This morning I am headed to New Orleans to speak at the annual convention of the National Catholic Education Association.
A question for you.
What was the most significant/deeply moving/profound moment of the Triduum for you? Feel free to answer by clicking the comments tab, or e-mail me directly at galipeauj@jspaluch.com.
I'll do my best to post your comment this afternoon after I have settled in.
Happy Easter.
Gotta sing. Gotta pray.
11 comments:
All our Responsorial Psalms were sung to unaccompanied simple psalm tones. I felt a stronger connection to our salvation history - no electricity, just voices.
This was my first Easter Triduum as the new liturgy coordinator at a university parish. The most moving moment for me was seeing parishioners take turns washing each others' feet on Holy Thursday evening.
Our church is still not completed yet, so the place where we have the altar of repose is not very large. Therefore, not many people can process to it at once time. While the clergy, EMs, servers and other ministers of the liturgy have finished processing to it and the Sacrament has been reposed, the Assembly has liked to stay over the years... so we sing "Stay With Me" to invite the people to stay in prayer for a while. The choir sings it as the Environment team slowly strips the sanctuary and the lights dim. Then the people informally disperse. We also invite the people to reverence the altar with a kiss on their way out that night. A very moving "end" (even though there is no end) to Holy Thursday evening.
Our veneration on Friday is very dramatic and moving, as well. I hope to have a video of it to post online soon.
I had two, really...on Good Friday, which coincided with Earth Day, our choir sang Bedford's setting of "I See His Blood," a gorgeous text that tied the two "days" together beautifully.
The second, and probably the more profound of the two, was hearing my 2-cantor duet setting of the Exultet sung by two glorious cantors, for the very last time. We've been using it for 9 years at this parish and several more years in others prior to that...but this was the last time. And they sang it with a perfection I don't think I've ever heard before--it was always lovely, but this time was different.
Yes, I cried.
My favorite part of the Triduum has always been during the Gloria of the Easter Vigil. At my church, I enjoy singing the Gloria (along with the others attending the mass), along with bells ringing and watching the chapel become transformed, with flowers being brought up. It is at this moment when it seems that the joy of Easter is present everywhere. I am hoping that the feeling will stay the same next year. I am concerned because the Gloria that our parish uses will no longer be able to be used because of the new translation.
Standing beside the baptismal font as each of the Elect were baptized and came dripping up from the water. Spontaneous applause from the congregation as we sang "Alleluia" over each one!
Our baptismal font is full immersion, located at the entrance of the church. So the candidates literally walk in from outside the front doors, pass through the baptismal waters and step into the baptized community. The ritual action itself is a powerful symbol of the sacrament of initiation!
"Watching the faces of the assembly glowing in the candlelight as I sang "Christ Our Light".
The most meaningful part of the Triduum for me is the walk to the baptismal font with the candidates while singing the Litany of the Saints. The reminder of all the Holy men and women who came before us and who are with us on this special night; being surrounded by my brothers and sisters, "The Faithful," and being awed by their faith and holiness; the privilege of witnessing the candidates profess their faith by accepting baptism. How can I not believe?
Overall, our Triduum was observed reverently and "by the book", and was quite edifying. Highlights for me included:
- The Exsultet beautifully chanted by the deacon, replacing the previous years' "contemporary" setting sung by cantors.
- My son the seminarian MCing all the liturgies, and doing it quite well.
- Another son altar serving and lighting the Easter fire with steel and flint.
- And seeing my RCIA catechumen received into Holy Mother Church.
As promised, here is our entrance of the cross on Good Friday: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9K6FrHfXMv0
-Steve
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