Holy Week:
This coming week is Holy Week, the greatest week in the Church’s year. Mass on Monday is at 10am in St.George’s, and gives us a picture of Jesus with his friends: Lazarus, for whom he wept, Martha the worrier, and Mary, a deeply spiritual woman blessed with special insight. Martha, like many sisters, did not find it easy to understand her sister, with contrasting characteristics – the contemplative Mary and the doer, Martha. Tuesday sees the Stations of the Cross at St.Wilfrid’s at 9.30am followed by Mass during which we encounter Peter – the bold, rash, insensitive extrovert – but he really was so human and capable of great remorse. He was a really lovable person and willing to change. On Wednesday at 10.30am Mass we hear about Judas Iscariot and his plan to betray Jesus. Wednesday is also the day on which the Diocese celebrates the Chrism Mass at 6pm in Arundel Cathedral. The priests and deacons gather together with the Bishop to renew their commitment to the bishop’s service. The holy oils are blessed and then they are taken back to the parishes where they are used in the sacraments of baptism, confirmation, ordinations and the anointing of the sick to give healing and strength. On Thursday at 8pm in St.George’s we celebrate the Mass of the Lord’s Supper. The feet of people are washed, a humbling and tender experience of loving service for both the clergy and the people. Try to imagine Jesus washing your feet! The emphasis at this mass is on the self-giving love of Jesus which we are all called to imitate. After Communion the Blessed Sacrament is taken to the altar of repose and we remain there after Mass to adore the Sacrament until 10pm when we end with Night Prayer of the Church. Good Friday sees the celebration of the Lord’s Passion in both churches at 3pm. We listen to John’s account of the passion, we venerate the Cross and have special prayers of intercession for the world and its peoples, receive Holy Communion and leave the church in silence. On Holy Saturday we gather in St.Wilfrid’s at 8pm for the most important Mass of Easter. We gather in darkness, waiting with an unlit candle in our hand, until the new Easter fire is lit outside and the new Paschal candles for our churches are blessed and lit for the first time from this fire. The deacon carries the candle in and our candles are all gradually lit from this one source of light and we are ready to meet and greet our Risen Lord.
With my love and prayers for you all.
