Sacred Paschal Triduum       Thursday April 9th, begins the Sacred Paschal Triduum (Thursday, Friday, Saturday). “Paschal” refers to the suffering, death and resurrection of Jesus Christ. The Hebrew word “ pesach ” (Passover) is rendered “ pascha ” in Greek, from which we get the English word “paschal,” an adjective.       “Christ redeemed us all and gave perfect glory to God principally through His paschal mystery: dying He destroyed our death and rising He restored our life. Therefore the Easter triduum of the Passion and Resurrection of the Lord is the culmination of the entire liturgical year.... Let the paschal feast be kept sacred. Let it be celebrated everywhere on Good Friday and, wherever possible, prolonged throughout Holy Saturday, as a way of coming to the joys of the Sunday of the resurrection with uplifted and welcoming heart. These days are therefore unique in the liturgical year and their celebration is of the utmost importance...

Palm Sunday       This Sunday is Palm Sunday, or Passion Sunday, and is the commencement of Holy Week.  Good Friday is April 10, and Easter Sunday is April 12.        Unfortunately, due to the coronavirus closures we will not be able to attend Mass – but we can still watch and pray the Mass online ( ollcalcity.org ), and remember the events and meaning of this day when Jesus triumphantly, yet humbly, came into Jerusalem.       To give a likely chronological sequence of events that Holy Week of likely AD 30, consider that this Saturday would be when Jesus was likely in Bethany with Lazarus, Mary, Martha, His disciples and many followers.  Jesus is warned that the Jewish authorities have decided to kill him (Mt. 26:3-5).  They have a meal together and Mary, for the second time, anoints Jesus’ feet in an act of sincere love (Jn. 12:2-11, Mt. 26:6-13).  Judas Iscariot, on the other hand, meets wi...