Thursday of Holy Week (traditionally referred to as Maundy Thursday or Holy Thursday) is when the Church celebrates the three pillars of the Catholic Church instituted by Jesus Christ at the Last Supper: the priesthood, the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass, and the Holy Eucharist. This is the traditional day for priests to gather with their bishop at the Chrism Mass, to receive oils blessed by the bishop and to publicly renew their priestly promises. In the evening the Church celebrates the Mass of the Lord’s Supper. After this Mass the altar is stripped bare and the Blessed Sacrament is removed from the Tabernacle and processed to a separate altar of repose. Here the Blessed Sacrament is adored until late in the night to commemorate the time Jesus spent in Garden of Gethsemane in agonizing prayer, the start of his Passion. The Blessed Sacrament is then taken away and hidden until the Easter Vigil in memory of Our Lord’s death and burial.
Holy Thursday marks the beginning of Easter Triduum. This three day celebration of the Passion and Resurrection of the Lord Jesus Christ is the holy summit of the Catholic Church’s Liturgical Year. This period spans 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. More info on Easter Tridumm can be found here on the US Conference of Catholic Bishops web site.
Much of these Easter Triduum celebrations will have to be done privately due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic in the United States of America (and worldwide). This does not mean though that you cannot still celebrate these Holy Days from your home and with your family. Modern technology has enabled celebrations to be broadcast on TV, online, and through phone conferencing. Despite the pandemic’s challenges that force us to temporarily separate in order to prevent unnecessary death and disease to our most vulnerable loved ones; you can still practice your faith and partake in the Lord’s most holy feast days. Here are some ways you can participate in Holy Thursday today while still staying safe in these trying times:
CHRISM AND EVENING MASS – COMMEMORATING THE INSTITUTION OF PRIESTHOOD AND THE SACRAMENT OF THE HOLY EUCHARIST BY CHRIST
This year Chrism mass will not be celebrated by US Bishops due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic and many churches across our country are also closed in order to facilitate the good that is being done by “social distancing” to control the virus spread. The Church is not silent though on this day as prayer and memorials of the Last Supper will carry out throughout the world.
Evening mass will also not be publicly celebrated in most parishes in the US, but there are many parishes, cathedrals, and the Vatican itself that will be taking the mass online for participants to remotely take part in. Jesus Christ will be present because where ever “two or more pray in my name” He is there. Do not think that physical space or even time can separate Christ from us for “what is not possible for man is possible for God”.
Our own parish, the Church of the Infant Saviour (Pine Bush, NY) will be streaming its Holy Thursday mass tonight (4/9/20) at 7 pm EST via the Parish Facebook page found here. Once finished as a live stream, the mass will then be available via replay from that same page at any time. So if you do miss it, feel free to watch it later and spend a hour adoring the Lord in celebration of the Institution of the Priesthood (through the Apostles being commissioned by Jesus Christ at the Last Supper), the showing of what a Servant Priest/Shepard of Christ looks like through the remembrance of the washing of the feet of the Apostles by Christ at the Last Supper, and the institution of the Sacrament of the Blessed Eucharist by Jesus Christ at the Last Supper. During every mass we remember and make present through the celebrant priest in the person of Jesus Christ of His Holy Sacrifice on the cross. Tonight though there is vivid focus on this saving act by the Lord and Christ wants you to be there to be part of it.
Other options for mass include:
Our Lady of Mount Carmel, Middletown, NY – Found here.
Whitefriars Hall, Washington, DC – Found here.
Many parishes throughout the Archdiocese of New York are live-streaming Masses each day. You can find links to them here.
All of the Holy Week liturgies will also be celebrated in St. Patrick’s Cathedral and are available via live-stream here.
Most of these masses above will be live streamed around 7 pm EST tonight and then will be posted for replay once the mass concludes. Consult each web site link for times and more information on this.
EUCHARISTIC ADORATION – A HOUR WITH THE LORD
The month of April is traditionally dedicated to devotion to Jesus in the sacrament of the Holy Eucharist. The Catholic Church teaches that the Blessed Sacrament is the real and living presence of Christ—His Body, Blood, Soul, and Divinity—received into our souls with every reception of Holy Communion. Our Eucharistic Lord is the source and summit of our Christian life, the ultimate proof of His infinite love for us. Though Churches are closed for public mass many Churches in New York are still open for private prayer. This means you can spend one last hour before the Lord in the Church. Even hidden in the Tabernacle do not be mistaken– He is very present and adoration still can be done.
In lieu of physically going to a Church for private prayer (especially if you are at risk for infection) you can participate in virtual Perpetual Adoration through several online webcams:
St. Anne (Gilbert, AZ) – Found here.
St. Martin of Tours (Louisville, KY) – Found here.
EWTN Chapel (Irondale, AL) – Found here.
St. Patrick’s Cathedral in New York City – Found here.
Eucharistic Adoration calls us to increase our intimate spiritual relationship with Jesus Christ and this is a wonderful way to spend time together tonight for a hour of prayer, as well as, reflection, on how much He loves us. The Lord wants to spend time with you tonight. He’s a click away.
LEVERAGING ONLINE FAITH FORMATION – FORMED
All parishioners of the Archdiocese have free access to FORMED during the quarantine. Just click here to find Catholic movies, videos and audio-books to enrich your Holy Week including many resources to use during this Holy Week, many of them under the “Holy Week & Triduum” section. Here are some recommendations:
Meditations on the Stations of the Cross by Ronald Thomas
FORMED Live: Jesus Death in Light of Old Testament Sacrifices
VIRTUAL AND TELEPHONE CONFERENCE PRAYER GROUPS
Many parishes, councils, and other faithful are hosting teleconference prayer groups, online bible study, and virtual Stations of the Cross. Our Brothers the Cardinal Hayes Council 3995 in Yonkers, NY have started a daily a call in telephone and web conference where they have had a daily prayer service throughout the Lenten Season. From rosaries, Divine Mercy hour, virtual Stations of the Cross, and prayers to Our Lady of Guadalupe these faithful Brothers Knights along with the laity of the three parishes they serve have continued to pray to the Lord. You can read more about those efforts here. If you are a member of our Parish or Council interested in joining them you can contact our Council’s Financial Secretary Chris Welch here to find out more.
CONCLUSION
On behalf of our Council we wish you a blessed Easter Triduum and hope these above resources helps you to continue to practice our Catholic Faith during these times of challenges and duress especially during the highest and holiest days of our Liturgical year. Your participation in Christ’s works through practicing our Faith helps to contribute to His kingdom through praise and worship. Together we can continue to trust in Christ and entrust all the sick, dead, and people in service to both these aforementioned through prayer. Vivat Jesus!
You must be logged in to post a comment.