So far we have been having a very prayerful and lovely Triduum. I am heartened by the much better number of people at Mass of the Last Supper and Good Friday. It's good for us all to be in a virtually full church! I hope that it will continue this evening for the Easter Vigil.
Fr Ray Blake has a piece on Vigils and how the anticipated Mass on a Saturday evening on a normal weekend is NOT a Vigil Mass, as it is often called. A VIGIL Mass has a specific meaning and usually has different readings and prayers - a preparation for the Feast the next day. The Saturday evening Mass (what a terrible idea!) is the Mass of Sunday anticipated - the same texts as on the Sunday. I think the Great Easter Vigil is still somehow associated with just being the Vigil Mass (anticipated Mass) that happens on any weekend. I have in the past been asked, "Why is the Vigil Mass so late at Easter?" Groan...
Fr Ray Blake has a piece on Vigils and how the anticipated Mass on a Saturday evening on a normal weekend is NOT a Vigil Mass, as it is often called. A VIGIL Mass has a specific meaning and usually has different readings and prayers - a preparation for the Feast the next day. The Saturday evening Mass (what a terrible idea!) is the Mass of Sunday anticipated - the same texts as on the Sunday. I think the Great Easter Vigil is still somehow associated with just being the Vigil Mass (anticipated Mass) that happens on any weekend. I have in the past been asked, "Why is the Vigil Mass so late at Easter?" Groan...
A big thank-you Father for a beautiful Triduum. If anyone wanted a fine example of noble simplicity, then they could do no better than St Catherine Laboure, Farington.
ReplyDeleteA truly spiritual week, no directions given or really needed as you let all the actions speak so loudly and eloquently for themselves.
Chatting with people after the Great Vigil last night (and over a glass of something chilled) confirmed this. People had literally been moved to tears both on Thursday and Friday.
Two moments for me i. the excellent rendering of the Exsultet (with the vastly improved new translation) and ii. the Gloria - the small organ in the small church thundered its best, the bells were rung, the altar of sacrifice was duly prepared and suddenly "Chistus resurgens ex mortuis, iam non moritur, alleluia!"
This Great Week never fails to strengthen my belief in the Risen Christ but without the agony, betrayal, denial, unjust condemnation, blood-shedding, tortuous death and Christ's own descent into Hades, there would be no Resurrection.
Even this morning's sadness before Mass started and the surreal feeling because of it during the Mass, failed to make me chill at the words "Resurrexi et adhuc tecum sum, alleluia! - Behold I arose and am still with thee, alleluia!"
Those who prefer the quick and banal liturgies of less enlightened pastors really do not know what they are missing.
I extend peace, joy and love to all who read this blog and especially to you and yours.
Haec dies quam fecit Dominus, exsultemus et laetemur in ea. Alleluia, alleluia, alleluia!