunday is the beginning of the week dedicated to the commemoration and mediation of the passion of Christ but leading up to Easter.
- 7. Holy Thursday –Chrism Mass •The Chrism Mass is one of the principal expressions of the fullness of the Bishops priesthood and signifies the close unity of the priests with him. • During this mass the Bishop consecrates the Chrism and blesses the other oils. 3 Kinds of Oil during the Chrism Mass 1. Oil of Chrism 2. Oil for the Sick 3. Oil for the Catechumens
- 8. The Sacred PaschalTriduum • Christ accomplished his work of human redemption and of the perfect glorification of God principally through his Paschal Mystery. “Dying He has destroyed death, and by rising restored our life.” • The Paschal Triduum of the Passion and Resurrection of the Lord shines forth as a high point of the entire liturgical year.
- 9. The Sacred PaschalTriduum • The 2 major liturgical celebrations mark the first day of the Triduum: 1. Evening Mass of the Lord’s Supper (Thursday) 2. Lord’s Passion on Good Friday -The two liturgies are celebrated on one and the same day, reminds us of the intimate connection between the Eucharist and the Sacrifice on the Cross.
- 10. The Sacred PaschalTriduum Content and Message of Holy Thursday Evening Christ instituted the 3 principal mysteries such as; 1. The institution of the Holy Eucharist. 2. The Institution of the Priesthood. 3. The new commandment of Love.
- 11. -It is thecommemoration of the passion and death of Jesus which was the passage way to his glory and exaltation. Liturgies of Good Friday It is divided in 4 parts; 1. The Opening Rite 2. Liturgy of the Word 3. Veneration of the Cross 4. CommunionService
- 12. -It has itsspecial character, marked with a quite day, paschal fast and had no liturgy of its own. -The church awaits at the Lord’s tomb in prayer and fasting, meditating on his Passion and Death and on his Descent into Hell and awaiting his Resurrection. 2 Mysteries of Holy Saturday 1. The Rest of Jesus in the tomb 2. The Descent of Jesus to the Dead
- 13. -The 3rd dayof the Paschal Triduum we reach the high point of the Liturgical Year. “What Sunday is to the week, the solemnity of Easter is to the liturgical year.” Various Names of Easter Vigil 1. “Paschal Vigil” 2. “Easter Vigil”
- 14. The Liturgy ofthe Easter Vigil 1. The Service of Light (Blessing of Fire, Lighting of the Paschal Candle, Procession and Easter proclamation) 2. The Liturgy of the Word (9 Readings – 7 OT/2 NT) 3. The Liturgy of Baptism (Litany of Saints, Blessing of Water, Baptism, Renewal of Baptismal promises, sprinkling of baptismal water, No Creed but Prayers of the Faithful) 4. Liturgy of the Eucharist (Offertory by the converts, double Alleluia at the Dismissal)
Editor's Notes
- #2 If cannot understand the symbols nor what we do and why we do this rites and liturgies we cannot participate well.
- #3 Time Line
- #4 The HOLY WEEK has a very special dignity in the liturgical year for it leads us to the high point of the whole liturgical year, the PASCHAL TRIDUUM.This HOLY WEEK celebration has its HISTORICAL ROOTS in the EARLY CHRISTIAN COMMUNITY in JERUSALEM wherein they set aside a period of 6 days to FAST/PRAY accompanied by the VISITATION of the HOLY PLACES in the HOLY CITY of JERUSALEM….WE ADAPTED it using some of its LITURGY and PRAYERS.HOLY WEEK is not just about ACTIVITIES but rather it is about a LOVING RELATIONSHIP about a FAITHFUL GOD and UNFAITHFUL CREATURES.
- #5 1. (Dominica in Palmis de PassioneDomine) – Palm Sunday of the Passion of Christ – an old name we can trace to the GELASIAN SACRAMENTARY way back 7th century.it expresses well the 2 distinct parts of the liturgy 1. messianic entrance and 2. the Passion of the Lord. 2. It only gives a ONE SIDED EMPHASIS only the PASSION. 5th Sunday itodatinoong may passiontide pa prior to the reform of Vatican II3. It omits the PASSION and ONLY focuses on the GLORIOUS RESSURECTION. 4. Not well known but the official document “Roman Calendar refers to it as the Palm Sunday”. unluckily it does not represent nor expresses the specific aspect of the MYSTERY of CHRIST this SUNDAY.
- #6 Double character of LENT?Preparation of the catechumens – awaiting the reception of baptismRenewal of Baptismal promises – by the baptized(relate to ADVENT two fold character – the first coming of Jesus and the 2nd coming of Jesus)
- #7 We are a PILGRIM CHURCH, there must be a HOLY RESTLESSNESS to do everything we can to ALLOW others ENCOUNTER the CHRIST that we have ENCOUNTERED in our CHRISTIAN FAITH. (CHRIST IS ALWAYS WITH US…nakikilakbayang DIYOS saKanyang BAYAN at SIMBAHAN)Contrast of LIFE/DEATH, ACCEPTANCE/REJECTION is PRESENT in the LIFE of CHRIST SO ALSO BE in the LIFE of a CHRISTIAN. (we cannot separate ourselves from the CROSS this is MYSTERY…not because we cannot UNDERSTAND IT, but RATHER we cannot have full grasped of it.) HINDI natataposanglahatsa BIYERNES SANTO, bagkus ay may MULING PAGKABUHAY na NAG-AANTAY saATIN…sabawatsuliranin ay may nag-aantaynasolusyunangDiyos, sabawatpagdududaangDiyos ay may Pangako at sabawathinaing o panaghoyngatingmgapuso, may DIYOS nanakikinig at kakalkbaynatin.
- #8 Fullness of the priesthood? – because the Bishops has this Apostolic Succession when they were Consecrated as Bishops. Consecrates Vs. Blesses Consecrates the OIL of CHRISM – used during Baptism, Confirmation, Ordination and dedication of the a church or an altar. (this OIL AFFECTS a GREAT DIGNITY within us that is why its is not just blessed but CONSECRATED.(kasama pa ngaparipagdarasaljan eh) 3 kinds of OILOil of Chrism – (BLESSING by the BISHOP and as well as the PRIEST present)Oil for the Sick – formula “may be freed from pPAIN and ILLNESS and made WELL again in BODY, MIND and SOUL.” CLEARLY this is not a SACRAMENT nor an OIL for the DEAD. (BLESSING by the BISHOP ALONE)3. Oil for the Catechumens- fourfold petition is asked (wisdom/strenght, new life, deeper understanding of the Gospel, courage to accept the challenge of Christian life.)
- #9 TIME LINE – THURSDAY EVENING it is the start of the PASCHAL TRIDUUM we enter into the MOST SOLEMN and HOLY mysteries of the Salvation history. HOLY EXCHANGE – Sa Diyostayonagkautang, dapatkatumbas din ngDiyosangibabayadnatin, angangpambayadutangnatin ay DIYOS din, si HESUS. The seemingly defeat of Jesus by turned into TRIUMPH over SIN and DEATH accomplished through HIS GLORIOUS RESSURECTION after 3 days.
- #10 The 2 are interconnected – the Eucharist as a memorial meal with the commandment to LOVE/SERVE washing of the feet and /sacrifice on the cross a historical event.1st Reading: Ex. 12 – Passover Meal in the OT2nd Reading: 1 Cor. 11 – earliest account of the NT Passover MealGospel: John 13 – washing of the feet: commandment to love/humble service to one another.
- #11 The LAST SUPPER is the model of Holy Eucharist where Christ has instituted it making his body and blood as the sacrificial offering. The memorial of HIS DEATH and RESSURECTION and the ACTUAL event is HIS PASSION and DEATH on the CROSS. The command “to this in remembrance of me…” this is also the COMMISIONING to celebrate the Eucharist to unite the people under the ONE SACRIFICE of JESUS on the CROSS. .. (Ven. Fulton Sheen..”I am studying to be a priest victim” servant leadership. The great and new commandment to LOVE ONE ANOTHER. (washing of the feet and the collection for the poor)
- #12 1. TIMING-it must be 3 oclockor for pastoral reasons it can be moved but not later than 9pm. Faithful to the gospelstories that the death of Christ happened in this hour.RED – vestment color – Christ is the 1st Martyr- prior to Vat. 2 it was BLACKRED is the color of the KING – rememeber Palm Sunday? RED because in the gospel it is said that “they put a SCARLET robe upon Jesus”PROSTRATION in SILENCE – symbol of DEEPEST HUMILITY and ADORATION. (hindi ka langlumuhod (making ourselves tiny) talagangnagpatirapa ka (making ourselves USELESS and NOTHING in the PRESENCE of GOD)2. Readings is about the suffering servant in Isaiah 52 and in the 2nd reading Hebrews 4 – about the Great/High PRIEST Jesus offered the most IMPORTANT SACRIFICE to REDEEMED the sinful humanity. Gospel – from JOHN 18 (death He freely accepted- this is the motivation of JESUS HUMBLY ACCEPTING DEATH even DEATH on the CROSS…for the one reason HE LOVES and OBEYS the FATHER.)3. We VENERATE the CROSS because the CROSS is not just a symbol of humiliation and death of JESUS, but BY and THROUGH the CROSS the LOVE of GOD and the PLAN of SALVATION was carried out. 4. We receive the communion from the HOST consecrated during the EVENING MASS of the LORDS PASSION (Thursday)…this will symbolized that the HOLY THURSDAY and GOOD FRIDAY CELEBRATION is CONNECTED.
- #13 By tradition we believe that JESUS RESTED from his work and from his sufferings, but the tomb cannot contain him he left it on the 3rd day and rose victor over death. (it affects us as well as we REFLECT/PRAY over this event…the TOMB is not our FINAL DESTINATION but just a RESTING PLACE as we AWAIT Christ on the RESSURECTION of the DEAD. )That is why we coined the word CEMETERY from the GREEK word koimasthaiwhich means (a place to rest and sleep)The FAITH that DEATH and BURIAL is only a PASSAGEWAY to REAL and UNENDING LIFE was very strong in the early Christians, facing death HAPPILY.2. (CREED) He descended into HELL and rose again on the 3rd day - HELL is not the place where the condemned is, but hell in this context is in the “abode of the dead” - the REDEMPTIVE WORK of CHRIST AFFECTS ALL peoples of all times, places, even before the beginning of humankind…that the PROPHETS of the OT awaits for HIM as their REDEEMER and LIBERATOR.
- #14 Paschais the Greek of the Hebrew Passover.From SLAVERY to FREEDOM (the Israelites)– From DEATH to LIFE ( the Christ) – From UNBAPTIZED to BAPTIZED (the Christian) Vigilare – Latin word for “to keep awake or to watch”There were various interpretations about this term but acceptable for me is this… The risen Christ is compared to the Rising Sun which expels the darkness of the night and brings about light and warmth. God created the world during the night.Passover of the Israelites were done during the night.The Messiah was born as a promised fulfilled happened during the night.
- #15 Service of Light – a DECLARATION shown in our words/symbolic actions that DARKNESS has been OVERCOME by the LIGHT of CHRIST. (exsultet/lighting of candles)Lit. of the Word – PROCLAMATION combined with meditations and prayer (we hear of various PASSOVER and NEW CREATION brought by GOD. Lit .of Baptism – APPLICATION after DECLARATION of the TRIUMPHED of CHRIST over DEATH/SIN, after we heard of the PROCLAIMATION of the NEW CREATION and PASSING OVER we now APPLY IT in OUR LIVES. (catechumens passes over FROM BEING A non CHRISTIAN to FOLLOWERS of CHRIST. The CHRISTIANS or BAPRIZED RECALL the GREAT GIFT of BAPTISM given to them by GOD. Lit. of the Eucharist – THANKSGIVING for the GREAT DEEDS of GOD, especially for HIS PASSION, DEATH and RESSURECTION, wherein we share with Him by VIRTUE of OUR BAPTISM.