Holy Week

Richard A. Sokerka

What are you going to do for Holy Week? Color Easter eggs? Clean and bake for Easter? Shop for a new Easter outfit?

Many of us participate in some of these secular Easter activities. But it is of the utmost importance to keep in our minds and hearts that Holy Week is about our remembrance of the events surrounding the Death and Resurrection of Jesus Christ.

That makes Holy Week the most sacred time of the year for Catholics.

Although we are all tugged in a lot of directions with secular activities preparing for the celebration of Easter, it’s important that we prioritize the spiritual part of Holy Week and keep the most sacred time of the Church’s calendar as an important part of our family’s calendar during this busy week.

This Thursday evening, the sacred Triduum begins. “Triduum” comes from the Latin word meaning “three days” and encompasses the three most sacred days in the Church year. The liturgical celebrations during the Triduum on Holy Thursday, Good Friday, the Easter Vigil and Easter are rich with symbolism and flow from one to another in a seamless way. While it may it may appear that these liturgies are separate, they are actually intended to be one continuous celebration that commemorates the Passion, Death and Resurrection of Jesus Christ.

We encourage everyone to observe the Sacred Triduum by attending all of these spiritually-uplifting liturgies in preparation for Easter so that we can complete our spiritual Lenten journey that began with ashes and end it with alleluias, for Our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, is Risen!