The Triduum is so about rubrics ...
Looking through the Missal or Magnificat - the amount of 'red' to do almost overwhelms the 'black' to say. So, when Pope Francis leaves the Vatican to celebrate the Lord's Supper with prisoners - and performs the ritual foot-washing - I appreciate that. I love how Pope Francis goes out to others. Especially prisoners and those most of us consider 'worse' than ourselves. You know, because we haven't mugged anyone, or killed anyone. It seems especially appropriate since after Jesus celebrated the Passover with the disciples who abandoned him anyway, he was arrested and spent the night in jail.
What the Pope had to say:
Vatican City, Apr 13, 2017 / 06:22 am (CNA/EWTN News).- Pope Francis has given an interview ahead of his Holy Thursday visit to a prison, warning, among other things, against the hypocrisy of viewing inmates only as criminals beyond hope who deserve to spend their lives in jail.
“At times a certain hypocrisy pushes us to see in prisons only people who have done wrong, for whom the only path is that of the prison,” the Pope said in the interview, published April 13, Holy Thursday.
He said the idea of visiting prisons came largely through the example of the late Cardinal Secretary of State, Agostino Casaroli, who passed away in 1998 and would frequently spend his Saturday nights at youth prisons on Rome’s Via Casal del Marmo.
Francis, who has washed the feet of inmates on Holy Thursday in both 2013 and 2015, said the reason he is choosing to do so again is because of Christ’s declaration that “I was a prisoner and you visited me.”
“The mandate of Jesus goes for each one of us, but above all the bishop, who is the father of everyone,” the Pope said, noting that when some inmates express their guilt to him, he responds by telling them: “let whoever is not guilty throw the first stone.”
“Let us look inside and try to find our faults. Then, the heart will become more human,” he said, explaining that priests and bishops must always be disposed to serve others. - Read the rest here.
Terry, have a Blessed Triduum! We are united in prayer!
ReplyDeleteThank you - and yes we are united in prayer.
DeleteWhat I find interesting is that the Holy Father can kneel to wash the feet of criminals, muslims, and unbelievers, but he can't kneel before the Eucharist because he has "bad knees." Something aint right.
ReplyDeleteHoly Thursday Mass was beautiful, thanks be to God. My sister-in-law, who is not Catholic, attended the services with us. I asked our Lord Jesus to touch her heart in a way that would open her to becoming Catholic.
ReplyDeleteI was happy too that after taking my mother home, I returned to the Church and spent time with our Lord while He was in repose in the Blessed Sacrament. I prayed for everyone especially for the brethren who suffer for The Name in the Middle East, for all war victims and war criminals. I prayed for families, children, the Church.
I prayed especially for Papa Francis and for those who support him and for those who criticize him.
A blessed and holy Easter to you dear Terry and to your many readers!