by Anthony Paz |
We make the Triduum really special here at UP. First of all, our Chapel of Christ the Teacher is a magnificent space for worship. I know how easy it is to take our chapel for granted. But, the fact is that our chapel is architecturally unique. With its warm wooden walls, dramatic doors and intimate interior, it captures the spirit of the Pacific Northwest beautifully.
Our presider today, Holy Thursday, at 4:30 p.m. is Fr. Mark Poorman, a man who holds a Ph.D. in moral theology, who just happens to be the president of this university. He is a tremendous preacher, one who unites humor, morality, storytelling and life experience into a thoughtful reflection for the congregation.
After Fr. Poorman helps us to think more deeply about the love Jesus showed his followers at the Last Supper, he will imitate that love by washing the feet of 12 members of our community. It is one thing to hear the stories of Jesus performing this act of service for his followers, it is another to watch our own leader do it in person.
After Communion, an altar server stokes the incense, adding just enough haze to the sanctuary to make it feel — and smell — otherworldly. It is through this haze that we witness Fr. Poorman bring the Eucharist to a special place of prayer, to remind us of Christ’s withdrawal to the Garden of Gethsemane. Knowing that our own fears and pains are not foreign to our God, we have the opportunity to pray before the Eucharist throughout the night tonight.
On Good Friday, we do not have this opportunity. When we come to the 3 p.m. Communion service — there is no Mass on this day — we see a stark chapel. The cloth is removed from our stone altar. The candles are gone. The water has been drained from the font. Recognizing our own loss and suffering is essential to our growth in faith. Good Friday services communicate loss to all our senses. But one thing we do not lose is hope. We all know suffering, and in Jesus we can be sure that our God knows it too.
On Saturday at 8:30 p.m., as the last daylight fades away, we begin our Easter vigil with a blazing fire at the base of the belltower. Here, we are reminded of fresh beginnings: of the light mixing with the dark at the dawn of creation, of the sun rising on that first Easter morning, even of the belltower ceremony from Freshman Orientation.
We light one candle from this fire and follow it into the chapel, which is totally dark. As we make our way to our seats, the light from the Easter candle is spread to smaller candles we each hold. That light of Christ, which quietly took its leave from the tomb after Good Friday, is slowly spread to each individual around the chapel. Before the Gospel reading we turn all the lights up and extravagantly proclaim Alleluia for the first time since Lent started.
The highlight for me of all of this is the amazing opportunity to witness eight individuals join the Catholic Church. Each one has a unique story that has led her or him to the experience of being baptized, confirmed and receiving first Eucharist. Each one approaches this night with contagious joy, and maybe a little anxiety. As they commit themselves to growing in relationship with God as Catholics, the rest of us feel equally committed to supporting them in that relationship. We experience the ups and downs of the Triduum in all of our senses and feel God’s love and commitment to us deep in our bones. If you are around UP this weekend, I hope you will join us for this sacred time.
Anthony Paz is Campus Ministry’s Assistant Director for Liturgy and Catechesis. He can be reached at paz@up.edu.
