Last Saturday a zillion people headed downtown for the annual St. Patrick’s Day Parade. There would have been more than a zillion were it not for the fact that there were also other parades on the northwest and southwest sides and several more the next day. It was a great day to be Irish or to pretend to be. Parades are essentially spectator events. Yes, our local alderman always invites his constituents to march with him in the downtown parade; but most people are there not to march, but to watch, to socialize, to imbibe, and eventually go home (safely, we hope). A church procession may resemble a parade; but in a procession all in attendance are participants in one way or another. Holy Week is a week of processions. It begins with Palm Sunday, when we relive Jesus’ triumphant entry into Jerusalem. Crowds gathered to watch Jesus enter the City of Destiny, but they did more than watch. They waved palm branches and shouted Hosanna. Some even threw down their cloaks in homage. At most of our Palm Sunday Masses, we have a simple procession from the back of church; at the 10:30 Mass (weather permitting) we invite the entire congregation to join in a procession with palms. This is an opportunity to witness to our faith: Jesus is truly Lord of our life.
On Holy Thursday, following our 6:00pm Mass of the Lord’s Supper, we will have a procession with the Blessed Sacrament through church. As the Eucharist passes, we make a sign of reverence (a genuflection, a bow, a sign of the cross) in gratitude for the eternal gift that Jesus left us. Every time we gather for Mass, we remember what Jesus said and did at the Last Supper. In remembering what Jesus said and did, Jesus become present to us again under the appearance of bread and wine. The Church remains open for prayer and adoration until midnight. Typically several busloads from other churches as well as individual pilgrims come for a visit.
Good Friday has two processions. One is a virtual procession. Those who come for the Stations of the Cross at 3:00pm will relive the long, sad, and lonely journey Jesus made from the Court of Pontius Pilate through the busy streets of Jerusalem to his painful death on Mount Calvary. For the last few years, the Stations have included contemporary reflections composed by a parishioner. They invite us to reflect on how Christ is still being crucified today. The principal Service on Good Friday is the Liturgy of the Lord’s Passion, which takes place at 12:10 and 6:00pm. After the reading of the Gospel and the Intercessions, each of us is invited to come forward to reverence a large wooden cross. Some people touch the cross; other kiss it; others bow or genuflect before it. One year in another parish, a man who had just lost both feet to diabetes was wheeled up the aisle. He hugged the cross, started weeping, and held on for two or three minutes. Yes, this is what the whole Paschal mystery is about—joining our suffering to the suffering of Christ and sharing in his triumph and glory.
Finally, we come to the Easter Vigil Mass, the culmination of Holy Week and the most important liturgical celebration of the year. We begin outdoors in the gathering darkness and ignite a blazing fire. We light the Easter candle, the sign that the light of Christ has overcome the darkness of death. Led by the Easter candle we process into church with our small candles lit, so that the light spreads out through the church. We listen to the chanting of an ancient Easter hymn by candlelight. We hear the fundamental stories of our faith proclaimed from Scripture. Then after the homily, we celebrate the sacraments of baptism and confirmation of the adults who have been journeying with us since September. That begins with one last procession, a procession to the baptismal font by our elect as the Litany of Saints is chanted. The newly confirmed and the newly baptized then make their first communion at this Mass.
The Renew My Church process has called us to what is called “radical hospitality.” Radical hospitality begins with welcoming people as they come into church, but invites us to go beyond that. It calls us to refocus our energy on the needs of the people who are new to the community or who may just be curious about the Catholic Church or Assumption Parish. This includes a willingness to make a sacrifice or be inconvenienced for the sake of the mission. One simple way to practice radical hospitality is to make the Easter Vigil Mass your Easter Mass. Wouldn’t it be great if our church were full that night? That would demonstrate that our parish is really excited to welcome new members. Yes, the Vigil Mass does not start until 7:30pm, and, yes, the Mass will take longer than the Masses on easter morning (but the reports of it lasting three hours are GREATLY exaggerated). Many of those who have come once say they would never willingly miss it again. The ritual and symbols help us truly understand how Christ has brought us new life.
Fr. Joe |
