Holy Thursday 2011

Today at sunset of Holy Thursday, Lent ended and the Triduum began, the three days of Good Friday, Holy Saturday and Easter Sunday that commemorate the passion, death and resurrection of Jesus.

Tonight's Holy Thursday Mass, a celebration of the Lord's Last Supper with His apostles, was beautiful, solemn and touching; a feeling I've always felt each time at this service. The beautiful songs sang by our Celebration Singers enhanced the solemnity of the service. The Mass is rich in symbolism and meaning. It is held in the evening because Passover began at sundown.

The presentation of the 3 holy oils previously blessed by the Archbishop started the service: the Oil of Chrism (used in confirmation), Oil of the Sick, and Oil of Catechumen (used in baptism and ordination).

The altar servers rang the bells continuously during the Gloria, as the bells will then be silent until the Easter Vigil. There is no Mass celebrated until Easter.

The washing of feet of 12 apostles was performed after the Homily. In John 13:1-17 Jesus instructs his apostles, "If I then, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also ought to wash one another’s feet." We are commanded to serve others humbly according to His example.

Father Kopacek, with his beautiful voice, sang the Consecration, where our Lord Jesus at the Last Supper, changed bread and wine into His most holy Body and Blood, and offered them in sacrifice to all. This is the essence. The Last Supper was also when Jesus instituted Priesthood.

The service concluded with a procession around our church, with the Blessed Sacrament brought to the altar of Repose (where the consecrated hosts are kept for Good Friday since Mass is not celebrated that day). A light shone from above, illuminating the Blessed Sacrament at the altar of Repose. The church's altar was later stripped bare. The holy water fonts were empty.

The Church was open till late for Adoration. By staying in prayer with the Lord, we joined others and the disciples who tried, but were unable to stay awake in Jesus’ hour of need. In the Philippines, the Visita Iglesia (Church visits) is practiced, where seven churches are visited It is said that this practice probably originated in Rome where seven pilgrim churches are visited for penance.

We all left in silence, contemplative.