“By his bruises, we are healed (Isaiah 53:5).” This verse affirms the reality of incarnation. The death of Jesus reveals our humanity. There are so many layers to the meaning of the crucifixion. It reflects our human condition in a deep and mysterious…
This day marks the start of the Triduum – the three-day journey as we transition from the 40 days of Lent to Easter Sunday. On Holy Thursday we read about Jesus at the Passover meal and the washing of the…
In the 1970 rock opera Jesus Christ Superstar, Simon Zealotes exhorts Jesus Christ to grasp the moment afforded by the huge, enthusiastic crowd of 50,000 people that has cheered him on his triumphant entry into Jerusalem. Simon’s hope is that…
There are many Easters in my memory: from the ones experienced as a child with new dress-up clothes and maybe a special hat. (Easter bonnets were a real thing when I was young.) There were Easter baskets filled with treats,…
Easter is about resurrection — new life springing forth. But before we can get to Easter, we have to go through the Passion of Jesus Christ, the narrative of his suffering, agony and death on the cross. We play out…
In October of 2015 my wife Annette and I went on a tour of the Holy Land. Each place we visited there held its own special significance, but there was one in particular that stood out for me as the…
I once attended a Mass in El Salvador. The worship space was a small aluminum shed with rows of wooden benches and a space for the priest, and wooden altar at the front. It was a wonderful experience. I do not…
The event that dominates the world’s history surely has to be the day that Jesus Christ rose from the dead. The significance of the death and resurrection of Jesus of Nazareth is mind-boggling. The fact that the eternal Word of…
A significant part of our worship on Good Friday is the veneration of the cross. The cross is solemnly processed through the congregation, then we are invited to express our devotion to it. The cross may be the most recognizable…
It was a most memorable Holy Thursday celebration. About forty of us – students, faculty and visitors – had gathered in the campus chapel to begin the annual journey through the Easter Triduum. The liturgical features and the rituals of…