As is our custom, we will take a short break from our discussion this week in order to focus on the events of Holy Week and to take an opportunity to reset and recharge spiritually.
For those who are interested, here is what is happening at our home base of St. Mary’s-in-the-Hills, Lake Orion, this week:
Celebrating Holy Week and Easter at St. Mary’s
From early times Christians have observed the week before Easter as a time of special devotion. As the pilgrim Egeria recorded in the late fourth century, Jerusalem contained many sacred places that were sites for devotion and liturgy. Numerous pilgrims to the holy city followed the path of Jesus in his last days. They formed processions, worshipped where Christ suffered and died, and venerated relics. From this beginning evolved the rites we observe today on Palm Sunday, Maundy Thursday, Good Friday, and Holy Saturday. These services provide a liturgical experience of the last days of Jesus’ earthly life, as well as the time and events leading up to his resurrection. The three holy days, or Triduum, of Maundy Thursday, Good Friday, and Holy Saturday are at the heart of the Holy Week observance, which ends in the joy of the Easter Vigil.
Insofar as weather allows, we will hold our Holy Week and Easter services in the outdoor chapel. If weather does not allow, we will move the services indoors. As of now, we expect to hold abbreviated services for Maundy Thursday and Good Friday indoors, with limited capacity. All in-person services will be live-streamed on YouTube (with links on Facebook and the website).
Holy Week and Easter at St. Mary’s
Maundy Thursday, 7 p.m.
Good Friday, Noon (Outdoor Stations of the Cross) & 7 p.m.
Holy Saturday (by Zoom): Noon
Easter Vigil, 7 p.m.
Easter Morning, 8 (indoors) and 10 a.m.,
11 a.m. Easter Egg Hunt, and Noon Zoom Fellowship
We’ll be back the first Tuesday in April with our regularly scheduled conversation.