"In Holy Week, we participate in the most sublime drama of religious history" (Fr. Pius Parsch)
Today is Palm Sunday, the beginning of Holy Week. This is the week that changed the course of history when Our Lord, Jesus Christ, suffered, died, and rose again for us. This Thursday is Holy Thursday, the commemoration of the Lord's Supper—when He gave us the gift of Himself in the Holy Eucharist.
The Triduum ceased being holy days of obligation a few hundred years ago in the 17th/18th century due to the Reformation and secularism which required people to work these days. But the fact that they are not presently Holy Days of Obligation does not mean we should let these most sacred days pass by. In fact, in previous eras, all commerce and governments would close to allow the faithful all of Holy Week and all of Easter Week off. We need to recover these traditions.
Here are my Top 10 Suggestions for A Catholic Holy Week:
- Attend Mass each day, especially on Holy Thursday, Good Friday, and Holy Saturday. Read the Mass propers each day this week, even the traditional readings for Holy Monday, Holy Tuesday, and Holy Wednesday.
- Offer a daily Rosary for the souls that have died this Lent and for the conversion of sinners.
- Pray such prayers as the Litany of the Most Precious Blood every day. The Racolta has excellent prayers in honor of the Precious Blood, which is worth saying. There is also the Litany of the Passion.
- Take part in visiting Seven Churches Visitation, a traditional devotion where you visit seven churches on the evening of Holy Thursday to pray before the altars of repose at each church.
- Go to Confession to ensure that you are in the state of grace for these holy days.
- Read the entire Dolorous Passion according to the visions of Blessed Anne Catherine Emerich
- It is a requirement to fast on Good Friday, but if your health allows, fast also during the day on Holy Saturday and at night on Holy Thursday. Lent was traditionally 40 days of fasting and 46 days of abstinence. Good Friday also was, in former times, a day of the strictest fasting, and the faithful were encouraged to eat nothing at all on Good Friday, if possible. See: Fasting Rules
- Pray for the catechumens who will be received into the Church this week and receive the Sacraments. And pray for any public sinners who are reconciled.
- Pray the Divine Office more regularly this week. If you do not have a Breviary in your library. Pray it online at Divinum Officium.
- Pray the Stations of the Cross on Good Friday and observe strict silence from 12 PM to 3 PM.
Do not let these days of grace go by without participating deeply in the Church's sacred rites. The drama of the Passion is about to unfold.
8 comment(s):
These are fantastic suggestions, Moneybags.
Great suggestions. I stopped by here after I posted something similar. Holy Week is such a spiritually important week for Christians.
Thank you Moneybags. If I am correct, I believe Danny Garland of Irish and Dangerous is preparing to be received into the Church so we should keep him in our prayers.
You are absolutely right, St. Peters Helper. I will be sure to keep him in my prayers.
Thanks for this and have a blessed Holy Week!
I've never seen that Litany of the passion. I like it! Lent has gotten a little out of control around here and I'd like to really dig deep into Holy Week with the family.
Have a blessed Holy Week. Just remember, there is no mass on Good Friday, just the service of the Lord's Passion.
Love this this. I'm planning on doing almost everything on this list, but I've never heard of the Litany of the Passion. I'm going to check that out.
God bless.
Post a Comment