Thought for the Week

I am happy to be invited once again during this holy season of Lent to share a few thoughts with you.

For Christians Holy Week is the most sacred week in the year. It begins on Palm Sunday (April 9) when we recall the entrance of Jesus into Jerusalem. Palm leaves will be distributed in Catholic churches throughout the world as the people re-enact the journey of Jesus towards his destiny.

On Wednesday, April 12 members of various Christian churches in Rutherglen will gather in St Columbkille’s for a solemn reflection on the Passion and Death of Jesus.

Holy Thursday sees the start of the three most important days (“Triduum” in Latin). Priests and people will gather for the Mass of Chrism when priests renew their priestly vows. At the mass of the Lord’s Supper, the priest will re-enact the actions of Jesus by washing the feet of some parishioners and consecrate bread and wine into the body and blood of Christ.

On Good Friday there is no mass. People will fast and abstain from meat. The main celebration of the Lord’s Passion will take place at 3pm, the time when Jesus died. The summit of the Triduum celebrations is the Easter Vigil which begins outside the Church with the lighting of a fire. From the fire a large Paschal Candle is lit and carried in procession into the Church as a Deacon three times sings: “Lumen Christi” (The Light of Christ).

The joyfulness of this service is reflected in subsequent masses on Easter Sunday. And, after each mass, children will go home and enjoy their Easter eggs which can be seen to symbolise the stone which covered the tomb. Father Pat Hennessy St Columbkille’s Parish Church