This week St Clare's celebrated the Sacred Tridiuum, starting with Maundy Thursday (Mass of the Lord's Supper; Good Friday (The Solemn Passion) and conculding last night, our Easter Vigil.
The Evening Mass of the Lord's Supper is a poignant celebration; it is touched with joy and sadness. Joy that the Lord would give us his body and blood in the Holy Eucharist, sadness that he would suffer his agony in the garden. In the midst of the celebration Fr Loughran performed the 'washing of feet' or the Mandatum, where 12 of our young boys and girls took the place of the apostles. After the Mass there was the opportunity to 'watch' with our Lord at the Altar of Repose.
Good Friday is a very sombre liturgy where we hear the Passion of Christ, when prayers of intercession are prayed, where we solemnly unveil the cross and venerate and enthrone it, and where we receive Holy Communion.
The Easter Vigil is such a spectacular liturgy; all is made new for Jesus is risen from the dead. The elements are blessed: the paschal fire, light in the form of the Easter Candle, and later in the liturgy, water. The Old Testament story of Salvation is told, the gloria is sung with servers punctuating it with the ringing of bells. The great Easter Alleluia is intoned, the Easter Gospel is proclaimed, baptismal promised are renewed accompanied with the energetic sprinkling of water and then into the liturgy of the Eucharist.
Thanks goes to all of those who volunteer their time of effort into preparing for the Easter services. The clergy and all at St Clare's wish you a very happy Easter.
Alleluia, Christ is risen - he is risen indeed, Alleluia!