The Easter Triduum is a symbolic and sacred time for Christians, recalling the final acts of Jesus Christ in the days before His crucifixion. The Mass of the Lord’s Supper on Holy Thursday marks the beginning of the Triduum when the priest and some members of the congregation take part in the ritual of the washing of feet, and the Tabernacle is left empty and the Eucharist placed on an altar of repose.
On Good Friday the Celebration of the Lord’s Passion traditionally takes place in the afternoon, at about three o’clock. Worshippers enter and leave the church in silence acknowledging the sacredness of the day that Jesus died for us. The ceremony begins with the Liturgy of the Word which includes the reading of the Passion narrative from the Gospel of John (John 18:1—19:4). This is followed by the Solemn Intercessions and Veneration of the Cross when each person present is invited to kiss the Cross, in an act of adoration to Jesus Our Saviour, who redeemed us from our sins.
The Easter Vigil celebrated at darkness on Easter Saturday night and this is the longest service of the liturgical year and the pinnacle of the three day liturgy, marking the Resurrection of Jesus from the dead. It includes several readings and the renewal of baptismal vows.
The celebration of the Lord’s Passion on Good Friday has always been particularly meaningful for me. In my life I have come to experience the infinite love of God through the Cross and it has been a great source of healing and hope in my life. I have experienced some challenges such as being diagnosed with bipolar disorder when I was 20 and the challenge of managing this fluctuating condition; as well as navigating the breakdown of friendships and relationships, and the loss of employment.
In these difficult times I have relied on my faith as a source of consolation and strength. I have been particularly cognisant of the invitation of Jesus to “take up your cross daily and follow me” (Luke 9:23). This is a challenging exhortation but I have always believed that God gives us sufficient grace for each day, and that we are not alone as Christians in carrying our cross – the Lord accompanies us each moment of each day in our lives.
The Cross also challenges me to be a real Christian and to live forgiveness. Through my holistic healing journey I learned that forgiveness is both a psychological concept and a Christian virtue. Forgiving those who have hurt me is the only way that I can experience interior peace and freedom in my heart, and get on with my life, and strive to live it to the full. Again we can turn to the example of Jesus – even though He feels abandoned on the Cross, he still prays in the words of Psalm 22, that God will forgive those who crucify Him – “Father, forgive them, they know not what they do” (Luke 23:34).
Of course it is not easy to forgive as Jesus forgave, and in some instances striving to forgive fully and ‘to let go and let God’ has been a process that has taken me a long time. I am a big believer in holistic healing and in the value of using both spiritual and psychological interventions in my journey towards recovery.
Psychologically taking part in group therapy programmes such as Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) and Compassion Focussed Therapy (CFT) has helped to embody the practical elements of forgiveness and to ‘drop the struggle’ and let go of my past hurts. In ACT I learned how to accept my circumstances as they are without trying to change them and to stop trying to be perfect; while in CFT I learned, through guided meditations and group work, to gravitate towards practicing self-care in managing my mental health, by deepening my compassion practices and being more open to healing and growth.
From the spiritual perspective, experiencing the forgiveness of God in the Sacrament of Reconciliation, has been hugely beneficial for my healing in mind, body and soul. This sacrament (also known as Confession or Penance) is God’s gift to us so that any sin we commit can be forgiven. Through the ministry of the priest, God can and does accomplish the forgiveness of all our sins through this sacrament.
As my faith matured, I came to realise the power of confession in the context of my healing journey. Frequenting the sacrament regularly helps me to confess my sins and to receive the healing forgiveness of Jesus. It also serves to alleviate any negative feelings of guilt that I sometimes am sometimes prone to. I find that it is a particular source of consolation when I leave the confessional after receiving the closing absolution of the priest and his closing exgoration ‘Go in peace’. It is a great blessing of Christianity that we revere a loving Saviour in Jesus Christ who rescues us from sin and death through his sacrificial crucifixion and resurrection.
Since Easter, no sin has the power to separate sinners from God – at least if they grasp the hand of the Risen Crucified One, who reaches out to the depths of the abyss to offer himself to the lost sheep: ‘Neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, nor height nor depth, nor any other creature, will be able to separate us from the love of God made manifest in Christ Jesus our Lord’ (Rom 8:38-39).
In conclusion, the one great liturgy of the Easter Triduum, is a poignant reminder to all believers of why Jesus is revered as the Saviour – he can lift our souls from the clouds of darkness into divine light – the utter fullness of God. Easter is a glorious revelation of God’s love for humankind. The Cross in not the end. The resurrection of Christ brings great hope.
As I spent some time in musical reflection at the start of Holy Week, I was providentially led to learn the song Healing Now by Katy Nichole on guitar. Katy’s music has been helping me in the midst of my healing journey, and it has given me renewed trust in God’s promises. I feel that the lyrics of this song encapsulate my healing journey very well. Like Katy I can summarise that ‘there’s still some pain inside‘ and that ‘some days still bring dark clouds‘ [in the lyrics from the chorus below], but I also firmly believe that ‘I’ve started healing now‘.
Lord knows I’ve been trying to work on myself
And I’m finally getting hеlp
Not everything is figured out
But I’ve started healing now
Lord knows I’ve been hurtin’ for a really long time
And there’s still some pain inside
Some days still bring dark clouds
But I can say I’ve started healing now
I’ve started healing now
