Triduum- Holy Thursday

Today is the last day before Triduum, are you ready? Let's get into Triduum shape together: First, it's important to pronounce it right! It's Tri-Doo-Um, NOT Tri-DI-Um. It's a natural mistake, but you will be marked as a true Catholic Rookie if you go around pronouncing it incorrectly. Second, you should know that it means "Three Days" and the Three Days begin with Holy Thursday (aka Maundy Thursday, or Shire Thursday. www.fisheaters.com says it "commemorates Christ's Last Supper and the initiation of the Eucharist. Its name of 'Maundy' comes from the Latin word mandatum, meaning 'command.' This stems from Christ's words in John 13:34, 'A new commandment I give unto you (That ye love one another; as I have loved you).'"
On Holy Thursday at Mass (7:30 PM), you'll see our priests and deacon wash the feet of people in the parish, and you can have yours washed too- just get in line and come to the front, just as you do for Communion. (Don't feel like you have to get your foot all dirty in preparation for this, it's really more symbolically cleansing than actually cleansing, although they will use nice warm water and clean towels.) Whether you have your foot washed or not, consider yourself a receiver of that mandatum!
After Communion, you'll see the ministers and the people in the church process out, following the priest carrying the Eucharist to the chapel downstairs. This is called the Reposition of the Blessed Sacrament (the B.Sacrament being the Eucharist, and the "reposition" refers to moving the Eucharist to another place for the night. People will stay for a while, in the chapel, to pray. This symbolic movement reminds us of Jesus' time in the Garden of Gethsemane, where he asked his friends to stay with him while he prayed. The chapel will remain open for some hours after the liturgy, so join us with Jesus in a time of quiet prayer as we enter the holiest Three Days.
-MM