THIS evening, the parish choir of St. Agatha's begins singing the
Pascal Triduum, beginnning with the Mass of the Lord's Supper.
I believe that some of the most beautiful music is performed
tonight during the liturgy.
Among the gathering songs for such a Mass include songs that
speak of Eucharistic themes like Sue Toolman's "I Am The
Bread Of Life," the Taize community's hymn "Eat This Bread," or
Haugen's "Come To The Feast."
In churches where the Tradiitional Latin Rite is being used,
there'll be the singing of the Gregorian Chant song "Nos Autem
Gloria," It Beehooves to glory in the Cross." As I'm writing this,
I'm watching the opening of EWTN's live transmission of the
Mass of the Lord's Supper. After the Gloria, in which the bells of
the Basillica of the Immaculate Conception are rung, the organ
will be shut off until the Easter Vigil on Saturday night.
In many churches, the organ and the bells are shut off after the
Glory to God on Holy Thursday, and the choirs sing without any
musical accompaniment.
After the homily, there is the washing of the feet, in which the
priest re-enacts Jesus's washing his disciples' feet. In the days
when the Mass was sung in Latin, there was a string of canticles
drawn from the psalm, including "Ubi Caritas." In many
churches, this hymn will be heard in many forms during tonight's
ceremony.
There is a very special story about the "Pange Lingua," which
was written by Thomas Aquinas. When Rome ruled the world,
its soldiers would bring back all kinds of treasures from their
conquests. And as they paraded them in Rome, they sang an
ancient hymn that glorified the Roman Emperor and the Empire
he ruled over. Thomas used this music for the Pange Lingua,
which is heard as the Eucharist is transferred from the main
altar at church to the side altar, where it will be adored until late
tonight.
As I'm watching the EWTN broadcast, I'm hearing the opening
hymn "Come, Let Us Glory In The Cross," which I believe is
based on "Nos Autem Gloria," the traditional opening hymn on
this night. Also heard in some churches will be the "Christus
Factus Est," in which we pay tribute to Jesus's passing on the
cross.
May I wish you all a very Happy Easter weekend, and I do hope
you'll attend the church services on these three days.