Triduum ... Three Days of Prayer, Solidarity, and Hope

Somehow, I find it hard to believe that it is already Holy Week. Blogging has been light here of late, I know. I could list the many things I am busy about, but you can probably guess. In any case, I've not been here. Tonight, however, I thought I would just post something short about these Holy days we are entering of Triduum.

Triduum is my favorite part of our Catholic liturgical tradition. For those not in the know, Triduum refers to the three holy days of holy week: Holy Thursday, Good Friday, and the Easter Vigil.  We come together on these days to tell our story, to remember, to ritualize, and finally to celebrate the hope of the resurrection and welcome new members of our Christian family.

We open our hearts to the call to service on Holy Thursday, remembering Christ's love for his friends and his model of service and love.

We open our hearts to those who experience violence, oppression, and suffering on Good Friday, remembering Jesus who carried the cross on which he would die.

We open our hearts to joy and hope at the Easter Vigil and on Easter Sunday, when we stand again at the tomb and realize, along with the women, that Christ is risen!

The journey through Triduum is always a transformative one for me.  Part of my love of the Triduum might be the fact that even though I was raised Catholic and went to 12 years of Catholic school, I never really experienced it until I came back to the Church as an adult. And luckily for me, and my own faith journey, my first Triduums were experienced as part of a faith community at St. Phil's that took it seriously and journeyed together in a meaningful way.

Tonight I was invited by a young sister friend of mine to join her congregation for Holy Thursday liturgy at their mother house. It was a beautiful way to enter into these days. Tomorrow I will be joining the 8th Day Center Good Friday Walk for Justice through downtown Chicago. And on Saturday, I'm planning to attend the vigil at the University of Chicago Calvert House community.

Wherever and however you are marking these days, blessings of peace to you as we anticipate the joy of Easter!

Easter Musings

The Easter Season is 50 days to be savored, but in reality it is most often ignored.  Sometimes when I tell people the Easter Season is that long, they look at me like I'm crazy.  Longer than Lent?  Yep.  And there's a reason for that ... Jesus of course.  We need to celebrate and rejoice in the presence of God in our lives, in our human history, in our future!  It is a time to find our energy, life and passion for the Gospel.

The liturgical readings during the Easter Season aren't too shabby either.  I love reading the Acts of the Apostles in particular.  In those early days after the death and resurrection of Jesus, the emerging church had such energy, passion and life for living out the Gospel.  They could do wonders, like the healing at the Beautiful Gate in today's first reading:

But Peter looked intently at [the man disabled from birth], as did John, and said, "Look at us." He paid attention to them, expecting to receive something from them. Peter said, "I have neither silver nor gold, but what I do have I give you: in the name of Jesus Christ the Nazorean, rise and walk." Then Peter took him by the right hand and raised him up, and immediately his feet and ankles grew strong. He leaped up, stood, and walked around, and went into the temple with them, walking and jumping and praising God. When all the people saw him walking and praising God, they recognized him as the one who used to sit begging at the Beautiful Gate of the temple, and they were filled with amazement and astonishment at what had happened to him.

This morning as I was reading this passage, a new phrase jumped out at me ... "Look at us."  Peter and John did not simply heal the man, they invited him into relationship.  Think of all the times you have seen someone on the street corner with a sign, asking for assistance, looking forlorn.  Have you ever noticed what happens when, even if you are not able or willing to give money, you look them in the eyes, smile and say hello.  The humanity of both you and the other is renewed, all through the power of relationship. When Peter and John looked at the man they saw his human dignity, his desire and his potential.  Perhaps he was enlivened, renewed, and decided to give walking another chance.  Perhaps there was more of a supernatural physical healing--as I said, the early church had great energy, passion and life for living out the Gospel.  In any case, we have this story that at the Beautiful Gate, the man engaged in conversation with Peter and John and then walked, jumped and praised God.  It is worthy of reflection and application in our own contemporary reality and lives I think.

Then of course there is today's Gospel story of the two on the Road to Emmaus!  Another favorite, worthy of oodles of reflection and contemplation.  Riches galore await!

May you have a blessed Easter Season as you rediscover your own energy, passion and life for living out the Gospel.

Peace.

Two Takes on Emmaus

I love the Easter Season! For those not in the know, Easter doesn't end on the day the bunny brings the chocolate. Easter - the liturgical season - just starts then. We have such amazing readings during this season. Like today's Gospel ... the Road to Emmaus. Today I thought I'd share two different takes on the story that I find fruitful for prayer and reflection.

Take One
This icon by Sister Marie Paul, OSB of the Mount of Olives Monastery, Jerusalem (1990). I was first introduced to the idea that one of the disciples who met Jesus on the Road to Emmaus may have been a woman by my old spiritual director. This icon gives an image to that tradition. It's become a favorite source of prayer for me at Easter time. (Learn more/order the icon here)

The “Road to Emmaus” Icon by Sister Marie Paul OSB
of the Mount of Olives Monastery, Jerusalem (1990)

Take Two
This poem by Denise Levertov (from The Stream & The Sapphire) based on this painting by Velazquez

The Servant-Girl at Emmaus

(A Painting by Velazquez)

She listens, listens, holding

her breath. Surely that voice

is his – the one

who had looked at her, once, across the crowd,

as no one ever had looked?

Had seen her? Had spoken as if to her?

Surely those hands were his,

taking the platter of bread from hers just now?

Hands he’d laid on the dying and made them well?

Surely that face -- ?

The man they’d crucified for sedition and blasphemy.

The man whose body disappeared from its tomb.

The man it was rumored now some women had seen this

morning, alive?

Those who had brought this stranger home to their table

don’t recognize yet with whom they sit.

But she, in the kitchen, absently touching

the winejug she’s to take in,

a young Black servant intently listening,

swings round and sees

the light around him

and is sure.

Happy Easter Wednesday!

"I guess I have to accept I'm a functional Roman Catholic"

Thanks to some Facebook friends for pointing out this awesome clip from Stephen Colbert about his Catholic Bender, aka Holy Week. I must say that on Monday I was filled with joy but a little "hung over" from all the awesome Catholic mojo myself. One thing I love about him is how he takes something that is so authentically part of himself, his inner Catholic-Church-Geek, and turns it into humor that is genuinely funny. As someone commented on James Martin's Facebook Page link to this clip, "I know this sounds bad but it makes being Catholic kind of cool."

jelly belly morning

I had an in depth conversation this morning with my niece Julia about Jelly Beans. It seems a certain rabbit of Easter came to her house this morning and left lots of the little sugary creations in plastic easter eggs which were scattered about. She was fast, so she told me, faster than her little 11 month old cousin so she got the most eggs. And, it seems, she also got the most jelly beans. We agreed that red ones are the best. After that she likes orange ones. And green ones. I told her I didn't like black ones, and she agreed that those sounded yucky, although she didn't think she had any of that variety.

I had a wonderful Holy Week and Easter celebration with the Sisters, but it was good to be able to check in with some of my munchkins this Easter by phone!

You Are a Cherry Jelly Bean

Sweet yet strong, you have a distinct personality without being a weirdo. You're the most normal of all flavors - but you're never boring.

What Flavor Jelly Bean Are You?

Margaret Anna Easter Meditation

"Consider how we may best worship and glorify the risen Heart of Jesus.

1. Let us run with the holy women to His tomb. There we may conteplate His wonders and adore His power; there we may offer our most fervent congratulations on His joyful resurrection.

2. Let us return with the women to declare what we have seen; let us tell 'the brethren' of His risen love; let us manifest to all that His resurrection is also ours, and invite all to share in it by our words and our example.

3. Let us also rise with him. We have sought during the past season of penance to die with Him; now let us rise again. He is the resurrection and the life; and hwen we receive Him into our hearts today, in that adorable Sacrament, of which He has said Himself, He that eateth Me, shall live by Me, let us implore Him, by the love of His risen Heart, to give us life -- life that becomes more strong and vigorous every day and hour until it becomes immortal." ~Meditations for Advent and Easter, M.F (Margaret Anna) Cusack, 1866

(The painting is Easter Mystery by Maurice Denis)

We may be fearful, but we are also overjoyed!

There is much to fear in this world of ours. War between and within countries and violence in our streets and in our homes. Lost jobs, economic downturns, regular folks struggling to give their families a good life. Poverty, disease, the list could go on and on, and those are just the big ones. We all have our own "little fears," anxieties, worries that keep us up at night.

In the reading from the Gospel of Matthew read at tonight's Easter Vigil, we hear the story of Mary Magdalen and the other Mary, finding the tomb empty. An angel tells them not to be afraid, that Jesus has been raised.

Come and see the place where he lay.
Then go quickly and tell his disciples,
‘He has been raised from the dead,
and he is going before you to Galilee;
there you will see him.’
Behold, I have told you.”
Then they went away quickly from the tomb,
fearful yet overjoyed,
and ran to announce this to his disciples.

This Scripture passage has been very meaningful to me over the years. Fearful yet overjoyed covers so beautifully the butterflies in my stomach feeling I have felt on various stages of my vocation journey. Fearful, because, well, I'm me. Overjoyed because, well, I'm responding to the God who loves me by opening my own heart in service of God and God's people.

Tonight at the Easter Vigil we hear this reading again. As the Church, united across the globe, we recognize the reality of evil, and yet we choose Christ. We recognize our own vulnerability and fear, yet we joyfully proclaim that He is Risen!

Triduum begins

Even though I was raised Catholic, I never really observed Triduum, the high holy days of the Catholic Liturgical year, until I returned to the church as a young adult after a 10 year vacation. Growing up, we really celebrated Easter Sunday. That was the sum and whole.

I was lucky enough to experience my first Triduum (Holy Thursday, Good Friday, Saturday Easter Vigil), at St Philip Neri during what I think of as the perfect storm. We had Fr Steve Bossi, CSP, Fr Dick Chilson, CSP and Deacon (now Fr) Ricky Manalo, CSP on staff ... All amazing preachers and liturgists. They introduced me to the simple yet awesome beauty of the tradition of the Triduum that I still carry deep in my heart. In a way they spoiled me ... No experience has ever quite been the same since those first years. But my love for these days, my desire to enter into them fully, continues. Simply put, they are the days when our Catholic Mojo is in full swing. The power of the Christian story continues. Starting tonight with Holy Thuesday. I will be at my new parish in Seattle for Holy Thursday services. I'm signed up for two time slots after the service to stay with Jesus, keep watch and pray. May your Triduum experience be holy, life giving and heart expanding.

Margaret Anna Fridays

Every Friday, I’m going to share a quote from the founder of my groovy sisters, Margaret Anna Cusack, known in religion as Mother Francis Clare. This week’s installment …

Consider how we may best worship and glorify the risen Heart of Jesus. 1. Let us run with the holy women to His tomb. There we may contemplate His wonders and adore His power; there we may offer our most fervent congratulations on His joyful resurrection. 2. Let us return with the women to declare what we have seen; let us 'tell the brethren' of His risen love; let us manifest to all that His resurrection is also ours, and invite all to share in it by our words and our example. 3. Let us also rise with Him.
-Meditations for Advent & Easter

something about Mary reprise

Today's Gospel reading is one of my all time favorites. I thought I'd re-purpose an old blog post from the Feast of Mary Magdalene a few years ago for the occasion.

Today is the Feast of Mary Magdalene. Not only that, but today's Gospel reading is one of my all time favorites:

Mary stayed outside the tomb weeping. ... she turned around and saw Jesus there, but did not know it was Jesus. Jesus said to her, “Woman, why are you weeping? Whom are you looking for?” She thought it was the gardener and said to him, “Sir, if you carried him away, tell me where you laid him, and I will take him.” Jesus said to her, “Mary!” She turned and said to him in Hebrew, “Rabbouni,” which means Teacher. Jesus said to her, “Stop holding on to me, for I have not yet ascended to the Father. But go to my brothers and tell them, ‘I am going to my Father and your Father, to my God and your God.’” Mary Magdalene went and announced to the disciples, “I have seen the Lord,” and then reported what he told her. (John 20)

Mary's simple response to the Risen Christ - "Rabbouni" - comes back to me often in prayer. She is the "apostle to the apostles." Not only was she the first to encounter the resurrected Jesus, she then immediately went to spread the good news. Of course, as other gospel stories tell us, her news was not necessarily believed. But that's for another post.

Recently someone that I know and admire who has 16 years of Catholic education under her belt asked me if I thought it was true that Mary Magdalene was not a prostitute. She apparently had come to this conclusion not based on spiritual reading or church teaching, but a popular novel. I shared with her that of course Mary was not a prostitute, that no where in Scripture does it tell us that she was. She looked at me incredulously, a I told her that what Scripture does tell us about Mary is that she was the "Apostle to the Apostles." The misconceptions about Mary, the cover up and smear story if you like, only came later. I could conjecture as to why this version of the story was spread, but for now I'll just say that for some reason it seems that those in power were afraid of the power of the real story of this strong woman. Again, that's for another post.

At prayer this morning, we reflected on this quote by our founder, Margaret Anna Cusack:

Women worked not only for the apostles, but with them; they were co-workers; they were fellow-helpers; and... their services [were] equally prominent and equally important.

What struck us was that Margaret Anna says so definitively (in the late 1800's) what we are only now coming to know - the role of women in the early Church. And how did she know this? As a convert from the Protestant tradition, she had grown up reading the Scriptures. And if you read the Scriptures, you read the story of women who stayed with Jesus at the cross. You read the story of women who funded the early church. Even in Scripture stories that come to us through a patriarchal system, you read of the "prominent" role of women. I for one wonder, if this much made it into the official canon, how much more there must be to the story!

Sadly, most of the folks in the pews (of Catholic churches anyway) still have not heard the good news about women. Today, the feast of Mary Magdalene, is a good day to resolve to do something about that!

Well, today is not the Feast of Mary Magdalene, but Easter Tuesday. Still, it is a good day to proclaim the good news in all its forms, including Jesus' good news for women!

Happy Easter

In Portland for Easter. Just got back from Easter Vigil at my old parish. Spending tomorrow morning with my godson and his brother (and their parents of course!) for Easter Bunny festivities, church and dinner before I head back to Seattle.

Easter Vigil is always such an amazing experience. Tonight 6 adults entered the church. When I first came back to the church, I was an RCIA sponsor for a young woman and stood in that same space with her. When she was confirmed, with me standing behind her with my hand on her shoulder, it was like I was saying yes to returning to the church as well. I always think of that moment on Easter, and tonight in the pews looking on, the thought returned as did the response of the heart ... yes.

Happy Easter to all my bloggy friends!

Peace & Much Joy

Peace be With You

The Easter gems keep on coming. The readings this Season are a daily gift, so rich and full of both meaning and tradition. In today's Gospel, Jesus tells his dubious disciples (and us):

"Peace be with you."
But they were startled and terrified
and thought that they were seeing a ghost.
Then he said to them, "Why are you troubled?
And why do questions arise in your hearts?

I don't know about you, but those words strike me as powerful, comforting, and challenging.

There is so much that goes on in our world that startles and sometimes terrifies me. In the midst of pain and suffering and the silliness that only human beings are capable of doing to each other, I sometimes look around wondering ... where's God in all of this? My heart is sometimes troubled and filled with questions. But then I remember what Jesus said to the disciples in that upper room ...

3 Takes on Emmaus

I love the Easter Season! For those not in the know, Easter doesn't end on the day the bunny brings the chocolate. Easter - the liturgical season - just starts then. We have such amazing readings during this season. Like today's Gospel ... the Road to Emmaus. Today I thought I'd share three different takes on the story for your reflection (and mine!).

Take One
This icon by Sister Marie Paul, OSB of the Mount of Olives Monastery, Jerusalem (1990). I was first introduced to the idea that one of the disciples who met Jesus on the Road to Emmaus may have been a woman by my old spiritual director. This icon gives an image to that tradition. It's become a favorite source of prayer for me at Easter time. (Learn more/order the icon here)

The “Road to Emmaus” Icon by Sister Marie Paul OSB
of the Mount of Olives Monastery, Jerusalem (1990)

Take Two
This poem by Denise Levertov (from The Stream & The Sapphire) based on this painting by Velazquez

The Servant-Girl at Emmaus

(A Painting by Velazquez)

She listens, listens, holding

her breath. Surely that voice

is his – the one

who had looked at her, once, across the crowd,

as no one ever had looked?

Had seen her? Had spoken as if to her?

Surely those hands were his,

taking the platter of bread from hers just now?

Hands he’d laid on the dying and made them well?

Surely that face -- ?

The man they’d crucified for sedition and blasphemy.

The man whose body disappeared from its tomb.

The man it was rumored now some women had seen this

morning, alive?

Those who had brought this stranger home to their table

don’t recognize yet with whom they sit.

But she, in the kitchen, absently touching

the winejug she’s to take in,

a young Black servant intently listening,

swings round and sees

the light around him

and is sure.

Take Three
As I shared earlier this week, younger women religious are reflecting on the Easter Season readings at the Giving Voice website. Check out Sister Lisa Buscher's take on the story.

Happy Reflecting! Feel free to share any thoughts in the comment box.

Reflections from Younger Religious

During these days in which we celebrate new life, the Giving Voice website will be featuring reflections on religious life from younger women religious. (Giving Voice is the organization created by and for younger women religious). I was asked to contribute the reflection for Easter Monday:

“Mary Magdalene and the other Mary went away quickly from the tomb, fearful yet overjoyed, and ran to announce the news to his disciples.” (Matthew 28:8)

When I began my journey into religious life, I often found myself reflecting on the experience of the two Marys. On one level, I was a wee bit fearful of making such a radical shift. But at the exact same moment, I found myself filled with a wonder and joy that sometimes stopped me in my tracks, and yet propelled me forward. (Read more...)

Visit the Giving Voice website to read the rest of my reflection and keep checking in throughout the Easter Season for other perspectives from younger women religious.

Happy Easter!

Christ is Risen! Thanks be to God! Alleluia!
Wishing You a Happy Easter!

(This is a photograph of a stained glass window at
Holy Name Parish in Ketchikan, Alaska)

Memories

I love Triduum - the holy days of Holy Thursday, Good Friday and the Easter Vigil. Perhaps they mean so much to because I didn't really discover them until I was an adult returning to the Church after a 10+ year "vacation" from organized religion.

Growing up, Easter Sunday was the big day. The Easter Bunny would come. We'd have a big family breakfast. My Dad would buy my mom and his daughter's corsages. We'd all dress up in our Easter best and take a family picture outside in the front yard. Then we'd go to Church. Easter was a special time in my family, although I have no memories of Holy Thursday or Good Friday, aside from what we did at Catholic School on those days.

So, when I tentatively returned to the Church as a 27 year old and discovered this fabulous 3 day long prayer/ritual fest .... I was surprised. But happily so. It helped I think that my Paulist Parish really pulled out all the stops. There is something about ritual being done well which helps us to get into the sacred space - both physically and spiritually.

But I think that I most love Triduum because it was after spending most of 72 hours at Church in 2004 - washing feet at Holy Thursday as a member of the Pastoral Council, being one of the leaders of the Walk of the Cross and helping to hold the cross at our Good Friday service, helping to decorate the church on Saturday morning, ushering at the Easter Vigil which involved some very moving (and some very funny) moments, staying until 2am to clean up after the Easter Vigil (again, the funny moments - read a 2006 trip down memory lane post if you're curious, but really you just had to be there), and then heading back to Church Easter Sunday - that I realized how important my faith was to me. I'd become a super church geek, and that was totally ok. More than that, I started to have hints that maybe God was calling me to something more. And, most amazingly enough, it didn't take me too much longer to figure out what that was.

This year I'm here at St. Mary-on-the-Lake for Triduum. I gave the reflection at our Holy Thursday service. I went on a Walk of the Cross for the Homeless Good Friday afternoon and got back in time for our services here, which were quite moving. This afternoon I helped to decorate the Chapel. And I'm looking forward to Easter Vigil services tonight and then Easter Sunday liturgy tomorrow morning. Then we're having a big Easter Dinner. The best part is being able to spend these days with my Sisters. I'm still on the journey, but in some ways I've come full circle. Which I think is probably the point of our liturgical year, if you come to think of it!

Have a very happy Easter everyone!

Happy Easter

Easter Greetings to all my bloggy friends. I am now safely back home in Jersey City. I start back to work tomorrow. I had a wonderful 10 days away, the first week at west coast groovy sister hq in Bellevue, Washington and the last few days at St Walburga Monastery in Elizabeth, NJ where I joined one of my fellow novices for a Holy Week Retreat.

The liturgy at the monastery was wonderful for Triduum. This morning I was invited to read at liturgy and read this reading from St Paul's Letter to the Corinthians:

Brothers and sisters:
Do you not know that a little yeast leavens all the dough?
Clear out the old yeast,
so that you may become a fresh batch of dough,
inasmuch as you are unleavened.
For our paschal lamb, Christ, has been sacrificed.
Therefore, let us celebrate the feast,
not with the old yeast, the yeast of malice and wickedness,
but with the unleavened bread of sincerity and truth.

I love this imagery, although personally, I have a bad history with yeast. I love to bake, but have yet to master any recipes that include yeast, with the exception of bagels. My theory is that the yeast, as a living organism, can sense my fear. Yes, dear friends, I am afraid of yeast. I last tried to make a yeast bread two Christmases ago. It was an utter disaster.

Perhaps I should take lesson from the women at the tomb, who were fearful yet overjoyed. Given my history with yeast (and this can be extrapolated to a general life lesson), I will most likely have some fear as I forge ahead and try new things. But just because I'm afraid, doesn't mean that I can't be overjoyed as well, and perhaps the joy will balance out the fear. It's a thought!

Well, those are my random thoughts this Easter sunday afternoon. Hope all is well in your respective necks of the woods! I should be back to more regular posting over the next few days ....

Peace,
Susan