My dear friends,
Some of you may be wondering what "Tenebrae" is. It is scheduled to take place at 9:00 AM on Holy Thursday, Good Friday and Holy Saturday here at IHM. Tenebrae is from that Latin word for darkness or shadows and is a combination of Matins (Office of Readings) and Lauds (Morning Prayer) from the Church's Liturgy of the Hours, meant to sanctify the whole day with prayer, particularly from the Psalms.
Tenebrae features chanting of Psalms, reading of Sacred Scripture, listening to an ancient homily from one of the Church Fathers and chanting the haunting Lamentations Jeremiah the Prophet was inspired to write after Jerusalem was destroyed by the Babylonian Empire in the 6th century BC. There will be a gradual extinguishing of an entire candelabra of lights meant to signify Jesus Christ, the Light of the World, undergoing His Passion and Death.
We would like to thank the Family of Richard and Marla Greco for the beautiful 15-candles hearse that has been used for a number of years at IHM. Shortly, it will receive a memorial plaque for their loved one.
For a fuller presentation on the Tenebrae Liturgy, please click here.
If you did not have an opportunity yet to view our parish's Gift of Easter video, do not miss out! May it bring more gratitude to our hearts knowing what our Lord endured for our salvation.
The family of Fr. Lynch informed IHM on Monday that he had a very good week. Fr. Lynch loves Holy Week and please say a special prayer for him this year.
Yesterday, at the annual Chrism Mass at St. Patrick's Cathedral, His Eminence Cardinal Dolan shared that Fr. Lynch is walking with help and is grateful for all the prayers and support. Our Archbishop's words can be heard and viewed at the end of the Mass at time-stamp 1:10:56 on the clip below.
Know that the Holy Oils for the Sick, the Catechumens and the Sacred Chrism that IHM received after the Chrism Mass will be officially welcomed to our parish at the start of Holy Thursday's evening Mass of the Lord's Supper and then placed in our ambry near the Baptismal Font.
You may find this interview I gave to the Knights of Columbus of interest. It can be linked here.
No matter where you may find yourselves these days, even away on Spring Break, have a blessed start to the Sacred Triduum of Holy Thursday, Good Friday and Holy Saturday before Easter Sunday!
In Christ,
Msgr. Luke Sweeney