Pics: Dayanand Kukkaje/Joshwa D'Souza
Daijiworld Media Network - Mangaluru
By John B Monteiro
Mangaluru, Mar 26: For Christians, Holy Week, starting on Palm Sunday and ending with Easter Sunday (March 27 this year) is considered the focal point of ecclesiastical and liturgical year. The last three days of the week - Good Friday, Holy Saturday and Easter Sunday – are called sacred triduum. During these days oils, water and fire (Easter candle) are blessed to make them holy and use them for the rest of the year for baptism, etc. On Holy Saturday, Christians wait at the tomb of Jesus, meditating upon his Passion, death and awaiting, in prayer and fasting, his Resurrection.
Rosario Cathedral
St Lawrence Church, Bondel
The central point of Christianity pivots on Resurrection. Jesus had repeatedly talked about Resurrection and rising from the dead on the third day. Speaking in parable, he had talked about destroying the temple and rebuilding it in three days – even as the Jews scoffed at the claim saying that it had taken their ancestors forty years to build the temple. So, after Jesus died on the cross, his disciples and followers were tossed between hope and despair. Fearing torture from the Jews they made themselves scarce, huddled behind locked doors.
After the Sabbath, at the dawn of Sunday, Mary Magdalene and another Mary went to see the sepulcher (tomb). According to the Biblical account, there was a great earthquake; for an angel of the Lord descended from heaven and rolled back the stone, and sat upon it. For fear of him the guards trembled and became like dead men. But the angel said to the women, “Do not be afraid; for I know that you seek Jesus who was crucified. He is not here; for he has risen, as he said. Then go quickly and tell his disciples that he has risen from the dead, and behold, he is going before you to Galilee; there you will see him”. So they departed quickly from the tomb with fear and great joy, and ran to tell the disciples. Jesus met them and said, “Hail!” They went up and took hold of his feet and worshipped him. Jesus said to them, “Do not be afraid; go and tell my brethren to go to Galilee, and there they will see me”.
Mary Magdalene conveyed the news of the risen Jesus to the disciples. But when they heard that he was alive and had been seen by her, they would not believe it. After this, he appeared to two of them as they were walking into the country. They went back and told the rest; but they did not believe them.
Afterwards he appeared to the eleven disciples themselves as they sat at the table behind closed doors for fear of the Jews. He said to them, “Peace be with you” and showed them his nailed hands and pierced side of his ribs (The ribs had been pierced with the lance of a soldier to make sure Jesus was dead on the cross). He upbraided them for their unbelief and hardness of heart, because they had not believed those who saw him after he had risen. The disciples were glad when they saw Jesus who said, “As the father has sent me, even so I send you” to preach the gospel (good news) to all nations.
Thomas, one of the disciples, was not with them when Jesus came. When told of the visit of Jesus, he said “Unless I see in his hands the print of the nails and place my hand in his side, I will not believe”. Eight days later, his disciples were again in the same house, and Thomas was with them. The doors were shut, but Jesus came and stood among them, and said, “Peace be with you”. Then he said to Thomas, “Put your finger here, and see my hands; and put your hand, and place it in my side; do not be faithless, but believing”. Thomas answered, “My Lord and my God!” Jesus said to him, “Have you believed because you have seen me? Blessed are those who have not seen and yet believe”. From this has come the expression “Doubting Thomas”.
Mangaluru Diocese
Udupi Diocese