Triduum

I'm starting this blog a few days early because i want to reflect on my experiences more in the moment than not.

Lent and Passion Week conclude with the short liturgical season of the Triduum, which is Holy Thursday Good Friday and Holy Saturday. As part of my Lenten goals, I am attending all three services, something I've never done before.

As is my usual custom, I made it to Holy Thursday, even though it meant leaving a response meeting put on by the Black Student Association to the graffiti on the Black student center wall saying "Long Live Zimmerman". With heavy thoughts weighing on me, I joined in the start of the Triduum, which commemorates the Last Supper of Jesus, where he demonstates leadership by washing the feet of his disciples. The service is similar to a Mass in every way but two. First, we also wash each others' feet, a very personal and powerful gesture of humility and service for those who wish to partake. Second, we end in silence, following the Eucharist to the chapel where we wait and pray with Jesus, reminiscent of his Agony in the Garden of Gethsemane. The service thus "ends" in silent procession and prayer. I say "ends"in becuase the Triduum is one long celebration. It continues into Good Friday.

Tonight, Good Friday, the service continues, starting and ending in silence, rather than the normal Gathering and Closing Songs. Ive only attended this service once or twice, both before high school. This service follows a follows a Mass format a bit too, with readings and a Gospel again recounting Jesus' crucifixion and a homily. But to me, this feels much like a wake. Good Friday is the day Jesus died. So as I sat there, I reflected on the priests words, juxstapositioning his birth and death, the cycle of life. But this death was different because the greatest gift, sign of love, is to lay down ones life for a friend. During the service, a life size cross is brought out and we pray. This is where was really touched emotionally, because as i looked upon this tangible reminder of the death Christ suffered for me, the prayers went roughly as follows: for the catholic church, for all christians, for all non christians, and for those who dont believe in God. And it wasnt that everyone should be united under one faith, not that those non catholics be made believers or convert. No. It was simply for salvation for all. Our belief, as the priest reiterated, is that Christ died for all, all races, orientations, marital status, nationality, etc. everyone. As the cross was then carried to the North,East, West and South to iterate this point, I reflected on how sometimes i feel jaded that my church does not ever seem to care as much as it could about other groups. And while you may not feel a prayer for others is much, consider the setting. We are in mourning, our savior has died. And we pray that the death is for everyone, becuase this death leads us to heaven. It is a prayer to put aside differences and reach paradise together. At perhaps the lowest moment of the year, when we dont even consecrate the bread and wine in the Body and Blood, as happens every. Other. Day, we pray for unity as a human race. It struck me hard. Call it a moment of revelation, which if you study any theology, to achieve faith you need intellectual understanding and revelation, that gut feeling that something happening is meaningful.

As Holy Saturday wraps up the Triduum, I went to service I'd never attended for. There's a reason I'd never been to the Easter Vigil: it's three hours long. I think on some level that makes me a lazy Catholic, but its also been a tradition to get up on Easter morning, find our Easter baskets and go to Easter Mass. That's tradition I plan to continue. But since I wasn't home for this Easter, I opted to do the trifecta. And man was it good. Continuing the solemn exit from Good Friday (because remember its really just one big three day service), we began in silence, waiting, as the name Vigil implies. This started different than any other ceremony of the year though: in complete darkness and silence. The priest then lit a small pyre in the church (traditionally burning the leftover sacramental oils from previous year) and from that lit the Easter Candle (the super tall white candle you may have seen in churches before). From that candle, the symbolic light of Christ, we all lit our own candles and soon the church was filled with the beautiful dull light of hundreds of little flame. And we kept watch, listening to many readings and psalms and prayers, waiting for the Resurrection.

About an hour in, the lights suddenly turn on and we begin singing Alleluias and ringings bells to celebrate. Our vigil turns from waiting to joyous celebrating. New Catholics are Baptized and Confirmed and we end with their First Communion, all traditions we celebrate with them as we welcome these "neophytes" to the faith. It's kinda like a party, steeped in tradition but all celebrating the Resurrection of Christ. This tenant of our faith is crucial to Christianity because it focuses both on the fact that death is not the end and also that Christ wasn't just a man, but also God. So really, its the most important celebration of the year. And while I love the Easter Sunday celebration with my family, the Vigil really seems to hone in on the Joy part. We even ended the service clapping, with the musicians going crazy on the drums, guitars and the choir also joining in. It was awesome.

So I hope sharing some of this with you gave an insight to both my and the Catholic faith. The saying is, we are an Easter people, and I think sometimes even we Catholics forget that means being joyous and happy as we practice, not whining, or arguing, or belittling. It's true, we want to share our joy with everyone, but in the Spirit of Easter, I hope we continue to be welcoming and inclusive, rather than imposing and judgmental. On to the 50 day celebration!

Happy Easter to all, even if you don't subscribe. May this day be one of happiness and peace.

-Listening to: Matt Maher- Alive Again (also Resurrection Day), my favorite Christian musician

Reading: Spent most of my week not doing homework but reading The Wise Man's Fear, a simply beautiful fantasy novel by Patrick Rothfuss. It's a sequel so read The Name of the Wind first, but its sooooo good!

Playing: Demon Soul's because I missed a video game truly abusing me I guess and I've decided its one of my favorite games.

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