The Significance of Holy Thursday

CNA.com ^ | 04-01-10 | CNA.com

[Salvation]

The Significance of Holy Thursday

 

  

Except for the resurrection on Easter, Holy Thursday is possibly one of the most important, complex, and profound days of celebration in the Catholic Church. Holy Thursday celebrates the institution of the Eucharist as the true body and blood of Jesus Christ and the institution of the sacrament of the priesthood.

During the Last Supper, Jesus offers himself as the Passover sacrifice, the sacrificial lamb, and teaches that every ordained priest is to follow the same sacrifice in the exact same way. Christ also bids farewell to his followers and prophesizes that one of them will betray him and hand him over to the Roman soldiers.

Around the world, Bishops and priests come together at their local Cathedrals on Holy Thursday morning to celebrate the institution of the priesthood. During the Mass, the bishop blesses the Oil of Chrism that will be used for Baptism, Confirmation, and Anointing of the sick or dying.

At this Mass, the bishop washes the feet of twelve priests to symbolize Christ’s washing of his twelve Apostles, our first bishops and priests.

Later that night, after sundown – because Passover began at sundown-  the Holy Thursday Liturgy takes place, marking the end of Lent and the beginning of the sacred "Triduum,” or three, of Holy Week. These days are the three holiest days in the Catholic Church.

This Mass stresses the importance Jesus puts on the humility of service, and the need for cleansing with water, a symbol of baptism. Also emphasized are the critical importance of the Eucharist and the sacrifice of Christ’s Body, which we now find present in the consecrated Host.

At the conclusion of the Mass, the faithful are invited to continue Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament throughout the night, just as the disciples were invited to stay up with the Lord during His agony in the garden before His betrayal by Judas.

After Holy Thursday, no Mass will be celebrated again in the Church until the Easter Vigil celebrates and proclaims the Resurrection of the Lord Jesus Christ.

[Salvation]

Have a blessed Holy Thursday.

What Holy Thursday means to Catholics.

[Salvation]

PRAYER FOR HOLY THURSDAY

O Lord Jesus, in order that the merits of your sacrifice
on the Cross might be applied to every soul of all time,
you willed that it should be renewed upon the altar.

At the Last Supper, you said:
"Do this in remembrance of me."

By these words you gave your apostles and their successors the power to consecrate and to the command to do what you yourself did.

I believe that the Mass is both a sacrifice and a memorial- reenacting your passion, death and resurrection.

Help me to realize that the Mass is the greatest gift of God to us and our greatest gift to God.

Printed with permission from CatholicExpert.com.

[Salvation]

Sign of the Cross Ping!

Thursday of Holy Week

"But if I washed your feet...then you must wash each other’s feet." (John 13:14)

Reflection.

In April of 1945 American artillery in the town of Siegburg, Germany, was shelling a nearby village, in which there were about 20 German soldiers. The natives were in constant danger of being hit by bullets from either side. Toward evening of April 12 the people persuaded the German soldiers to cease fire. Next morning the village priest carried a white flag to the American outpost to inform the commander that the German soldiers had gone and the civilian population had no desire to resist further. Instructions were given to fly white flags from all the houses. The question uppermost in the minds of the towns-people was: How will the Americans treat us?
They had heard terrible tales of cruelty on the part of the Russians. How would these conquerors act?
The Americans began a thorough search for weapons and German soldiers. Two soldiers armed with pistols came to a certain three- room home. They stopped short in the living room before a hand- carved family altar. Into the bedroom they went, to find there a beautiful crucifix. The soldiers noticed the cross. They stopped, took off their steel helmets, changed their automatics from right hand to left, and respectfully made the sign of the cross.
As a member of the family related, the members of that household feared no longer. Yes, the sign of the cross is the salute of the true follower of Christ whether he is conqueror or conquered, whether he is German, Chinese, American or Australian. It is the countersign of the Christian. In particular, it is the special salute of the Catholic.

Lenten Fact

  Those who are impeded from visiting a church, during the Stations Of The Cross, may gain indulgences by piously reading and meditating on the passion and death of our Lord for one-half hour. The continued importance of the stations in the devotional life of Catholics is attested by both Pope Paul VI, who approved a Gospel-based version of the stations in 1975, and Pope John Paul II, who has also written his own version.


Lenten Action.

Imagine what it would feel like, if your loved one was  taken to prison without due cause. Imagine how the apostles felt as Jesus was carried away.

Prayer

Father, by the power of the Holy Spirit you anointed your only Son Messiah and Lord of creation; you have given us a share in his consecration to priestly service in your Church. Help us to be faithful witnesses in the world to the salvation Christ won for all mankind. We ask this through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever.
Amen.

[Jobu Needs A Refill]

T-minus 2 days until my baptism (a.k.a. “The Big Dunk”), confirmation and first Holy Communion.

Peace be with you!

[Republic]

WOW! GOD BLESS!!!!

[Jobu Needs A Refill]

Thanks!

I’m 44...better late than never, right?

[rbosque]

Wonderful!

[Republic]

That is the perfect age! Perfect! You are choosing from that vantage point of a mature adult and that is just wonderful!

I did the same only I was older than you are now. I needed to...I cannot explain it. I was baptized as a baby, but somehow that just isn't the same as making the choice as an adult!!!!

GOD BLESS YA!!

[Salvation]

Welcome home, brother! Tears in my eyes.

[Salvation]

[Jobu Needs A Refill]

Adult, yes. Mature? That’s debatable.

I’ve also been asked to be our parish’s RCIA representative for tonight’s “washing of the feet” reenactment at the Lord’s Supper mass. I guess it pays to be teacher’s pet?

[Republic]

LOL!!! Certainly-bet you just gave more than a few good belly laughs to the Angels, too.

[Salvation]

LOL! Teacher’s pet? I doubt it. You just asked a lot of intelligent questions because you’ve been hanging out on FR. LOL!

[married21]

My DH joined the Church as an adult 20 years ago, and still attends Easter vigil every year to remember that day and honor the newly baptized. Best wishes to you on your upcoming Sacraments, and welcome!

[Jobu Needs A Refill]

Well, I’m fairly certain I’m the only one in my group that can recite the Nicene Crede, so in the immortal words of Carl Spackler, “I’ve got dat goin’ for me, which is nice.”

Yeah, I’m a serial FR lurker...I should really post more. At least here I’m immune from inane attacks by my lib friends on Facebook simply for suggesting that there just MIGHT be a smidgen of an anti-Christian slant in the MSM.

[Jobu Needs A Refill]

Thanks. DH?

I went last year to see what I’d be in for...what a beautiful mass it is. My catachetical director is all about the mystery in the various RCIA rites...when I mentioned that I’d been to the Vigil last year, she dropped a major league stank-eye on me. LOL.

[married21]

DH = Dear Hubby

[Jobu Needs A Refill]

Gotcha.

[Salvation]

Holy Thursday is also known as "Maundy Thursday." The word maundy comes from the Latin word mandatum (commandment) which is the first word of the Gospel acclamation:

Mandátum novum do vobis dicit Dóminus, ut diligátis ínvicem, sicut diléxi vos:
"I give you a new commandment: Love one another as I have loved you." (John 13:34)

These are the words spoken by our Lord to His apostles at the Last Supper, after he completed the washing of the feet. We should imitate Christ's humility in the washing of the feet. (by serving others)

[Campion]

Congratulations and welcome!