A View From The Pew – May 2026
Happy Easter! (ILMODB)
By the time of publication Easter will be over five weeks long. But I am writing this at the start of the season during what is known as the Easter Octave (the first eight days of Easter). The season lasts fifty days from Easter Sunday to Pentecost Sunday on 24th May. On the fortieth day after Easter Sunday the Ascension of the Lord is celebrated on Thursday 14th May.
Our Lenten season finished on Thursday of Holy Week (Maundy Thursday) when the Church began what is known as the Sacred Triduum: “Three Days” that spans from the Evening Mass of the Lord’s supper on Holy Thursday to the evening prayer on Easter Sunday representing one continuous liturgy.
On Maundy Thursday evening we celebrated the institution of the Eucharist by Our Lord in the Upper Room at the Last Supper. At the Mass we had the washing of the feet, also with the reminder that those who were having their feet washed represented the twelve disciples. We celebrated also the institution of the priesthood praying especially for priests entrusted with the privilege of celebrating Mass. The Mass was a joyful celebration. But then after Holy Communion the atmosphere changed as the Blessed Sacrament was removed from the tabernacle and taken to the altar of repose. It was as if we joined Our Lord as he left the Upper room to go to the Garden of Gethsemane where he suffered his agony before his arrest and trial. We watched and prayed with the Lord.
On Good Friday we returned to church at 3 o clock in the afternoon, the traditional hour (the ninth hour) when the Lord died on the Cross. We commemorated Our Lord’s Passion and death on the Cross, listening to the Passion account in St John’s gospel in which the divinity of Christ is emphasised. The covered Cross was then taken into the church and gradually unveiled, allowing the congregation to come forward in silence to venerate it. The service concluded with Holy Communion with the sacred hosts consecrated at the Maundy Thursday Mass. The liturgy was simple and austere.
On Holy Saturday evening we gathered in the darkness to celebrate the first Mass of Easter, known as the Easter Vigil. The newly blessed Paschal Candle was lit and brought into the church, symbolising Christ risen from the dead. And the Church was gradually illumined by the individual candles lit from the Easter flame, reminding us that Christ is the Light of the world, and that we share in that life and light through our baptism. We listened to the Word of God in which we were reminded of God’s unfailing love and faithfulness throughout the ages, culminating in the new and eternal covenant given to us by Our Blessed Lord. It was appropriate at this Mass to renew our baptismal promises and to be reminded of the saving waters of baptism as we were blessed by it. The first Mass of Easter concluded with the reception of Holy Communion and the most powerful reminder that we continue to be nourished and fed by God through the Eucharist. It was lovely to celebrate with so many the Lord’s resurrection and the first Mass of Easter.
Likewise, on Easter Sunday also when the church was full to capacity. It was a reassurance of people’s faith and trust in Our Lord as the Way, the Truth and the Life. It was a lovely way to enter in to the Easter season. I do hope that the Easter season brings you many graces and blessings and that we continue to celebrate and remember with joy our Christian faith and calling. God bless. Fr David
God Bless, Fr David Tams