Pānui #5 Friday 31 March 2023

Palm Sunday

This Sunday we celebrate Palm Sunday. This marks the beginning of Holy Week which is the most important part of the church calendar. Holy Week is definitely a very sacred time of the year, for it is now that we will commemorate and remember the last week of Jesus' life on this earth.
    by Jo Earl

Holy week begins with Palm Sunday. Palm Sunday recalls Jesus’ arrival in Jerusalem and is known as such because the faithful will receive palm fronds which they use to participate in the reenactment of Christ’s arrival in Jerusalem with a procession.

Especially important for Catholics is the Easter Triduum. This is the three days just before Easter.

The first of the three days is Holy Thursday,  The Last Supper was on this day. Jesus sat down to eat with the 12. Jesus shared his bread and wine with everyone. He lovingly washed the feet of his disciples. After the meal was over, Jesus wanted to be alone to pray. Guards appeared a short time later and he was arrested.

Good Friday is the second day of the Triduum. Good Friday is one of the darkest days of the year for Catholics. It covers Jesus’ arrest, trial, and crucifixion. His death and burial are also memorialised. The events of Good Friday are commemorated in the Stations of the Cross, a 14-step devotion, traditionally prayed during Lent and especially on Good Friday. Communion comes from hosts consecrated on Holy Thursday. Church bells are silent. Altars are left bare. The solemn, muted atmosphere is preserved until the Easter Vigil.

Holy Saturday is the third component of the Triduum remembers the day which Jesus lay in the tomb. The Easter Vigil takes place at the end of the day because the new liturgical day begins at sunset, the vigil begins at sunset on Holy Saturday outside the church, where an Easter fire is kindled and the Paschal candle is blessed and then lit. This Paschal candle will be used throughout the season of Easter, remaining in the sanctuary of the church and throughout the coming year at baptisms and funerals, reminding all that Christ is our life and light. After the conclusion of the Liturgy of the Word, the water of the baptismal font is solemnly blessed.

We ask you to join us in prayer this Holy week.