Tomorrow we will commemorate the Lord's Passion and Death on the Cross with Good Friday. We will have the Blessing of the Food on Holy Saturday and then the Great Vigil mass that evening with masses of celebration on Easter Sunday. Again all of this is very scriptural.
Candy goes to great lengths to try to portray the Catholic church as a counterfeit or false Christian church but she has yet to make any comment at all about these holy days on her blog. I find that curious.
Interestingly, she will also make a big deal about celebrating Resurrection Sunday this weekend instead of Easter Sunday. Apparently it's all about whatever type of dinner they have that day and reading the scriptures. And that will be it. Easter, much like Christmas, in the Candy household, is a one day thing instead of a Season as it is for many other Christians.
What puzzles me however is why Candy will choose this particular Sunday to celebrate the resurrection of Christ. After all, she refuses to call it "Easter" because she says that isn't scriptural and because she thinks the term smacks of Paganism. However, the date for choosing Easter (which is a movable Feast) also has Pagan and Catholic roots!
Pagans after all had celebrations in association with the Spring equinox! The Council of Nicaea decreed that Easter should be celebrated the first Sunday that occurs after the first full moon. It is always between March 22 and April 25. But if Candy doesn't hold to any of that, how come that's when she celebrates Easter... er Resurrection Sunday?
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Question: Do Catholics also refer to Holy Thursday as Maundy Thursday? I'm assuming that the term is of Catholic origin (where else would we have gotten it from?). Any idea what "maundy" means? I should know this, but for the life of me I can't remember!
I mentioned to a protestant friend that I was going to Holy Thursday evening Mass, followed by Adoration until Night Prayer at midnight. She suggested that I would do well to use the Adoration time reading the Passover as Jesus lived it, in the gospels. I'm sort of boggling, because we do this at Every Single Mass all year long. She's been several times, and yet didn't realize this or connect Holy Thursday Mass with Passover. Truly fabulous homily tonight, on how the Mass takes us back in time to that passover, and at the same time brings it forward to apply to us right now. And of course on the ministerial priesthood and all. Triduum is glorious.
I read on an evangelical blog this afternoon an encouragement for Christians to rejoice on Easter Sunday and not focus so much on the crucifixion. One notes that this is easy to do if the crucifixion gets its own liturgical day ;)
Dictionary.com says maundy has the same root as mandate, and comes from Jesus' direction to his disciples after he washed their feet.
Maundy Thursday, which derives its English name from Mandatum, the first word of the Office of the washing of the feet, is known in the Western liturgies by the heading "In Coena Domini" (upon the Lord's supper).
celebrated the first Sunday that occurs after the first full moon.
I'm accustomed to seeing a bright, full moon in the sky after exiting Holy Thursday services but despite last night's clear sky, nothing. Bummer.
The priest last night explained that "Maundy" is a corruption of the Latin mandatum (as Elena and Evelyn say above), "commandment," referring to Christ's commands to wash feet and celebrate his supper (John 13:14; 1 Tim. 5:10; 1 Cor. 11).
One other thing about last night's service: the servers clapped a crotalus during the consecration rather than ringing bells.
Full moon occured last week Saturday, March 27. It was really beautiful, and I was able to observe it while spending a nice evening on the beach, under the moonlit sky.
Happy Easter to you Elena! Four years ago I discovered Candy. Two years ago I discovered you. Last night (Easter Vigil) I was received into full communion with the Catholic Church. It was a beautiful night and one I will remember forever.
Thanks to you and Kelly for clearing up any confusion there may be about what the Church believes, teaches, and proclaims.
Have a blessed Easter season!
Congratulations, Jenny. Welcome to the Catholic Church.
Congratulations Jenny! and welcome home!
Just in case anyone else thinks I'm the 'Jenny' who converted to Catholicism, it wasn't me. Someone did think it was :b
The names are spelled differently and I clicked through to Jenny's profile.
Okay, I am getting tired of this stalemate. Can we not find SOMETHING to talk about? What are you all waiting on? The world to change or something? :-)
Oooh Boy!!!
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