Christians in the ancient world celebrated
Triduum – which means “three days.”
Triduum celebrates with solemnity Jesus’ passion and death and concludes
with the joy of his resurrection. Triduum
lasts from Maundy Thursday evening through Easter Sunday. In the past fifty years, the Lutheran church
has witnessed a revival of the Triduum in the liturgical year. Triduum has been celebrated in this parish
since the 1950’s.
One of the pastoral issues of the 21st
century is that many Christians worship on Easter Sunday without observing the
liturgies that lift up Jesus’ passion and death. Now, don’t get me wrong – I believe that
Easter Sunday is the most important Feast Day of the church year. On Easter Sunday we celebrate God’s triumph
over the powers of sin, death and the devil through Jesus Christ’s suffering,
death, and resurrection. I pray that
people will flock to church buildings to worship on this day. Nevertheless, Christ’s death and resurrection
go hand-in-hand. We cannot find meaning
in Christ’s death without his resurrection and there would be no weight to
Christ’s resurrection without remembering his suffering and death. As followers of our Lord Christ I think it is
important we keep the whole feast of Triduum – beginning with Maundy Thursday
moving to Good Friday and culminating with Easter Vigil. For me, it gives a deeper meaning to the
celebration in which we joyfully participate on Easter morning.
Maundy Thursday: On this night we remember Christ’s last evening with his
disciples. He gathered around the table
to share his final meal with them and instituted the Last Supper (which we
celebrate each week in the liturgy of Holy Communion). On this night, according to John’s gospel,
Jesus knelt down to wash his disciples’ feet as a sign that he would give up
his whole life for the sake of humanity.
“Then he came to Simon Peter.
Peter said to him, ‘Lord, are you going to wash my feet?’ Jesus replied, ‘You do not understand what
I am doing now, but you will understand after these things.’” ~ John 13:6-7. At the conclusion of the evening, Jesus is
betrayed by Judas Iscariot and is arrested.
During the Maundy Thursday service, the community of faith gathers
around Word and Sacrament, experiences the act of footwashing, and concludes
with a stripping of the altar (to remember how Christ was stripped of his
dignity and life).
Good Friday: On this day, we journey with Christ through his trial,
suffering, and death. Traditionally the
Passion according to John is read during the liturgy (Matthew’s, Mark’s, and
Luke’s accounts are read during the liturgy of Palm Sunday). The liturgy includes the Bidding Prayer, the
Adoration of the Cross, and the Solemn Reproaches. During the service, the sin of the world is
revealed at its fullest in the suffering of God’s Son. “At
about three o’clock Jesus shouted with a loud voice, “Eli, Eli, lema sabachthani?” that is,
“My God, my God, why have you
forsaken me?” ~ Matthew 27:46.
Easter Vigil: Traditionally, Christians would gather on Easter Vigil around
midnight to “keep watch” until Easter morning.
The vigil celebrates the transition from the darkness of death to the
light of resurrection. The liturgy
begins with the lighting of the first flame.
Readings from the Old Testament are shared to remember God’s mighty acts
in this world. The service then
transitions from the darkness to the light where participants gather around the
Word proclaimed and the Sacraments shared. In the ancient world, catechumenates
were baptized at the Easter Vigil. Some clergy
attempt to reserve baptisms for this service, but if there are no baptisms, a
Thanksgiving for Baptism will be celebrated.
“Jesus said, ‘Go to my brothers and tell them, ‘I am
ascending to my Father and your Father, to my God and your God.’ Mary Magdalene came and informed the disciples, “I have
seen the Lord!” ~ John 20:17b-20a.
Blessings to your Lenten journeys and have a joyous Easter! In Christ ~ Pastor Maureen
