Lent and Eastertide 2008

The Time of Lent and Easter is a time when the Church ‘God’s People’ remembers Jesus Christ’s Suffering, Death, Resurrection, Ascension and Gift of the Holy Spirit. By remembering with special ceremonies at this time of year, Catholic Christians seek to make present and real today God’s love and concern for all people shown in Jesus.

In Lent, a traditional period of 40 days preparation for Easter, we seek to ‘re-focus’ on what is really important in life. This is sometimes through ‘giving up something’ or ‘doing something extra’ so as to help us see more clearly, and to celebrate the gifts we have and also to enter more fully into the celebrations of Holy Week and Easter.

In Holy Week we celebrate what is known as the ‘Easter Triduum’ - three very special ceremonies which really form one great act of worship. The first of these is Holy Thursday Evening ‘The Mass of the Lord’s Supper’ in which we remember Jesus’ Last Supper, when he gave the gift of himself in the Eucharist, Holy Communion, in which God’s People receive Jesus’ life, and share in the Blessings of that life, death and resurrection. Then on ‘Good Friday’ we remember Jesus’ Death on the Cross, and finally at the ‘Easter Vigil’ late on Holy Saturday Evening we remember Jesus’ Resurrection.

Towards the end of Eastertide, we remember Jesus’ Ascension, and then on the last Sunday of Eastertide, Pentecost or ‘Whit’ Sunday we celebrate the Gift of the Holy Spirit, the life of Jesus made part of his people. This calls to mind for Christians that all we have ‘remembered’ at Eastertide is part of us, and that in our lives we can make God’s Way present, real and alive today. As we remember, and take part in, all that Jesus did, we are encouraged to make real those values today.

In addition to our Regular Services, we have Special Services planned for Lent and Eastertide:

Lent and Eastertide 2008 >>

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