Triduum

Today begins the holiest time of the year for Catholics everywhere. The Triduum (Latin for "three days") commemorates the Passion, Death and Resurrection of our Savior, Jesus Christ.

I have just returned home from church, where I participated in "The Mass of the Lord's Supper". The readings and rituals all relived the events of the Last Supper. This is one of the most moving liturgies of the year. Our primary focus tonight is on service. Jesus washed the feet of His disciples as an example of how they should serve others. All over the world, Catholics participate in the foot-washing rite as part of the Mass this evening.

Our parish priest is in his seventies. When he kneels down to wash the feet of selected members of our congregation, it always brings tears to my eyes. This kind and gentle man of deep spirituality represents Jesus to us and it pierces me to see him painfully kneel and stiffly get up, moving to the next person in line. And washing someone's dirty, stinky feet! Yechh, not my cup of tea, believe me. But Father does it just as Jesus did. Can I do any less?