The Holy Triduum 2011

What a blessing this Holy Triduum was!  We were able to take part in the entire three part celebration.  Father Adams explained the Mass on Holy Thursday begins with the Sign of the Cross and we do not make the Sign of the Cross again until the end of the Easter Vigil.  We were so thankful to be able to make it to The Mass of the Lord's Supper and celebrate the institution of the Holy Eucharist and the Priesthood.  Once we were home and had the little ones in bed, The House Cat, Snuggle Bug, Dad and I watched The Passion of the Christ.  We all agreed watching this beforehand helped us to focus on all Our Lord endured for us on Good Friday.

Good Friday was a day spent in prayer, fasting and thanksgiving.  I'm so glad we were able to spend the day together as a family.  This is one day my honey tries to take off work.  We did our best to keep things as quiet as possible around here.  Dad rang the bell at noon and called us to pray the Sorrowful Mysteries of the Rosary together.  We drove over to the monastery and prayed the outdoor Stations of the Cross.  We made it home just before three which was the perfect time to pray The Divine Mercy Chaplet  and begin our novena. 

In the evening we went back to church for The Lord's Passion and Veneration of the Cross.  The priests began by laying prostrate before the stripped altar.  It was moving and powerful. 

We tried to carry on silence into Holy Saturday.  We all realized this was an area we needed to improve on from years past.  After all, our Lord is still in the tomb!  The kids watched some of Jesus of Nazareth again and then we all took a nap to get ready for a late night.

It was our first Easter Vigil as family and the little ones were soooo excited!  I mean what's better than going to Mass at night in a dark church and then getting to hold your own lit candle?  Thankfully Buck didn't catch Honeybee's hair on fire :)
No really, it was incredible and I just feel so blessed that we were able to be a part of the WHOLE celebration!  There were 3 adults baptized!!!  Thanks be to God!!!
We also have 44 new Catholics who became members of Christ's Church!!

God is SO GOOD!!!!