This week, we step into Holy Week—an important time in the Church where we journey with Jesus from Palm Sunday to Easter Sunday. It begins with the crowds cheering for him as he enters Jerusalem, and ends with the joy of the Resurrection. Along the way, we pause on Holy Thursday and Good Friday—days full of meaning, challenge, and love.
As we follow this journey, we see Jesus calm and steady, even though everything around him is changing. For three years, he shared a message of love, hope, and healing. Some welcomed it. Others resisted. Now, he knows what’s coming—betrayal, suffering, death.
His closest friends, the Apostles, can feel something is happening, even if they don’t fully understand it. Peter says he’d never walk away from Jesus—but by the next day, he will. Judas knows exactly what he’s about to do. And through it all, Jesus doesn't panic. Instead, he kneels and washes their feet. A job normally left to servants, but Jesus, the Son of God, chooses to serve. Through this simple, powerful act, he shows us that love means serving others with humility and kindness.
Maybe this week we can think about the people in our lives who show love not just in words, but through what they do—a friend who checks in, a teacher who listens, an older student who shares advice, a younger one who makes us laugh, or a parent who’s always there. These moments reflect the kind of love Jesus lived.
Holy Week invites us to remember these acts of love and to be grateful. It also challenges us to live like Jesus—by loving, serving, and giving to others.
On Holy Thursday, we remember the Last Supper—Jesus’ final meal with his disciples. At Mass, there's a special moment when the priest washes the feet of others, just like Jesus did. It reminds us that we’re called to serve with love and humility.
On Good Friday, we pause to remember Jesus’ suffering and death. Many people fast, pray, and reflect. The Stations of the Cross help us walk with Jesus in his final moments. Then, at 3:00pm—the hour of his death—people gather to venerate the cross and receive Communion.
Holy Saturday begins quietly, but as night falls, the Church celebrates the Easter Vigil. A fire is lit, and a candle is carried in to symbolize Christ’s light breaking into the darkness. We hear stories from Scripture about God’s saving love. Some people are welcomed into the Church through Baptism, and we all share in the joy of the Eucharist.
And then—Easter Sunday. The tomb is empty. Jesus is alive! This is the heart of our faith. Light and life have the final word. We celebrate with joy, renew our baptismal promises, and gather with loved ones to rejoice in the hope that Easter brings.
Let us pray: God of life and light, in this Easter season, we thank you for the hope that rises with each new day. You rolled away the stone and broke through fear, reminding us that love is stronger than death. When the world feels heavy, lift our hearts with your promise of new life. Help us to carry your light into dark places, to be signs of peace, joy, and second chances. May the risen Christ walk beside us, filling us with courage and purpose. Alleluia! Hope is alive—help us to live as we believe, though Christ, our Lord. Amen.
Click here to see an Easter Message from Archbishop Patrick O'Regan DD