Holy Thursday marks the institution of the priesthood and the Eucharist. What an incredible gift, and yet how very much it is ignored, or worse. Get to Confession, folks. Sorrowful Mysteries these three days. Blessed Triduum, all. -nvp
“Holy Thursday celebrates especially the institution of the Mass at the Last Supper as the Sacrifice and Sacrament of Christian unity. On this day also, Jesus first shared His priesthood with men by ordaining the Apostles. Then He uttered the command that is the reason for every Mass: “Do this in remembrance of Me.” This is a day to think of the great love Jesus showed in instituting the Eucharist and to return that love by receiving Him in Holy Communion. Through Holy Communion we are united to Christ and to one another.”
THE STRIPPING OF THE ALTARS
During the Stripping of the Altars, the celebrant recites the following antiphon and begins Psalm 21.
They have divided my garments among them, and for my vesture they have cast lots.
Psalm 21: O God my God, look upon me: why hast thou forsaken me? Far from my salvation are the words of my sins. O my God, I shall cry by day, and thou wilt not hear: and by night, and it shall not be reputed as folly in me. But thou dwellest in the holy place, the praise of Israel. In thee have our fathers hoped: they have hoped, and thou hast delivered them. They cried to thee, and they were saved: they trusted in thee, and were not confounded…
Blessed and penitent Holy Thursday.
https://youtu.be/CocfXz1jcXY?si=ZBvvPXE8mXEhjwhj
Holy Thursday is probably my favorite Mass of the year. When the Blessed Sacrament is processed to the Altar of Repose, and especially “back in the day” under the canopy even, well….it’s the one time I can easily picture a Gospel vignette as Jesus and the apostles traverse to the Mount of Olives. And, “Praise We Christ’s Immortal Body” was sung, if I remember correctly. The lyrics and melody of that beautiful hymn sung every week at Mass should cure any lack of belief in the Real Presence in short order. I made my first Holy Communion on a Holy Thursday in the 1960s; what a blessing that was!
But, I really wanted to comment on your excellent exhortation to go to Confession, Mark. My dear pastor is hearing Confessions this evening after Mass, two times tomorrow and on Holy Saturday morning, following having offered Confession as usual
before each Mass this week and before each weekend Mass, which he does every week. He has no associate to help. He is such a good, holy, humble, reverent priest, and yes, Novus Ordo; he has been a true spiritual father to us. I would love to elaborate on that, but it would be a long digression.
The point of which is this as follows: I looked at the other local parishes’ schedule for Confessions this week, and all I could find were regular Confession times canceled and not rescheduled. Don’t the priests understand spiritual warfare is ramped
up this week against their flocks? Just my own little family is dealing with escalating issues on both sides of the extended family as well as job issues, all of which derailed the recollection I had hoped to maintain this week.😞
The lines for every Confession time my pastor is offering will be looonngggg. He will be in the Confessional tonight for at least an hour and that will
apply to all the other times, too. I’m realizing some of that must be because all the neighboring parishes have canceled their times (although we routinely have lines year round for Confession). So, my plea is to the priests who aren’t realizing the flock is being particularly attacked during Holy Week and desire Confession before Easter: please provide more opportunities, not fewer!!! I know God will reward my pastor’s quiet faithfulness, and he has never expressed any irritation or impatience in the Confessional when he must be fatigued. But, other priests could share the burden. The Archdiocese tried to close our parish a few years ago (long story). If that plan had gone through, so many people would not be able this Triduum to repent and receive the healing graces of Confession to assure they can receive our Lord
in a state of grace this Easter.
I realize this was a really long post. Thanks for allowing it. 😞
I love Midnight Mass and Palm Sunday and Easter Vigil, but there’s something so profoundly moving and transcendent about Holy Thursday Mass, there are no words to describe it.
And thank you, Mark, for the Anne Catherine Emmerich post the other day. I knew Gibson had based The Passion on her visions, but I’d never read the work before. After that post, I immediately bought the Tan Books “Life of Jesus Christ” four-volume set and downloaded the Dolorous Passion of Our Lord audiobook from YouTube, which I’ve been listening to non-stop since yesterday. It’s absolutely incredible… and it really helped to steel my resolve to get to confession last night (after a long, senseless absence).
Links for anyone interested:
https://youtu.be/CkPER_YOHOM?si=msfE8fLhWbpel0Zv
https://youtu.be/zyiS3UbB4-4?si=KGFj97cfbgDUigTr
God bless you, CJ! You won’t regret going to Confession! Best feeling ever walking out!!!
Holy Thursday has made me teary. The awful expectation, knowing, anticipating the horror and pain that was coming. The torture of that mental anguish.
Our altar of repose last year was so full of greens and flowers you felt you were in a garden. Very touching. God bless us. Thank you Jesus.
Exactly, Susan. It’s such a poignant liturgy. And, when the priest strips the linens from the altar, it’s so stark and impactful.