I look forward to my first Holy Week on Tybee.  Lent is winding down and if Lent means anything for us, if our Catholic identity is deeper than a casual practice, then for us the summit of the Liturgical Year comes this week with the Easter Triduum—from the evening of Holy Thursday to the evening of Easter Sunday. Though chronologically three days, they are liturgically one day unfolding for us the unity of Christ's Paschal Mystery.  In this holiest of weeks, the single celebration of the Triduum marks the end of the Lenten season, and leads to the Mass of the Resurrection of the Lord at the Easter Vigil.  The liturgical services that take place during the Triduum are:
 
■ Mass of the Lord’s Supper – Holy Thursday at 6:00 pm
 
■ Good Friday of the Lord’s Passion – Good Friday at 6:00 pm
 
■ Mass of the Resurrection of the Lord – Holy Saturday at 8:00 pm
 
For all Christians, Holy Week is the most important week of the year.  Think about how much you enjoy Christmas, your birthday or an anniversary.  Holy Week is much more important than these beautiful days.  As a Catholic people, we celebrate and remember the Passion, Death and Resurrection of Our Lord and Savior.   These are the most important liturgies of the Church year and each of us should place our participation in these celebrations among our most important religious practices and obligations.  Your attendance or lack thereof, will be a good barometer of the spiritual maturity of our Faith Community.  
 
So, I urge you to participate in the liturgies on Holy Thursday (6:00 pm), Good Friday (6:00 pm), and Holy Saturday (8:00 pm).  Besides being the most important liturgies of the church year, they are also the most interesting.  We should all participate in these liturgies so that we can really experience the joy and the transforming power of Easter Sunday. 
 
Holy Thursday -- Only one Mass is celebrated on Holy Thursday.  It is during this special Mass that we remember three fundamental mysteries of our Christian Faith.  
 
First, we remember the gift of the Catholic priesthood. Secondly, we remember the gift of the Eucharist.  Thirdly, with the Washing of the Feet ceremony, we remember the mandate of the new commandment of love.  As a Christian people we are to live our lives with selfless love for all.  At the end of this beautiful Mass, we process solemnly to the Altar of Repose.  It is there where the Eucharist remains for our adoration until 10:45 when all who are still present say night prayer to conclude the day.  
 
Good Friday -- Mass is not offered on this day.  Instead, we gather together for the Good Friday Solemn Liturgy.  This liturgy is comprised of three parts.  First, we listen to the Word of God as the Passion is proclaimed.  Secondly, we venerate the Cross, the instrument that gained for us our salvation.  Thirdly, we receive the Eucharist that was consecrated the night before during the Holy Thursday Mass.    
 
Holy Saturday -- The Easter Vigil is the highlight of the Catholic liturgical year.  In order to better understand the Easter Vigil, we should focus on four fundamental elements of the Easter Vigil: fire, word, water and bread.  
 
The Easter fire is blessed in front of the Church and the Easter candle, representing Christ, is brought into the dark church as the small Easter candles of each parishioner receives the light of Christ.  The light of Christ dispels the darkness of sin.  We then listen to the chanting of the Easter Proclamation, the Exultet.  “Exultet, let them exult, …ablaze with light from her eternal King, let all corners of the earth be glad, knowing an end to gloom and darkness.”
 
We then attentively listen to the history of salvation through the several readings of the Old Testament.  These readings lead us to the fulfillment of the Old Testament with the New Testament readings from the Epistle of Saint Paul to the Romans and the Gospel narrative of the Resurrection.
 
Following the homily, the liturgy of Baptism takes place.  I can’t remember a year in which I did not baptize someone at the Easter Vigil, so I am thrilled that Emma Grace Hendrix will be baptized this year.  After she is baptized, we renew our baptismal promises.  We are sprinkled with the waters of baptism as the joy of Easter begins.  We then celebrate the liturgy of the Eucharist as we normally do during each Mass.  The Bread of Life fills our souls with the peace that only the Risen Jesus can give us.  I hope and pray that you will make every effort to participate in these very special liturgies. 
 
On the Way Home: Today’s Mass is a bit puzzling, at the beginning people are waving palm branches to welcome Jesus but in less than a week he is torture and put to death.  Why?  Why does God love us so much that he was willing to die for us?  How can we respond to this amazing love? (hint: participate in the Easter Triduum).

Fr. Jerry Ragan