CELEBRATING HOLY WEEK:
THE SACRED TRIDUUM 

Every year, the Super Bowl is the single biggest sporting event in the United States. It is also the most popular day for people to gather for parties and celebrations. For Christians, Holy Week and especially the Sacred Triduum (Holy Thursday, Good Friday and Holy Saturday) is even bigger. For Christians, it is nothing less than the celebration of the salvation of all humanity through the passion, death and resurrection of Jesus Christ.

This feast of our salvation is so important, that the Church celebrates it over three days (“Triduum” is Latin for “three days”). Although most people think of it as three distinct celebrations - The Mass of the Lord's Supper on Holy Thursday, The Commemoration of the Lord's Passion on Good Friday and the Easter Vigil on Holy Saturday - it is actually one great liturgy spread over three days. The Mass of the Lord's Supper begins, as usual, with the Sign of the Cross and Greeting (“The Lord be with you”), but does not close with a Final Blessing and Dismissal (“Go in peace”). The Final Blessing and Dismissal comes only at the end of the Easter Vigil.

During the Triduum, we are called to enter into the paschal mystery - the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ “for us and our salvation.” This is not “historical re-enactment” (like the people who dress up as Civil War soldiers for the “battle” of Gettysburg), but our entering into these great events that save us. At Holy Thursday Mass, we are linked with the Last Supper as we receive the Body and Blood of Christ and are called to live out Jesus' example of humble service. On Good Friday, we venerate the Cross of Jesus Christ in which he gave his life for us. On Holy Saturday, we renew our own Baptism into Christ's death, so that we may also rise with him. There are no holier days than these. Let us all celebrate this feast of our salvation.