Holy Week and Christ’s Victory
By Mathieu Dacquay
‘Holy week is both intense and exiting’
Holy week has always been a special time for me. It comes as the climax of Lent, redoubling the intensity of the season as the liturgy swings into the last moments of our Lord’s earthly life and ushers in the great season of Easter. For me, Holy week is both intense and exiting.
‘Christ’s true glory and power is expressed, not in human praise, but in His love for us and His obedience to His Father’s will’
Holy week begins with Palm Sunday when we hear of Christ triumphantly entering Jerusalem, the crowds crying “Hosanna”, followed by the Passion narrative, where the same crowds shout “Crucify Him”. Although I used to be confused by this abrupt shift, I came to realise the deeper significance, in that Christ’s true glory and power is expressed, not in human praise, but in His love for us and His obedience to His Father’s will. This sets the tone for the rest of the week. Monday through Wednesday, we hear from Isaiah’s prophesies about Christ, the servant of God, and of Christ’s preparations for the Passover Feast.
Holy Thursday, the day of the institution of the Eucharist, is a special day to celebrate the priesthood. On this day we at Madonna House honour all our priests with a festive meal we call “the Supper of the Lamb”. Afterwards, at Mass, a priest washes the feet of some of the people to mark the instruction of our Lord to serve and love one another as He has. A period of Adoration follows Mass, where we keep watch with Jesus in the Garden of Gethsemane, remembering His invitation to “remain here and keep watch with me” Mt. 26: 38.
On Good Friday, we remember Christ’s Passion on the Cross, His death and burial. Our house in Robin Hood’s Bay usually has a packed schedule for this day as we participate in the Churches Together Witness walk in the morning, and attend the Good Friday liturgy at the parish in Whitby in the afternoon. We often have a Byzantine service in the evening called “the Burial of Christ”. This service involves long prayers, lots of singing and incense. A cloth depicting Christ in the tomb is processed around the chapel, accompanied by singing. At the end of the service, we each walk under the cloth image of Christ’s burial, ducking below it while blowing out our candles, symbolically entering the tomb with Christ.
‘Awake, O sleeper, and arise from the dead, and Christ shall give you light’
On Holy Saturday, I’m filled with anticipation of Easter in all its victorious joy & glory while also experiencing the silence of the tomb interiorly. At Madonna House we read an Ancient Homily from the Office of Readings before Lauds. It’s a powerful homily depicting Christ meeting Adam and those in Hades, proclaiming His victory over sin & death, and the restoration of all humanity to God. “Awake, O sleeper, and arise from the dead, and Christ shall give you light.”
I hope this Holy Week will be for all of us a powerful journey to the risen Christ, which leads us to proclaim “Christ is risen from the dead, trampling on death by death, and on those in the tomb, lavishing life!”
Previous Months Letters from Madonna House
March 2025: Pysanky – Beauty will Save the World By Jeanne Guillemette
February 2025: A Dip into Ordinary Time By Jeanne Guillemette
January 2025: A Pilgrimage Towards the Absolute By Rev. Kieran Kilcommons
December 2024: A Christmas Gift By Carol Ann Gieske
November 2024: Finding Christ in the Saints By Mathieu Dacquay
October 2024: The Feast Day of St. Francis of Assisi By Jeanne Guillemette
September 2024: The Triumph of the Cross By Rev. Kieran Kilcommons
August 2024: Jesus and the Little Girl By Carol Ann Gieske
July 2024: Dont Forget to take Jesus Home By Jeanne Guillemette
June 2024: Living Under Mary’s Mantle By Fr. Michael Weitl
May 2024: Vocation & Journey in Christ’ By Mathieu Dacquay
April 2024: Christ Lives! By Carol Ann Gieske
March 2024: Putting everything ‘on the altar’ By Jeanne Guillemette
February 2024: Finding Peace in Surrender to Christ By Mathieu Dacquay
January 2024: Celebrating Epiphany with the Christian east By Fr. Michael Weitl
December 2023: Journeying through Advent with Joseph By Carol Ann Gieske
November 2023: The Saints Are Alive By Jeanne Guillemette
October 2023: Ordinary Miracles By Mathieu Dacquay