Easter Triduum: The Three Great Days 2019

A celebration - of one three-day-long-liturgy - or of one liturgy with three different moments

Holy Thursday

The Community gathered in the Cathedral on Holy Thursday 18^th April to focus on the Story of the Washing of the Feet – a reading from John’s Gospel; on a Ritual foot-washing; on Celebration of Eucharist – the solemn transfer of the Holy Eucharist - and leaving in silence.

  Unity in diversity was evidenced as members from the Filipino, African, Indian, PNG and Australian communities had their feet washed -including the Elect and Candidate. 

“A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another:

just as I have loved you, you also are to love one another.”

(John 13:34)

 Good Friday

At 3.00 pm The Cathedral was filled with members of the community who gathered to listen to the Proclamation of the Passion of the Lord from the Gospel of John proclaimed by Andrew Lamb Narrator, Father Bryan Hanifin Jesus, and Michael Stockall.  

Veneration of the Cross

The cross was carried in procession by Father Sijo (Indian), Linda Esguerra (Filipino) and Shingi Padya (African).  Father Sijo intoned “Behold the Wood of the Cross.”  Once in place, the Cross was venerated by the congregation.

Holy Communion:

On Good Friday we received Holy Communion.   Through Communion we were helped to appreciate the unity of the Triduum because communion links the Good Friday Liturgy with the Holy Thursday Mass of the Lord’s Supper and looks forward to the great Eucharist of the Easter Vigil.  The celebration finished with the prayer over the people who then departed in silence.

This is the Night: the Easter Vigil

The climax of the Triduum was the Easter Vigil, the ‘night of nights’.  The Christian community gathered to ‘remember, celebrate and believe’ the dying and rising of Jesus – the Paschal Mystery in which we share through Baptism and Eucharist.

 The celebration began outside the church in darkness. With great solemnity the light was kindled, the darkness vanished, and the resurrection was proclaimed: it is Easter, Passover.
We processed into the church and listened to the readings from scripture interspersed with psalm responses. The next movement was to the baptismal font for the initiation of the elect and the renewal of our baptismal promises.

Finally, the climax – the Easter banquet – as bread is broken and wine is poured out. There was the wonderful flow and rhythm to the Easter Vigil.

 Light

The power of darkness must be felt so that the light of Christ in the Easter candle can be truly appreciated. 

Word

The liturgy of the word for the Easter Vigil included stories that made this night what it was – stories about creation, Abraham and Isaac, the escape of the Israelites through the parted waters, the prophet’s vision of the union of earth and heaven, the empty tomb. .

 Water

Central to the Easter Vigil was the initiation of a new member into the community through the waters of Baptism.

“Stephanie, I Baptise you in the name of the father, and of the son and of the holy Spirit”.  Stephanie responded “My yes to Jesus” 

 Baptised Christians were also welcomed and received into the Catholic Church through the Profession of Faith.

   Helen: “I believe and profess all that the Holy Catholic Church believes, teaches and proclaims to be revealed by God”.

Table

 The culmination of the initiation process was the moment when, for the first time, the newly initiated approached the table of the Eucharist.  

Stephanie, Helen and Trent “the body of Christ”

 Through light, word, water and table, we entered the celebration of the Paschal Mystery, a joyful celebration which continues for the entire 50 days of the Easter season.

"We are an Easter people and 'Alleluia' is our song."  St Augustine