Triduum 2016

Good Friday 2016  

The Passion of Our Lord Jesus Christ (Matthew)

Awe.  A.  W.  E.  Awe. 

Noun.

An overwhelming feeling of reverence, fear and wonder.

We hear the words The Passion of Our Lord Jesus Christ. . . 

with reverence.

We stand gazing at Jesus dying on the cross . . .

in fear.

We depart the sealed tomb . . .

in anxious wonder.

Awe. 

An overwhelming feeling of reverence, fear, and wonder.

Today we can only respond to God’s love for us. . .

with awe.

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Holy Saturday 2016 

It has been a long day.  It has been an odd day.

It was long because it was surreal.

It was odd because everything was off kilter.

The second reading in the breviary this morning explains it.

"Something strange is happening--

there is a great silence on earth today,

a great silence and stillness.

The whole earth keeps silence because the King is asleep."

The oddness was mercifully brief.  An hour ago fire blazed in front of this church.  The paschal candle was incised as I repeated words that explained everything.

"Christ yesterday and today

the beginning and the end.

Alpha and Omega;

all time belongs to him,

and all the ages;

to him be glory and power,

through every age for ever."

The fire from which this paschal candle was lit overcame the darkness outside.

The light that is Jesus Christ, Risen from the Dead, 

overcomes the darkness within each of us.

The first of the Easter Alleluias has been sung.  

There are many more to come.

Truly, this is the day the Lord has made.

Let us rejoice and be glad.

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Internet accessibility was limited at the Abbey.  Was able to post the Holy Thursday homily but no photos.  Decided to forego further frustration and wait until I got home.  Yesterday, Easter Monday, was a lick-the-wounds day.  We finished the Holy Saturday liturgy a few minutes after 11 (started at 8).  I woke at 5 and was on the road to Boston at 5:30 for Mass at Carmel Terrace afterwards.  Had dinner with the theologians in Brighton and then crashed upon getting back.  Did what had to be done yesterday and that was about it.  Among the had to be done tasks, unpacking was among them.  Maybe later today.  

The total word count for the three homilies was under 500.  The liturgy of the triduum speaks for itself.  It does not need me (or any other priest) blathering very much about it. 

The Altar of Repose for the Blessed Sacrament on Thursday afternoon.  After Mass the Blessed Sacrament was carried in process into the monastic choir.  Only the two priests went there.  The candles and thurible were turned over to the nuns for that part of the procession.  We then processed through the rest of the church before placing the Sacrament in the tabernacle where adoration continued through the night.   

The grille from two different views.  

I've been taking photos of the windows in this shed for about a year.  Because vespers were not sung on Holy Thursday I was out and about with the camera in the evening. 

A barn at sunset.  Usually the interior of the barn is in extreme shadow.  This was the perfect time to hit it. 

A "Still Life with Gloves and Wood" outside the barn.

A "Still Life with Wagon and Curing Sheepskin." 

Have a Blessed Easter Season. 

+Fr. Jack, SJ, MD