COMMENTARY FOR HOLY THURSDAY

 

COMMENTARY ON HOLY THURSDAY

A. INTRODUCTION

Dear brothers and sisters in Christ, Today is Holy Thursday. The liturgical ceremonies of today mark in a special solemn way, the commencement of what we call the Easter Triduum, which refers to the three days before Easter Sunday. The Easter Triduum begins on Holy Thursday with the mass of our the Supper of Our Lord in which we celebrate the commemoration of the paschal event and the newness of life which flows from the crucified, buried and risen Christ.

You will recall that the five weeks of lent have been an intensive period of preparation through prayer, fasting and corporal works of mercy, particularly alms giving, which we, as followers and disciples of our Lord, gain personal sanctification in proof of our discipleship.

Our Lord has consistently enjoined us to take up our cross and follow Him daily if we indeed want to be His disciples. For those of us who have passed through thick and tin, and varying vicissitudes of life in the course of the Lenten period, should now be rejuvenated with the advent of Easter Triduum. 

The liturgical significance of the chrism mass we had earlier today; or which some dioceses had in their respective deaneries within the past one week for pastoral reasons; during which their Archbishops and Bishops concelebrated with their presbyteria respectively and at which various sacramental oils were blessed; and at which priests renewed their clerical promises of obedience and celibacy (a reinforcement to serve the faithful better), manifest the institutionalization of the Holy Eucharist, the mass, (the 5th mystery of light) as well as the communion of all the priests in the Archdioceses or Dioceses with their bishops and Archbishops. This is the origin of the ministerial (priesthood) foundation. The chrism mass of the morning offers various themes which the mass of the Supper of the Lord highlights.

The Holy Thursday evening mass of the supper of our Lord is simpliciter, the commemoration of the establishment of the Blessed Eucharist, through which our sacramental king and Eucharistic Lord Jesus Christ, established an inalienable link between Him and us on earth, knowing the mortal fate that will befall Him on Good Friday in a matter of twenty- four hours of the accomplishment of His Great work of Redemption.

The Supper of our Lord is a true reminiscence of the establishment of the Blessed Eucharist. It captures the values of services, unto death, that our Lord tells the Apostles in the seal of discipleship in John 13:13. It also portrays the Great providence of God who through the desert experience of His people manifested His power to save in sending the manna from heaven to feed them.

Today, we celebrate the two fold of the self giving by our Lord Jesus Christ:-

First, to his enemies, to die on the cross for the life of the world; he is a paschal victim, whose blood saves his people (Cf Exodus 12:1-8, 11-14). Second, to his friends and disciples, his church, that is, to us, in the sacrament of His Body and Blood ( Cf The Letter of Saint Paul to the Corinthians 11:23-26). We must clearly understand that the way of our Lord is one of VIA DOLOROSA (i.e. way of the cross). If we indeed want to belong to Christ, we must follow the Holy example of self giving and of services of our Lord, humbly displayed in practical terms, in washing of the feet of one another (Cf. the Gospel according to John 13:1-15). We must be willing and ready to say with Christ, about our own selves: This is my body which is given up to you. The whole purpose of the liturgy of today is to enable us to make this self giving, the real motivation for our lives.

Dear brothers and sisters in Christ, kindly ponder what could have become of our fate if our Lord Jesus Christ had not left us, Himself in the Blessed Eucharist, through which we the pilgrim church commune with the church triumphant, (na oriri diaso, eligwe nuwa emekorita, chukwu na madu abru otu). We would certainly be orphans and become meat for meal at the hands of our common enemy, the evil one. We should avoid anything or any person that will constitute object of distraction within the Easter Triduum if we want to gain the whole blessings of this period; which mark the greatest and holiest season of the liturgical year of the Church. If we suffer and die with our Lord Jesus Christ, we shall certainly rise and reign with Him. To bring the solemnity of the Easter Triduum and the importance of silence home to our attention, during the Gloria, the bells of the Church are rung loudly and then remain silent until the Easter vigil. The whole period offers us an opportunity to undertake personal recollection of ourselves, and ponder meditatively on the sufferings, passion and death of Our  Lord Jesus Christ.

B. THE MAJOR LITURGICAL HIGHLIGHTS ARE:-

Introductory rite and liturgy of the word.

Washing of feet which follow after the Homily.

The liturgy of the Eucharist. 

Adoration to the Blessed Sacrament after the solemn transfer of the Eucharist to the altar (tabernacle) of repose, (we must keep our Lord Company for at least one hour). 

The liturgy of course ends with prayer after Holy Communion without the usual after Holy Communion usual blessing at the end of the mass.  

We are invited to endeavour to ward off sleep, by keeping awake and participating actively in all the ceremonies of the Supper of Our Lord and throughout the Easter Triduum. As you do this may you never miss your blessings at the end of the mass. 

1. INTRODUCTORY RITE AND LITURGY OF THE WORD.

OPENING PRAYER

Let us pray that we may find the fullness of love and life through the celebration of the Holy Eucharist, which our Eucharistic Lord enjoined us to do as a memorial of Him.

FIRST READING

In the first Reading Taken from Exodus 12:1-8, 11-4

We are told how God spelt out to Moses and Aaron the way and manner the people of Israel would eat the Passover meal before their liberation from Egypt. The divine instructions are to be obeyed as handed out. The Passover meal of the Israelites share congenial characteristics with the Passover Our Lord Jesus Christ had with His disciples. 

SECOND READING

TAKEN FROM 1st letter of St Paul to the Corinthians Cor.11:23-26, St Paul reminded us of what he received from the Lord and passed on to us: According to St. Paul, Every time we eat this bread and drink this cup, we are proclaiming the death of our Lord.

GOSPEL

In the Gospel according to John 13:1-15, our Lord Jesus Christ proved His perfect love for us knowing that the time is ripped for the accomplishment of His work of redemption. By washing the feet of his disciples, he has set for us a holy example of a high level of humility tested in good neighborliness and true discipleship of carrying the burdens of one another in absolute selflessness, services and love.

2. WASHING OF FEET WHICH FOLLOW AFTER THE HOMILY

The 12 men (male and female) who have been chosen for the washing of feet represent the 12 apostles whose feet were washed by our Lord. Those concerned will be led to the suitable place prepared for this exercise. Then the priest (chief celebrant) assisted by the other ministers present, senior seminarians and altar boys (mass servers) will pour water over the feet of each person and dry them. Meanwhile the choir will lead us along with appropriate song.

GENERAL INTERCESSIONS

These may follow after the washing of feet or after homily whichever takes place earlier.

3. LITURGY OF THE EUCHARIST

This is a very solemn moment of witnessing the real import of what we are celebrating today. There should be absolute silence No mind wandering, No talking, No whispering, No distraction of any kind. This is the highest point or summit of our celebration by which we are mandatorily urged to do in remembrance of our Lord. 

4. TRANSFER OF THE HOLY EUCHARIST TO THE TANBERNACLE OF REPOSITION

After the prayer after communion the priest(s) (ministers) will carry the Blessed Sacrament in solemn procession to the place (altar of repose) where it is to be kept until tomorrow. During the procession, the choir should sing the pange lingua or other suitable hymn. 

The tabernacle of reposition is then closed. After a period of silent adoration, the priest and ministers genuflect and return to the sacristy. The altar is stripped and if possible the crosses are removed from the church, showing that our Lord has left the Passover with his disciples, for the Garden of Gethsemane. It is equally describable to leave all crosses in the church covered.

The faithful should be encouraged to continue adoration before the Blessed Sacrament for at least one hour in the order of adoration announced to the faithful. We are expected to maintain absolute silence before and after adoration. It will amount to a disrespect to our Lord as well as aggravation of His pains of crucifixion if we make and promote noise this time or throughout the Easter Triduum.

© Rev Fr Utazi Prince Marie Benignus Z

Updated April 4 2023