Holy Week and the Paschal Triduum

 “But we had hoped that he was the one to redeem Israel.” (Lk 24:21)

These are the words of the two disciples making their way from Jerusalem to Emmaus.  Their hearts were bereft and their minds clouded in confusion because of what had happened over the last few days.

Let’s try to understand and enter their desolation.

Jesus had been preaching and teaching for maybe three years.  But in that time, a great multitude had become his followers – his disciples.  They left their homes, the security of all they knew, to follow him – to sit at his feet and listen to his words.

Ask yourself whether there is there anyone that you would do that for?

And why it was that they did? 

We get an idea from the Gospels…

“And when Jesus finished these sayings, the crowds were astonished at his teaching, for he was teaching them as one who had authority, and not as their scribes.” (Mt 7:28-29 & Mk 1:22)

It was no earthly authority that Jesus had – that’s what the scribes had.  Jesus’s followers recognised that his authority came from God.  Over time, they came to place all their hope in him.  In their heart of hearts, they knew that he was the One that had been foretold in the Scriptures.  They had no doubt…even if they didn’t fully understand.

Then, in a matter of a few days, that hope was crushed.

Or so they thought.

Over the next week, dare we allow ourselves to experience what they experienced over those eight days – from his triumphant, if unconventional entry into Jerusalem, through his Last Supper, his trials, excruciating torture and prolonged, agonising death…to his Resurrection.

The drama of the Sacred Liturgies this week is very powerful indeed.

They tell our story – the story of the Church and of our redemption.  Let us live that story each day of Holy Week.

Let us come together as the local Church on Maundy Thursday, Good Friday and – most of all – Saturday evening at the Easter Vigil, for this is what we have spent Lent preparing for.

We allow our lives to become so busy; let us not simply fit in bits of Holy Week where it is convenient to do so.

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