Series: Holy Week begins with palms

Msgr Michael de Verteuil, Chair of the Archdiocesan Liturgical Commission continues a series of articles for the Lenten season.

This is the beginning of Holy Week, the first three days of which we read of the woman anointing the feet of Jesus which He interprets as ‘this scent for the day of my burial’ (Monday); Jesus’ prediction that one of the disciples would betray Him and that Peter would disown Him (Tuesday); Judas betrays Jesus (Wednesday). The first readings on these days are taken from Isaiah’s prophecies of the suffering servant– the one who was especially called by God to serve the cause of right, who would glorify God and be light of the nations, who would suffer patiently.

These are beautiful passages and reading them meditatively will bring great benefit. The passages are Isaiah 42:1–7, 49:1–6, 50:4–9.

Thursday, we enter the triduum of Holy Thursday, Good Friday and Easter celebrating with great solemnity the Paschal Mystery of Jesus.

And so, we come to the last Sunday of Lent and on this Sunday the theme moves from conversion and preparing to be baptised or to renew our baptismal commitment to the theme of Christ’s suffering.

Collect: speaks of Christ’s redemptive suffering by which we may merit a share in His Resurrection.

Prayer over the Gifts: centres on the Passion and asks that we might feel the effects of God’s mercy.

Preface: once again the theme of Christ’s redemptive suffering–‘His death has washed away our sins and His Resurrection has purchased our justification.’

First Reading (Isaiah 50:4–7). The obedience of the suffering servant–‘I made no resistance …….I offered my back to those who struck me.’

Second Reading (Phil 2:6–11). Jesus’ obedience and suffering (‘He was humbler yet even to accepting death, death on a cross’) which leads to God exalting Him so that every knee should bend at the name of Jesus.

Gospel: the Passion of Jesus (Mark 14:1–15:47).