Holy Week and the Triduum

Holy Week

I won't be blogging until Eastertide, so I have links and event details for you.

The Great Vigil of Easter

Vine and Branches Christian Community and St. Patrick's Anglican Church are having a joint celebration of the Easter Vigil on April 7th at 8pm, at the South Elkhorn Christian Church. The biggest worship celebration of the Christian Year is not Easter Sunday morning, but rather the night before: ancient Christians would keep vigil, saying prayers and reading Scripture and exorcising converts all night before dawn, at which time the entire community would receive Holy Communion with the newly baptized (or re-admitted!).

This won't go all night, but we will be offering the public scripture readings that narrate the history of God's saving work that culminated in the execution and resurrection of Jesus the Christ. Pete will be saying Mass, and Alan preaching the homily.

If you're interested in learning more about the Christian story as the Church enacts it, or you're Christian unfamiliar with more "liturgical" expressions of the faith, this would be a great introduction. Do contact me if you'd like any more details, or check out the "Facebook event" here.

About Jesus

This week I'm listening to some N.T. Wright lectures that remind me why I'm a Christian, and why I love Jesus. Check these out from the N.T. Wright page (right-click and choose "save as" for these .mp3 downloads; each is 8-10 mbs):

Jesus and the Kingdom
Jesus and the Cross
Jesus and God
Jesus as the World's True Light

Here are some previous Holy Week and Easter Triduum notes I've written or linked:

My Maundy Thursday sermon (or download the audio here)

Michael Lee on Good Friday: "The Long Shadow of the Infinite"

Alan Creech: Veneration of the Cross

Holy Saturday

An icon and a prayer from the Great Vigil

The Great Vigil 2005: "Signs of Life"

May you have a blessed and appropriately penitential Passion Week.