Coronavirus Catacomb Holy Thursday Reflections with Fr. John Trigilio
Holy Thursday, April 9th, 2020
The Mass of the Lord’s Supper is the centerpiece of Holy Thursday and takes place in the evening after the Chrism Mass in the morning. It is a regular Mass but with a special focus on the institution of the Eucharist itself and one optional element, the Washing of the Feet. This commemorates Jesus’ washing of the feet of the Apostles at the Last Supper and the mandate He gave them to “Do this as I have done to you,” called the “Mandatum” in Latin. This is why Holy Thursday is sometimes called “Maundy” Thursday, an Anglicization of the Latin word “Mandatum”.
Holy Thursday, April 9th, 2020
The Mass of the Lord’s Supper reminds us of the importance of the Mass itself, the gift of the most holy Sacrament of the Eucharist. It is also why we sing the “Gloria” at this Mass even though we have not yet reached the celebration of Easter. We are so happy that Jesus gave us the Eucharist!
At the end of this Mass the faithful are invited to take time to worship the Eucharist which is carried in procession and placed in a smaller chapel of reserve in or near the Church. Most churches keep the Eucharist reserved until midnight, at which point the altar is stripped of linens, the sanctuary light extinguished, and the Eucharist removed. The church is bare. It is now Good Friday.
On this particular Holy Thursday, in the midst of the Coronavirus lockdown, we all have an opportunity to spend time meditating and praying and thanking the Lord for the immense gift of the Body and Blood, Soul and Divinity of our Lord Jesus Christ.