These four days are so wonderful to me because it is where we as Catholics get the Sacrament of the Eucharist from. The Eucharist is what are entire religion is formed around. Without the Eucharist there would be no Mass. Jesus shares supper with his disciples saying "Take and eat, this is my body" and "Drink from it all of you, for this is my blood of the covenant, which will be shed on behalf of many for the forgiveness of sins," "Do this in memory of me".....so we do again and again......in every Mass, but most especially on Holy Thursday we share in not only that, but the other parts of that same night Jesus shared with his disciples. During the Mass the priests wash the feet of the people exactly the same as Jesus washed his disciples feet. After Mass Jesus is exposed and we pray and wait, exactly how after the supper Jesus went to pray and wait until finally he was taken. These next two days are the only time in the year that Mass is not celebrated in the Catholic church. He is taken from us just as Jesus was taken and turned over by his own people.
As my husband and I sat in Mass watching people get there feet watched and then sat in the presence of the Lord afterwards tears came to my eyes as I thought about how Jesus must have felt to wait and plead that this not be the will of the Father, that there be some other way. You suddenly start to reflect on your last 40 days, and on what you thought was hard and realize how it doesn't even compare to that night and the days following. How much did he have to love us for that. How much would we do for someone we love?
Good Friday is not my favorite day of the year and yet I wouldn't ever want to give it up. This is the day we
remember and reflect on the Crucifixion. After Jesus was handed over by his own people he was sentenced to death with Crucifixion. Growing up my church use to do living stations which was powerful to me as a youth. It brought me closer to what actually happened that day and what was sacrificed for every human to ever live. This Good Friday my husband and I walked and meditated on the Stations of the Cross at Mother Cabrini Shrine on Lookout Mountain. There are crosses with the Stations of the Cross along steps up the mountain and as we walked them I thought about Jesus walk through the crowd as he was carrying his cross up the mountain. Would I have been one to turn against him or been waiting to wipe his face to show him some sort of love in return? How often do I join the crowd today and how often am I that person that wipes his face? As we finished the Stations, we headed to attend the Good Friday Service at our parish. A beautiful day of prayer and reflection.Holy Saturday I sometimes feel bad about. Of these three days I always seem to reflect and pray much less. It seems like the main stuff is done, whats left, right? The older I have gotten though the more I realize how it is still just a continuation of the Triduum. It is in fact something of great importance and deserves just as much attention as the previous days. My husband and I spent Holy Saturday reflecting most especially on the gospels in the bible on the burial of Jesus, where they described how they wrapped Jesus in white linens, how they sat outside the tomb after a stone was rolled in front of it, and how Pilate made sure it was guarded so that no one would steal the body. When evening rolled around I grew anxious of what was to come. We listened to a talk by Father Shea from Bismarck who talks in depth about the Way of the Cross, which was a great reflection before bed! Holy Saturday is a tough night to sleep though.
