8th April 2025

Our Lenten prayers lead us towards Easter. We start with Palm Sunday and move into the three days known as the Triduum – Holy Thursday, Good Friday, Easter Day. This Triduum is, in effect, one, continuous liturgy spread over three days. So let’s see what is happening.

On Palm Sunday Jesus entered Jerusalem on an acquired donkey and was welcomed by many of the crowds in Jerusalem for the Passover celebration. However, the Authorities wanted him gone, even dead. Why be so challenging to the Chief Priest and Scribes? It can only lead to what we know as the Passion of Jesus – his arrest, torture and execution! But Jesus is passionate about his Father’s mission to bring the Kingdom of God to the people. This passionate mission of Jesus will drive him through the coming days. So, like the crowds in Jerusalem, we welcome Jesus – but with a palm leaf shaped as a cross. It reminds us of his impending death but also about the passion that he had for his mission to God’s people.

The story continues in the Triduum, first with Holy Thursday. A room has been booked for the small community with Jesus, where they will celebrate the Passover. It should be a cheerful time but Jesus seems sombre – ‘Someone will betray me’. This causes confusion! Then Jesus takes the bread and wine on the table and talks about his Body, his Blood – and his death. Jesus has clearly made his decision – his passion for his Father’s mission will remain strong. So he is arrested – and we are left with his command about bread and wine – that is, his Presence in the Sacred Bread and Wine of our Holy Communion. It all started with a meal in an upper room. The story continues….

With Good (Holy) Friday we see the trials, Jesus’ quietness, his conversation with Pilate, his walk of shame, his final death on a Roman cross. This is a tough day for Jesus (obviously!); for his followers (who ran away); for his mother and her friends (who stayed). Jesus managed to say to the thief about being in Paradise soon; about forgiving his executioners (for they know not what they do). There is no easy way to say it – Jesus died a miserable, painful death – true to the very end to the passion he had for his Father’s mission (‘Father, into your hands…). Our story, of course, does not end here…

The witnesses on Easter Day to Jesus’ Resurrection found the tomb empty, deserted. Some were women, who could not be witnesses to anything by Law. Others heard about it - and the small community hiding in the upper room SAW him!!  ‘How can this be’… said Thomas. But it is true – Jesus did come back to life, he did appear to his followers on Earth. He did say he will always be with us.

This is what we have faith in. This is our Christianity, our story. Isn’t it worth celebrating!