PALM SUNDAY
5th April 2020
Dear brothers and sisters in Christ,
It is quite an unusual holy week that we are about to begin. A totally different experience to what we all used to
practice in our life. This week is called holy week, just because we celebrate a lot of holy events in the life of
Jesus Christ and in our own story of salvation. We can't physically take part in these mysteries of salvation. But
we all can spiritually and prayerfully take part in these, by praying, meditating, reading the word of god and taking
into our hearts and minds the message of our Lord's passion death and resurrection.
Today we begin Holy Week, the days during which we journey with Jesus on his way of the cross and anticipate his
Resurrection on Easter. Let us bear in mind that in fact Today's liturgy begins with the procession with palms to
remind us of Jesus' triumphant entrance into Jerusalem.(unfortunately we can't make it this year but let us do
it spiritually).
The events of Jesus' Passion are proclaimed in their entirety in today's Liturgy of the Word. Those events will
be proclaimed again when we celebrate the liturgies of the Triduum-Holy Thursday's Mass of the Lord's Supper,
the Good Friday of the Lord's Passion, and the Easter Vigil. These days are indeed profound and holy.
In Cycle A, we read the Passion of Jesus as found in the Gospel of Matthew on Palm, or Passion, Sunday. (On Good
Friday, we will read the Passion of Jesus from the Gospel of John). The story of Jesus' Passion and death in
Matthew's Gospel focuses particularly on the obedience of Jesus to the will of his Father. As Jesus sends his
disciples to prepare for Passover, he indicates that the events to come are the will of the Father (Matthew 26:18). In
Jesus' prayer in the garden, he prays three times to the Father to take away the cup of suffering, but each time,
Jesus concludes by affirming his obedience to the Father's will (Matthew 26:39-44). Even Matthew's description
of Jesus' death shows Jesus' obedience to the Father.
Another theme of Matthew's Gospel is to show Jesus as the fulfilment of Scripture. Throughout the Passion
narrative, Matthew cites and alludes to Scripture to show that the events of Jesus' Passion and death are in
accordance with all that was foretold. And if the events were foretold, then God is in control. In addition, Matthew is
particularly concerned that the reader does not miss the fact that Jesus is the Suffering Servant of the Old Testament.
Jesus acts in obedience to the Father even in death, so that sins may be forgiven. Matthew makes this clear in the
story of the Lord's Supper. As Jesus blesses the chalice, he says: "… for this is my blood of the
covenant, which will be shed on behalf of many for the forgiveness of sins." (Matthew 26:28)
While the Gospels of Matthew and Mark have many parallels in their narrative of the Passion, there are a few details
worth noting that are unique to Matthew. Only Matthew indicates the price paid to Judas for betraying Jesus. The story
of Judas's death is also found only in Matthew, as is the detail that Pilate's wife received a warning in a
dream and that Pilate washed his hands of Jesus' death. Finally, Matthew's Gospel alone mentions the
earthquakes and other phenomena that happened after Jesus' death.
Matthew places the responsibility for Jesus' death on the Sanhedrin, the chief priests and elders who were
responsible for the Temple. However, the animosity that those Jewish leaders and the Jewish people demonstrate toward
Jesus is not to be interpreted in ways that blame the Jewish people for Jesus' death. Throughout Matthew's
Gospel, the narrative reflects the tension that probably existed between the early Christian community and their Jewish
contemporaries. At the Second Vatican Council, the Council Fathers made clear that all sinners share responsibility for
the suffering and death of Jesus and that it is wrong to place blame for Jesus' Passion on the Jewish
contemporaries of Jesus or on Jewish people today.
In the characters of Matthew's Gospel, we find reflections of ourselves and the many ways in which we sometimes
respond to Jesus. Sometimes we are like Judas, who betrays Jesus and comes to regret it. We are sometimes like Peter,
who denies him, or like the disciples, who fell asleep during Jesus' darkest hour but then act rashly and violently
at his arrest. Sometimes we are like Simon, who is pressed into service to help Jesus carry his cross. Sometimes we are
like the leaders who fear Jesus or like Pontius Pilate, who washed his hands of the whole affair. Jesus dies so that
our sins will be forgiven.
The events of Jesus' Passion, death, and Resurrection are called the Paschal Mystery. No amount of study will
exhaust or explain the depth of love that Jesus showed in offering this sacrifice for us. After we have examined and
studied the stories we have received about these events, we are left with one final task-to meditate on these events
and on the forgiveness that Jesus' obedience won for us.
Wishing you all good health and blessings during this holy week.
God bless you all.
SEND O LORD, HOLY APOSTLES INTO YOUR CHURCH.
Fr Sabu Pariyadan RCJ
Notices:
-
From our Bishop Alan Williams: By courtesy of Father Mark Reilly, the Diocesan Master of Ceremonies,
I will celebrate the Easter Triduum (live-streamed) at Wickford Parish at the following times:-
- Mass of the Lord's Supper (Maundy Thursday) - 7.30pm
- Good Friday - 3pm
- Easter Vigil - 8.30pm
You can join the bishop on the following link http://wickfordcatholic.com/live-streaming/
-
From Fr. Sabu: Dear friend, we are entering into quite an unusual way of celebrating the holy week.
As things stand at the moment we will not be able to have a physical celebration together. So I invite you all to
actively take part in the various liturgies of the holy week in the most spiritual way, making use of all the
available virtual means and above all with your personal prayer, reading the word of god, meditating on the passion
death and resurrection of our lord and above all by assimilating the grace of god into our hearts and minds. Let this
be a time of personal spiritual renewal and enlightenment. Wishing you all a blessed holy week and happy Easter.
-
The Holy Father will not celebrate the Chrism Mass this year and the Bishops' Conference has
accordingly decided to postpone this celebration until it is possible for us to gather in our Churches again.
-
The Good Friday Collection for the Holy Places, mandated by the Holy See, will now take place on the
Feast of the Exultation of the Holy Cross.
Summary Notes for Holy Week: (instructions from the diocese).
The arrangements for the celebration of the liturgies in Holy Week without the presence of the faithful are as follows:
Also, please note that no concelebration is permitted, nor the presence of deacons/servers.
-
Palm Sunday
"The Commemoration of the Lord's Entrance into Jerusalem is to be celebrated within sacred buildings; in
Cathedral churches the second form given in the Roman Missal is to be adopted; in parish churches and in other places
the third form is to be used." (CDWDS Decree II)
- Third form of the Commemoration of the Lord's Entrance into Jerusalem to be used in Parish churches.
- There is no blessing of palms in the third form. Palms that have been purchased could be kept until next year,
or, parish priests may wish to bless palms separately from the liturgy so that they can be available to their
people at a later date when travel becomes possible.
- Otherwise Mass as normal.
-
Chrism Mass
Once the restrictions of the pandemic are lifted, the Chrism Mass and the Blessing of Holy Oils and Consecration of
the Chrism will take place, with the Bishop, priests and faithful of our diocese. Until then, the Holy Oils from last
year should be retained in parishes and used when necessary.
-
Mass of the Lord's Supper (Maundy Thursday)
"The washing of feet, which is already optional, is to be omitted. At the end of the Mass of the Lord's
Supper the procession is also omitted and the Blessed Sacrament is to be kept in the tabernacle. On this day the
faculty to celebrate Mass in a suitable place, without the presence of the people, is exceptionally granted to all
priests." (CDWDS Decree II)
- Basically Mass as normal.
- No washing of the feet
- Universal Prayer but no Creed as normal.
- Liturgy of the Eucharist as normal.
- Transfer of the Blessed Sacrament to an Altar of repose is omitted, and the Blessed Sacrament is kept in the
tabernacle. However additional candles may be placed by the tabernacle to facilitate adoration until midnight
during which priests are encouraged to make a renewal of Priestly commitment (sent with the
Vademecum).
- The altar cloths may be removed from the altar as is customary at the end of this Mass.
-
Good Friday
"In the Universal Prayer, Bishops will arrange to have a special intention prepared for those who find
themselves in distress, the sick, the dead, (cf. Missale Romanum). The adoration of the Cross by kissing it shall be
limited solely to the celebrant." (CDWDS Decree II)
The Archbishops of England and Wales ask that if it is unrealistic for a priest to celebrate the Liturgy of the
Lord's Passion, he should spend time in prayer for his people. This will include the praying of Vespers
from the Liturgy of the Hours and also spend time before a Crucifix, where he should pray the Universal
Prayers of the Liturgy of Good Friday including the additional prayer sent with the Vademecum.
For those celebrating this liturgy, please note the following
- Altar should be bare - no cloth, no candles and no cross.
- Approach the altar in silence. Prostrate or kneel.
- Go to the altar and read one of the prescribed prayers.
- Liturgy of the Word as normal.
- Solemn intercessions as normal but with the additional special intention prepared by the Congregation for
Divine Worship (sent with the Vadmecum).
- With regards to the Showing of the Cross, note that the Cross can either be veiled or unveiled according to
whether the first or second form of the Showing is used. It may be expedient to use the second form for ease.
- Candles may be placed either side of the Cross if possible.
- The adoration of the Cross by kissing it shall be limited solely to the celebrant.
- Altar cloth, corporal and Missal and candles to be placed on the altar for Holy Communion.
- Holy Communion received by the celebrant.
- Ciborium is placed back in the tabernacle.
- Final prayer and the Prayer over the People are said and then leave in silence after genuflecting to the Cross.
- Altar cloth, corporal and Missal and candles are then removed from the altar.
-
Holy Saturday.
- During the day, the Altar remains bare until preparations for the Vigil.
- Ciborium remains in the tabernacle
-
Easter Vigil
"The Easter Vigil is to be celebrated only in Cathedral and parish churches. At 'The Solemn Beginning of
the Vigil or Lucenarium' the preparation and lighting of the fire is omitted, the Paschal Candle is lit, the
procession is omitted and the Easter Proclamation (Exsultet) follows. The 'Liturgy of the Word' then takes
place. For the 'Baptismal Liturgy' only the 'Renewal of Baptismal Promises' is maintained (cf.
Missale Romanum). The Liturgy of the Eucharist then follows." (CDWDS Decree I & II)
- This should be celebrated in Cathedrals and Parish Churches only. If a priest is unable to celebrate the Easter
Vigil, he should pray the prescribed Office of Readings for Easter Day noting the number of readings, chants and
prayers to be used.
For those celebrating the Easter Vigil:
- Normal lighting can be kept throughout.
- Paschal candle is prepared privately beforehand.
- Following the Greeting, the Lucenarium, the preparation of the fire is omitted, and the candle is lit
and placed in the candlestick without ceremony and procession, and the Easter Proclamation (the Exsultet)
immediately follows. (So, basically begin with para no. 9 on page 378 of the Missal, then, light the Paschal
Candle -and incense, if possible- and then, go straight to the Exsultet nos 18/19 on page 382 of the Missal).
- As there is no procession, it is recommended that this part of the Vigil takes place in the Sanctuary where the
Paschal candle is enthroned either in the centre or at the lectern.
- The Liturgy of the Word follows, noting the requirements of the readings, psalms and prayers.
- Altar candles can be lit after the last OT reading with its Responsorial psalm and its prayer.
- Bells can be rung during Gloria if at all possible
- The Renewal of Baptismal Promises is made without the blessing of water. For those who are not live-streaming
their liturgy, it may be sensible to change the interrogative form of the Renewal of Baptismal Promises into a
statement of intent: I renounce…. I believe….
-
Mass of Easter Day
All priests should endeavour to celebrate Mass for their people on Easter Sunday. The Mass should be as prescribed in
the Roman Missal but without the sprinkling of water as part of the Renewal of Baptismal Promises.
Please remember to pray for:
Daily for the sick clergy of our Diocese
The sick and housebound
Those who have recently died
