Holy Thursday marks beginning of the Sacred Triduum

Bishop James Ruggieri celebrated the Mass of our Lord's Supper at the Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception on Thursday, April 17. This special Mass is celebrated annually on Holy Thursday, the beginning of the Sacred Triduum. 

The Mass demonstrated the unity of the different cultures that are brought together in the Cathedral. The first reading was read in French. Songs were sung in English, French, Spanish, and Vietnamese.  

“We celebrate tonight what the Lord did on the eve of his death. He gave the Church, at the Last Supper of the first priests, the gift of the eucharist. Interestingly, in John’s Gospel, in chapter 13, which Deacon Erin [Donlan] beautifully chanted for us tonight, it does not describe the institution of the Eucharist.” Bishop Ruggieri noted in his homily, “Instead, we have the foot wash. Considering what we celebrate tonight, I would like to examine the reality in the light of the foot wash. The reality of a Eucharistic culture.” 

Bishop Ruggieri then told the story of religious order of sisters he had just visited. These sisters had a multinational and multigenerational community. Many of the younger sisters came from other countries. When Bishop Ruggieri asked a sister if their cultural differences made living together difficult, she responded immediately, “no bishop, because we all share a Eucharistic culture.” 

“I would like to consider two characteristics of Eucharistic culture.” Bishop Ruggieri said, “The first reality of Eucharistic culture is the reality of kenosis, or the ability to give oneself away to another in love. Jesus did that.”  

Bishop Ruggieri spoke about how Jesus provides the ultimate example of self-emptying love. 

“Jesus’s incarnation in coming here among us, fully God and fully human, was a great act of self-emptying. As Saint Paul tells us, ‘Though he was in the form of God, he did not regard equality with God something to be grasped. Rather he emptied himself, becoming obedient to death, even death on a cross.” 

Bishop Ruggieri ended his homily by quoting John 13:15, “I have given you a model to follow, so that as I have done for you, you also should do.” 

In keeping with Church tradition, the bishop then washed the feet of 12 parishioners. 

At the end of the Mass, to commemorate Christ’s death and crucifixion, consecrated hosts were brought out of the main church to the altar of repose in the adjoining chapel. The cathedral’s tabernacle, where the Blessed Sacrament is usually kept, was left empty. The hosts on the altar of repose will be used on Good Friday, the only day of the year with no Mass.