worship at the cathedral 7 - the paschal triduum

The highest feast of the Church is the Paschal Triduum.  It is a Triduum because it is one feast that would take us three days to finish.  It begins with the Evening Mass of Holy Thursday, then continues with the celebration of Good Friday and then reaches its peaks in the celebration of the Vigil of Easter overflowing to Easter Sunday.  It is such a big feast it takes us 40 days to prepare (Season of Lent), 3 days to commemorate (Paschal Triduum) and 50 days to celebrate (Easter Season).  The Paschal Triduum is the purpose of Lent, and the Paschal Triduum is the reason for Easter.

And what is celebrated?  The Pasch.  It means the "crossing over" or the "passing through".  The word was first used by Moses and the Israelites when they passed through from Egypt to the land of promise, they crossed over from slavery to freedom.

The passion, death and resurrection of Jesus is also pasch.  It is Jesus' passing over "from this world to the Father" (Jn. 13: 1).  And with Jesus, it is also our pasch, our passing over from sin to grace, from death to life, from slavery to freedom of the sons and daughters of God.  Thus, it is not just the Eucharist that is celebrated on these days but also baptism and the renewal of this sacrament, because if the pasch of Jesus is his passion, death and resurrection, our pasch is our baptism.  It is our crossing over, through Jesus and with Jesus.

Because of these there are certain things I would like to invite you to do on commemorating this highest of all feasts.

First, don't miss a celebration.  Some would prefer to come only for Holy Thursday and Easter Sunday.  Others are content merely in attending Easter Sunday.  Others would only attend the middle celebration - Good Friday.  No.  You should attend all!  Remember this is just one celebration which takes us 3 days to finish.  In these three days we accompany Christ through his passion, death and resurrection.  (Remember, the only time we see Judas on these days is on Holy Thursday, during the Last Supper! After that he is nowhere to be seen.  Hahaha!)

Second, go to confession (and can you please do it before the paschal triduum begins on Holy Thursday?! Why do people have to wait when it is almost too late!).  The renewal of baptism is an important component of the paschal triduum.  In fact, it is its peak celebration, the concrete expression of our own pasch or crossing over.  And what is the best way to renew baptism?  Confession!!!  If you have time for the visita iglesia, pass by the church of MH del Pilar.  As you enter the church there are two window panes whose glasses are beautifully etched.  On your right, you will read "The Waters of Baptism" and right beside it is the baptismal font.  And to your left you will read "The Tears of Repentance" and right beside it is the confessional.   Both waters are important in Christian life - baptismal water washes us clean and gives us new life, while the tears of repentance in confession washes away sins committed after baptism and restores the original grace of baptism.

Third, can we spend these days by slowing down and have more silent moments for reflection and prayer?  Stop going to the malls for now.  Find a place for silence and retreat.  Do the via crucis around the cathedral or do the visita iglesia with your family, make it prayerful.  Go to confessions together.  Go to church together.