SILENCE IN TRIDUUM (NO 2)

SILENCE IN TRIDUUM A SPIRITUAL-LITURGICAL COMMITMENT FROM THE HOLY WEEK (NO 2)

The apex and summary of Holy Week is experienced in the Triduum. This is evident in the word TRIDUUM:

T – TRINITARIAN Love gesture dramatized in a most solemn silent spiritual-liturgical way.

R – REDEMPTIVE role of the God-Man re-presented and re-enacted.

I – INSTITUTIONAL love shown in the sacramental forms.

U – UNION with the author of life through total surrender in form of man to make us divine.

U – URGE towards sincere sacramental familiarity.

M – MOMENTS of true and personal encounter with Christ in the liturgy through spiritual growth.

Therefore, the silence that shrouded the liturgy brings out in a most solemn way the spirituality that the mysteries represent. The spiritual cum liturgical quietude is governed by the Love intrinsic in Holy Thursday’s ...Hoc est corpus meum, quod pro vobis datur: Hoc facite in meam commemorationem...Hic est calix novum testamentum in sanguine meo, qui pro vobis fundetur Lk.22:19-20 and Keep watch, and pray that you will not fall into temptation. The spirit is willing but the flesh is weak-Vigilate et orate, ut non intretis in tentationem. Spiritus quidem promptus est, caro vero infirma Mk. 14:38. Therefore, the Liturgy of Holy Thursday which reminds us of the Chrism Mass and the Mass of the Last Supper, brings out the silent spirituality of:

 i) The silent breathing over the Oil of Chrism by the Bishop before the consecratory prayer.

ii) The silent prostration of the candidate for ordination.

iii) The silent imposition of hands on the head of an ordinand followed by an ordination prayer.

iv) The silent washing of feet of the twelve (12) Apostles in the Mass of the Last Supper Jn.13:1-17.

v) The silent dismissal of Mass without final blessing, with procession to the Altar of Repose.

vi) The silent denuding of the Altar after the Mass of the Last Supper.

vii) The silent adoration of Jesus Christ at the Altar of Repose liturgically re-presenting Jesus in the Garden of Gethsemane, who asked the Apostles why they could not watch for one hour in prayer. (cfr. Mk. 14:38)

Therefore, these sublimated and great silence observed in these different liturgical gestures is a tranquillity of sincere spiritual life inviting us all for the active participation of Christian life. Ipso facto, Holy Thursday is:

H – HOLY encounter with Christ through the Sacrament of Re-presentation.

O – OBSERVING attentively with silence prayer the mystery of divine service.

L – LETTING the mystery find a home in your heart.

Y – YEARNING towards sincere active participation in the sacerdotal service of Christ, who came not to be served but to serve.

T – TOTAL given of self or sacrifice towards love of neighbour shown in the washing of feet.

H – HAPPINESS in participating actively in the celebration of the Mystery of Love.

U – UNION with Christ always as not to be a betrayal at Gethsemane with a kiss.

R – RESISTING the worldly desire to act contradictorily towards our faith.

S – SURRENDER of ourselves as a positive response to our vocations.

D – DOING things with the intention of the eschatological values therein-the Beatific vision.

A – ARDENT faith in the sacramental life of the Church.

Y – YOU too are called in the vineyard so get prepared for this vocation.

Good Friday’s kenosis Phil.2:7-9 and Consummatum est- It is finished Jn.19:30 culminated the great silence of Christ, God-Man’s death on the cross at Golgotha. This deep spiritual silence is reenacted by the immediate prostration on reaching the foot of the Altar by the celebrants for the Good Friday Celebration of the Passion of Our Lord Jesus Christ for few minutes recalling Christ’s death; and standing the chief celebrant introduces the celebration with an Opening Prayer without the Sign of the Cross. It is also worthy to note that the prayerful and devotional silent covering of the crucifix on the Saturday preceding 5^th Sunday of Lent and symbolic silent liturgical opening of the crucifix during the Celebration of the Passion of Our Lord Jesus Christ with the liturgical crescendo of musical  trio-echoing of Ecce lignum crucis in quo salus mundi pependit... Venite adoremus, loudly and concretely indicates to us the great aphorism of In hoc signo vincis, that in this sign of the Cross we are victorious with Christ having followed Him together in the Via Crucis from the Praetorium to Calvary (Golgotha), there he saved humanity and pardon all our sins objectively and in a sacramental form too thus; Iesus autem dicebat: Pater, dimitte illis; non enim sciunt quid faciunt-Father, forgive them for they do not know what they are doing Lk.23:34. Furthermore, The three hours of silence and darkness in the whole country was broken by about three o’clock by Jesus’ loud divine question-cry: Eli, Eli, lamma sabacthani? Deus meus, Deus meus, ut quid dereliquisti me? My God, My God. Why have You forsaken me? Mt.27:45-46; Mk.15:33-34. In spiritual life if we are left alone without the divine maternal care of Our Blessed Mother Mary, our silent meditation becomes arid and fruitless. In view of this, while still on the cross seeing the beloved disciple and his mother with other Mary, representing the Church, the Sacred Scripture said: Cum vidisset ergo Iesus matrem et discipulum stantem quem diligebat, dicit matri suae: Mulier, ecce filius tuus; deinde dicit discipulo: Ecce mater tua. Et ex illa hora accepit eam discipulus in sua-Jesus saw his mother and the disciple he loved standing there; so he said to his mother, Woman, behold your son, and to the disciple he said: Behold you mother, from that moment the disciple took her to live with her in his home Jn.19:26-27. Oh Our Blessed Mother Virgin Mary, pray for us who have recourse to you, Amen. Be it as it may then, in this salvific day, Good Friday calls to mind:

G – GOD is ever present among us even when we seem unconcerned.

O – OBEDIENCE of Christ brought us salvation.

O – OPENNES of Christ’s life is a great model to us who are his apostles, disciples and children.

D – DO to all what ordinarily you will love them do you Tobit 4:15.  

F – FASTING from sin is for our own spiritual good.

R – RESISTING from sin is the most excellent thing to be done by whoever that loves crucified Christ.

I – INSTITUTION of the Sacrament of Eternal or Infinite Love is evident in the Good Friday dramatic liturgy.

D – DEEP silent prayer ought to be experienced by all especially on this day.

A – ATTRACTION towards the suffering servant of Yahweh makes us to be drawn to Him as an example.

Y – YOU are not of the world though you are in the world.

These significance surrounding the Good Friday is clearly found in the Prophet Isaiah: He was treated harshly, but endured it humbly; he never said a word. Like a lamb about to be slaughtered, like a sheep about to be sheared, he never said a word 53:7.

Holy Saturday’s longest silence is broken by the Paschal or Easter Praeconium:  

Exsultet iam Angelica turba caelorum: exsultent divina mysteria: et pro tanti Regis victoria, tuba insonet salutaris.		Let the angelic choirs of Heaven now rejoice; let the divine Mysteries rejoice; and let the trumpet of salvation sound forth the victory of so great a King.
Gaudeat et tellus tantis irradiata fulgoribus: et aeterni Regis splendore illustrata, totius orbis se sentiat amisisse caliginem.		Let the earth also rejoice, made radiant by such splendor; and, enlightened with the brightness of the eternal King, let it know that the darkness of the whole world is scattered.

 By this Praeconium, the silent history of salvation is narrated and the Light of the world and King of kings rose triumphantly recalling once again the triumphant entrance into Jerusalem on Palm/Passion Sunday, but this time the Light dispelling the darkness of sin brings joy to the children of God and the world in general, rendering the devil powerless and upgrading Christians with spiritual fortitude.

Haec nox est, in qua primum patres nostros filios Israel eductos de Aegypto, mare Rubrum sicco vestigio transire fecisti.		This is the night in which Thou didst formerly cause our forefathers, the children of Israel, when brought out of Egypt, to pass through the Red Sea with dry foot.
Haec igitur nox est, quae peccatorum tenebras, columnae illuminatione purgavit.		This, therefore, is the night which dissipated the darkness of sinners by the light of the pillar.
Haec nox est, quae hodie per universum mundum, in Christo credentes, a vitiis saeculi, et caligine peccatorum segregatos, reddit gratiae, sociat sanctitati.		This is the night which at this time throughout the world restores to grace and unites in sanctity those that believe in Christ, and are separated from the vices of the world and the darkness of sinners.
Haec nox est, in qua destructus vinculis mortis, Christus ab inferis victor ascendit. Nihil enim nobis nasci profuit, nisi redimi profuisset.		This is the night in which, destroying the chains of death, Christ arose victorious from the grave. For it would have profited us nothing to have been born, unless redemption had also been bestowed upon us.

The darkness which was shrouded with mischievous silence is hereby turned into the clear brightness of silent beauty with heavenly aroma depicted with the symbolic Paschal candle.

O vere beata nox, quae sola meruit scire tempus et horam, in qua Christus ab inferis resurrexit! Haec nox est, de qua scriptum est: Et nox sicut dies illuminabitur: et nox illuminatio mea in deliciis meis.		O truly blessed night, which alone deserved to know the time and hour when Christ rose again from hell! This is the night of which it is written: And the night shall be as clear as the day; and the night is my light in my delights.
Huius igitur sanctificatio noctis fugat scelera, culpas lavat: et reddit innocentiam lapsis, et moestis laetitiam. Fugat odia, concordiam parat, et curvat imperia.		Therefore the hallowing of this night puts to flight all wickedness, cleanses sins, and restores innocence to the fallen, and gladness to the sorrowful. It drives forth hatreds, it prepares concord, and brings down haughtiness.
In huius igitur noctis gratia, suscipe, sancte Pater, incensi huius sacrificium vespertinum: quod tibi in hac Cerei oblatione solemni, per ministrorum manus de operibus apum, sacrosancta reddit Ecclesia.		Wherefore, in this sacred night, receive, O holy Father, the evening sacrifice of this incense, which holy Church renders to Thee by the hands of Thy ministers in the solemn offering of this wax candle, made out the work of bees.
Sed iam columnae huius praeconia novimus, quam in honorem Dei rutilans ignis accendit. Qui licet sit divisus in partes, mutuati tamen luminis detrimenta non novit. Alitur enim liquantibus ceris, quas in substantiam pretiosae huius lampadis, apis mater eduxit.		Now also we know the praises of this pillar, which the shining fire enkindles to the honor of God. Which fire, although divided into parts, suffers no loss from its light being borrowed. For it is nourished by the melting wax, which the mother bee produced for the substance of this precious light.
O vere beata nox, quae exspoiliavit Aegyptos, ditavit Hebraeos! Nox, in qua terrenis caelestia, humanis divina iunguntur.		O truly blessed night, which plundered the Egyptians and enriched the Hebrews! A night in which heavenly things are united to those of earth, and things divine to those which are of man.
Oramus ergo te, Domine: ut Cereus iste in honorem tui nominis consecratus, ad noctis huius caliginem destruendam, indeficiens perseveret. Et in odorem suavitatis acceptus, supernis luminaribus misceatur. Flammas eius lucifer matutinus inveniat. Ille, qui regressus ab inferis, humano generi serenus illuxit.		We beseech Thee, therefore, O Lord, that this wax candle hallowed in honor of Thy Name, may continue to burn to dissipate the darkness of this night. And being accepted as a sweet savor, may be united with the heavenly lights. Let the morning star find its flame alight. That star, I mean, which knows no setting. He Who returning from hell, serenely shone forth upon mankind.

From the mystery of the Paschal Vigil, one sees the involvement in the meaning of Holy Saturday thus:

H – HOLD firm the faith which makes us special as children of God.

O – OBTAIN the grace which God gives gratuitously by our going to Him.

L –LOVE God sincerely for through love He saved us all.

Y – YOU are obliged to remain with the Light of God.

S – SALVATION is for all, so work out yours with fear and trembling.

A – AVOID anything that takes you away from God.

T – TOUCH every life that you meet positively as to dispel the darkness of his or her life.

U – UPON the lives that seeks for light, help them to ignite the flame with love.

R – REMAIN always with truth for it will set you free.

D – DURING your life time, try to leave a spiritual legacy for the glory of God.

A -  ACCEPT other people in their limitedness or weakness and make them grow in virtues.

Y – YET, do not think that you have everything because if with your present condition you lack  Christ you are nothing.

In all these spiritual antidotes and antithesis we arrive at the last day of Triduum, breaking the magnum silentium with the Exsultet and three great Alleluia in a crescendo of sacred liturgical music.