A Holy Week Like No Other

We are not able to congregate for our Holy Week liturgies this year.  This is sad for us as Catholics as these are some of the most beautiful liturgies of our entire year.  While we miss our celebrations, we can still participate in prayer and even in the liturgies in a limited way via streaming and other online options.

As I write this, I have the Chrism Mass from the Cathedral playing in another tab.  Who would have thought just a few short months ago that this would be the way we are celebrating the liturgies of the Holy Triduum?

I have many memories of singing for the Chrism Mass as a chorister at the Madeleine Choir School.  Typically, the Cathedral of the Madeleine is packed, not only with priests, but also with a congregation of laypeople.  The Bishop mentioned in his opening remarks that this was the first time in his time as an ordained priest that he had attended and presided at a Chrism Mass in an empty cathedral.  It is very strange to see the shots of the Cathedral of Madeleine with essentially nobody present.  I can only imagine how the priests of our diocese must feel, not being able to attend in person and experience this time of fellowship and fraternity.

However, I feel like there is a silver lining in the events of today.  Typically in this diocese, the Chrism Mass is transferred from the morning of Holy Thursday to the evening of the Fifth Thursday of Lent.  In celebrating it today, even if only electronically, we are able to celebrate it at the typical time it was celebrated for centuries in the past.

The oils blessed at the Chrism Mass are distributed to the entire diocese – usually taken by each pastor back to his parish.  This year, we will still receive our holy oils, just via another method.  Each of us who has been baptized, confirmed, or anointed at some other time (either in Holy Orders in the case of our priests and religious or in a time of illness) has benefited from these oils.  Let us give thanks that we still have access to these, and that pray that our priests may be strengthened in their continued ministry.