After Completing the First 5 Weeks of Lent: Preparing for the Actual Mystery of Holy Week: Lenten Conference #6
Fr. Hugh Gillespie, SMM
Note: This audio is the sixth and final Friday conference within the Lenten Season. The Conference is separated into two parts.
After Completing the First 5 Weeks of Lent: Preparing for the Actual Mystery of Holy Week: Lenten Conference #6
Entering the Mystery: A Journey Through Holy Week
This is Part 1 of this conference, given just before Holy Week.
The conference delves deeply into the liturgical, historical, and spiritual significance of the days leading up to and including the Triduum: Palm Sunday, Holy Thursday, Good Friday, and the beginning of the Easter celebration.
Key themes include:
• The centrality of Easter Sunday in Christian life, considered the most important holy day from which all others flow.
• Palm Sunday of the Lord’s Passion, highlighting the liturgy’s symbolic movements and how they transition the faithful from celebration to solemnity.
• The significance of movement and ritual, such as the procession and the use of physical gestures like kneeling and walking to mirror spiritual journeys.
• Holy Thursday, particularly the Mass of the Lord’s Supper, the institution of the Eucharist, the washing of feet, and the transition from Lent into the Paschal Triduum.
• Good Friday, emphasizing the unique nature of the day—its silence, absence of the Mass, and focus on the priesthood and sacrifice of Christ.
The reflection weaves theological insight with liturgical instruction, urging the faithful to enter into the mysteries of the Passion with body, mind, and spirit.
Listen to this Lenten Season Friday Devotional Conference: Listen to Part 1 …
After Completing the First 5 Weeks of Lent: Preparing for the Actual Mystery of Holy Week: Lenten Conference #6
Christ of St. John of The Cross: Spanish Painter: Salvador Dalí: 1951
The painting is known as the Christ of Saint John of the Cross, because its design is based on a drawing by the 16th-century Spanish friar John of the Cross. Note: This is a low-resolution picture for copyright purposes.
Note:
This marks the Sixth and Final Friday of the current Lenten Season, featuring special formation conferences covering a range of seasonal topics. Select the Friday Lenten Season Link below to see all conferences captured to date.
Return to Lenten Conferences TOC
Part I: After Completing the First 5 Weeks of Lent: Preparing for the Actual Mystery of Holy Week: Lenten Conference #6
Select to Read Part II's Description
After Completing the First 5 Weeks of Lent: Preparing for the Actual Mystery of Holy Week: Lenten Conference #6
In Silence and Fire: Encountering Christ in the Holy Days
This is Part 2 of this conference, given just before Holy Week.
This conference continues by capturing a rich and passionate reflection on the liturgical depth and spiritual symbolism of the Good Friday and Easter celebrations within the Catholic Church. We are led within a powerful journey through the Paschal Triduum, beginning with the veiling and gradual unveiling of the crucifix during the Good Friday liturgy. This ritual highlights the unfolding mystery of Christ’s passion, encouraging believers to first understand, pray, and unite their hearts with Jesus’ sacrificial love before visually encountering the cross.
The Good Friday Liturgy
The Good Friday liturgy is marked by solemn intercessions for all humanity, affirming the universal reach of Christ’s redemptive act. The veneration of the single crucifix serves as a profound moment of communal reverence, underscoring the singularity of Christ’s sacrifice.
The Easter Vigil is celebrated with grandeur and symbolism—starting with the blessing of a new fire and the lighting of the Paschal candle, representing the risen Christ. Through light, scripture, and sacramental renewal, the liturgy transitions the faithful from darkness to light, death to resurrection. This includes the renewal of baptismal vows and the sprinkling with holy water, symbolically cleansing the ashes of Lent and marking spiritual rebirth.
The Church also reflects on the value of sitting in silence before an empty tabernacle on Holy Saturday morning, recognizing the rare spiritual weight of absence. The entire experience is portrayed as an invitation to deeper renewal, awareness, and joyful participation in the mysteries of faith.
Listen to this Lenten Season Friday Devotional Conference: Listen to Part 2 …
After Completing the First 5 Weeks of Lent: Preparing for the Actual Mystery of Holy Week: Lenten Conference #6
Part II: After Completing the First 5 Weeks of Lent: Preparing for the Actual Mystery of Holy Week: Lenten Conference #6
