Holy Week - Good Friday: ‘There came out from his side water and blood.’

Good Friday, the Friday before Easter, commemorates the Passion and Death of our Lord Jesus Christ on the Cross. No Mass is celebrated on Good Friday; instead, the Church celebrates a special liturgy in which the account of the Passion according to the Gospel of John is read, a series of intercessory prayers (prayers for special intentions) are offered, and the faithful venerate the Cross by coming forward and kissing it.


Fasting and Abstinence:

Good Friday is a day of strict fasting and abstinence. Catholics who are over the age of 18 and under the age of 60 are required to fast, which means that they can eat only one complete meal and two smaller ones during the day, with no food in between. Catholics who are over the age of 14 are required to refrain from eating any meat, or any food made with meat, on Good Friday. - Scott P. Richert "Catholicism Guide"



A reading from the instructions of St John Chrysostom to the catechumens

The power of the blood of Christ

Do you wish to know of the power of Christ's blood? Let us go back to the ancient accounts of what took place in Egypt, where Christ's blood is foreshadowed.

Moses said: ‘Sacrifice a lamb without blemish and smear the doors with its blood.’  What does this mean? Can the blood of a sheep without reason save man who is endowed with reason? Yes, Moses replies, not because it is blood, but because it is a figure of the Lord's blood. So today if the devil sees, not the blood of the figure smeared on the doorposts, but the blood of the Reality smeared on the lips of the faithful, which are the doors of the temple of Christ, with all the more reason will he draw back.

Do you wish to learn from another source the power of this blood? See where it began to flow, from what spring it flowed down from the cross, from the Master's side. The gospel relates that when Christ had died and was hanging on the cross, a soldier approached him and pierced his side with a spear, and at once there came out water and blood. The one was a symbol of Baptism, the other of the mysteries. That soldier, then, pierced his side: he breached the wall of the holy temple, and I found the treasure and acquired the wealth. Similarly with the lamb. The Jews slaughtered it in sacrifice, and I gathered the fruit of that sacrifice -- salvation.

‘There came out from his side water and blood.’  Dearly beloved, do not pass the secret of this great mystery by without reflection. For I have another interpretation to give you. I said that Baptism and the mysteries were symbolized in that blood and water. It is from these two that the holy Church has been born ‘by the washing of regeneration and the renewal of the Holy Spirit’ , by Baptism and by the mysteries. Now the symbols of Baptism and the mysteries came from his side. It was from his side, then, that Christ formed the Church, as from the side of Adam he formed Eve.

That is why in his account of the first man, Moses has the words, ‘bone of my bone, and flesh of my flesh’, giving us a hint here of the Master's side. For as at the time God took a rib from Adam's side and formed woman, so Christ gave us blood and water from his side and formed the Church. Just as then he took the rib while Adam was in deep sleep, so now he gave the blood and water after his death.

Have you understood how Christ has united his bride, the Church, to himself? Have you seen with what kind of food he feeds us all? By the same food we are formed and fed. As a mother feeds her child with her own blood and milk, so too Christ continually feeds those whom he has begotten, with his own blood.

Be mindful, Lord, of this your family,

for whose sake our Lord Jesus Christ, when betrayed,

did not hesitate to yield himself into his enemies hands,

and undergo the agony of the cross:

We make our prayer through our Lord Jesus Christ your Son, 

who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, God or ever and ever. Amen.

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Speech of St. Gregory Nazianzen for Good Friday

Let us sacrifice not young calves, nor lambs that put forth horns and hooves, in which many parts are destitute of life and feeling; but let us sacrifice to God the sacrifice of praise upon the heavenly Altar, with heavenly dances. Let us sacrifice ourselves to God; or rather let us go on sacrificing throughout every day and at every moment with the temptations, struggles and joys of our life.

If you are a Simon of Cyrene, take up the Cross and follow. If you are crucified with Him as a robber, acknowledge God as a penitent robber. If even he was numbered among the transgressors for you and your sin, do you become law-abiding for His sake. Worship him who was hanged for you, even if you yourself are hanging; make some gain even from your wickedness; purchase salvation by your death; enter with Jesus into Paradise, so that you may learn from what you have fallen. Contemplate the glories that are there; let the murdered die outside with his blasphemies; and if you be a Joseph of Arimathaea, beg the Body from him that crucified Him, make your own that which cleanses the world.

If you be a Nicodemus, the worshiper of God by night, bury Him with spices. If you be a Mary, or another May, or a Salome, or a Joanna, weep early in the morning. Be first to see the stone taken away, and perhaps you will see the angels and Jesus Himself. Say something; hear His voice. If He says to you “Touch me not,” stand far off; reverence the Word, but grieve not; for He knows those to whom He appears first.

Keep the feast of the Resurrection; some to the aid of Eve who was first to fall, of her who first embraced Christ and made Him known to the disciples. Be a Peter or a John; hasten to the Sepulchre, running together, running against one another, vying in the noble race. And even if you are beaten in speed, win the victory of zeal; not looking into the tomb, but going in. And if, like Thomas, you were left out when the disciples were assembled to who Christ shows himself, when you do see Him be not faithless; and if you do not believe, then believe those who tell you; and if you cannot believe them either, then have confidence in the print of the nails.

Learn to know the mysteries of Christ, to save all mankind absolutely by His manifestation of Resurrection.

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The Liturgies of Holy Week

For the whole of the Church, The liturgies of Holy Week draw us into the central drama of our faith. They are celebrations of and immersions into the singular action of our Lord's passion, death and resurrection. As our Jewish brothers and sisters, when they celebrate their yearly Passover, no longer say, "my ancestors were freed from slavery" but, rather "Now I have been freed from slavery", so too with us. In our full, conscious and active participation in the liturgies of Holy week we can no longer say, "those people who knew Jesus were freed by his death and resurrection" but "Now I have been freed...because I have been there. I have walked the way of the Cross with my Lord, I have felt his pain, played a role in his betrayal, and been graced with His forgiveness and love."

This year we invite you to walk with us, from Jesus' Triumphal Entry into Jerusalem to the table of the Last Supper. From his desperate plea in the Garden, to his mockery of a trial. From the despair and loss of His crucifixion and death, to the victory and glory that he shares with us all. Let us together make this Holy week, a week we will never forget; 


PASSION SUNDAY [PALM SUNDAY]: (Emphasized quotes taken from Catholic Online unless otherwise indicated)

"On Palm Sunday, we celebrate the first joy of the season, as we celebrate Our Lord's triumphant entrance into Jerusalem where he was welcomed by crowds worshiping him and laying down palm leaves before him. It also marks the beginning of Holy Week, with the greatest tragedy and sorrow of the year."

The celebrations of Holy Week begin with Passion Sunday.  On this day the church celebrates Christ’s entrance into Jerusalem to accomplish his paschal Mystery, the suffering, the death and resurrection of Christ.
A) The procession and Solemn Entrance.
B) The passion Readings: for the passion readings today and Good Friday no candles will be used. The greeting and the signs of the cross are omitted.
C) The celebration of the Eucharist.

EASTER TRIDUUM:

The celebration of the EASTER TRIDUUM opens with the evening Mass of the Lord’s Supper on Holy Thursday, and reaches its climax in the EASTER VIGIL on Saturday night.

A)  HOLY THURSDAY:

"The Holy Thursday liturgy, celebrated in the evening because Passover began at sundown, also shows both the worth God ascribes to the humility of service, and the need for cleansing with water (a symbol of baptism) in the Mandatum, or washing in Jesus' washing the feet of His disciples, and in the priest's stripping and washing of the altar. Cleansing, in fact, gave this day of Holy Week the name Maundy Thursday."

This day’s celebration consists of three principal Mysteries:
1. Washing of the feet: Christ’s Love and Service
2.  The Institution of the Priesthood; and
3. The Institution of the Eucharist.
[Your presence for adoring the Blessed Sacrament will be appreciated even after the celebration of the Eucharist].

B) GOOD FRIDAY:

"On Good Friday, the entire Church fixes her gaze on the Cross at Calvary. Each member of the Church tries to understand at what cost Christ has won our redemption. In the solemn ceremonies of Good Friday, in the Adoration of the Cross...in the reading of the Passion...we unite ourselves to our Savior, and we contemplate our own death to sin in the Death of our Lord."




This day is considered a very important day of observing Christ’s Paschal Mysteries for the World. The faithful are very specially invited to participate in this day’s Paschal Masteries. Also the Church strongly recommends the day of “Paschal Fasting” to honour the suffering and death of the Lord Jesus, and to prepare to share more deeply in the joy of his Resurrection. Good Friday is a universal day of Fasting and Abstinence from meat.
The Liturgy today consists of Two Services:
1) Liturgy of the Word of God which includes Scriptural readings, passion narrative and Prayers of Intercessions.
2) Veneration of the Cross.
Please Note: the special focus of this day is found both in our liturgy and our fasting. The service begins in a silence; no entrance hymn is sung, and there is no welcoming and greeting at the beginning, during or end of the Service. No sign of the cross is made or candles are used for readings. The Faithful leave the church in a silent manner without greeting; continue meditating on the suffering and death of the Lord, keeping vigil for the joy of Resurrection.

C) EASTER VIGIL:

"This is the night
when Christians everywhere,
washed clean of sin and freed from all defilement,
are restored to grace and grow together in holiness.

This is the night
when Jesus Christ broke the chains of death
and rose triumphant from the grave.

What good would life have been to us,
had Christ not come as our Redeemer?
Father, how wonderful your care for us!
How boundless your merciful love!
To ransom a slave you gave away your Son.

O happy fault,
O necessary sin of Adam,
which gained for us so great a Redeemer! " - From the Exsultet sung on Easter Vigil






On Holy Saturday, the people of God remain in recollection at the tomb of the Lord, meditating on his suffering and death, refraining from celebrations until the night. During the Solemn Vigil Service, a night of prayer which looks forward to the celebration of the Lord’s RESURRECTION, mourning gives way to the joys of Eastertide, which we will celebrate for the next fifty days.

The Easter vigil celebration consists of four parts:
1) Service of light and lighting of Easter candles.
2) The Liturgy of the Word, the Faithful meditates on all the wonderful things God has done for his people from the beginning.
3) The Liturgy of Blessing water, Baptism (when there is), and Renewal of Baptism; and
4) The Liturgy of the Eucharist.
The Universal Church invites you to participate in this Salvation Mystery and share the Joy of Resurrection with others. The church and the community join you to celebrate the joy from Easter Sunday to the next Fifty days when we celebrate the Solemnity of Pentecost.

In the name of Jesus Christ and His church, I invite and welcome each and every one to observe, celebrate and participate in the Paschal Mysteries the Lord has for us. Try to observe the traditions of the church that will help us to be holy to reborn with the Resurrection of the Lord Jesus. Prayer and mediation will help us to strengthen the spirit of God in us.
PS: Look for the Bulletin to get Holy Week Schedules, and changes if there are any. No announcements will be made or permitted during the liturgies on these days, unless it has some urgent information.

Wishing You A Very Spirit filled Holy Week 2011

Fr. S. Antony, Pastor. Christ the King Parish, Regina
April 09, 2011

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