Thursday of Holy Week (Holy Thursday)

Year of Saint Joseph

Year of the Family "Amoris Laetitia The Joy of Love"

Readings of the Day

RB: Ch 50 Those Working at a Distance or Traveling

Chrism Mass: Is 61:1-3a, 6a, 8b-9; Resp Ps 89; Rev 1:5-8; Lk 4:16-21

Evening Mass of the Lord's Supper: Ex 12:1-8, 11-14; Resp Ps 116; 1 Cor 11:23-26; Jn 13:1-15

I will call upon the name of the Lord.

EUCHARISTIC HEART OF JESUS,

HAVE MERCY ON US.

We should glory in the Cross of Our Lord Jesus Christ, in whom is our salvation, life and resurrection, through whom we are saved and delivered.

(Entrance Antiphon, Evening Mass of the Lord's Supper)

Welcome to Holy Thursday. One message to embrace as we prepare to enter the Paschal Triduum is what Jesus tells us at the end of this evening's Gospel: I, therefore, the master and teacher, have washed your feet, you ought to wash one another's feet. I have given you a model to follow, so that as I have done for you, you should also do (Jn 13:15). In what one way will you wash another's feet these days? United in faith and in prayer we remember "that on this night in which the Lord establishes the priesthood, all priests will recommit themselves to holiness with renewed zeal" (Magnificat, Prayer of the Faithful, Holy Thursday). 

By way of friendly reminder, we look to the Universal Norms on the Liturgical Year for where we are in the liturgical year: "The forty days of Lent run from Ash Wednesday up to but excluding the Mass of the Lord's Supper exclusive" (n. 28). "The Paschal Triduum of the Passion and Resurrection of the Lord begins with the evening Mass of the Lord's Supper, has its center in the Easter Vigil, and closes with Vespers (Evening Prayer) of the Sunday of the Resurrection" (n. 19). 

JOSEPH, PROTECTOR OF HOLY CHURCH,

PRAY FOR US.

Today's photo: A mysterious photo as we enter the Sacred Triduum. 

© Gertrude Feick 2021