When I first decided to go to a Catholic school, I imagined that everyone was going to share my beliefs. I figured that everyone would have my same Catholic values, even if they weren’t Catholic themselves.
I was sorely mistaken.
My first Easter season on campus last year, I found out that not everyone loves Holy Week as much as I do. I mean, they don’t even know what the Paschal Triduum is. Not only do I know what the Paschal Triduum is, but it’s my favorite three days of the whole year.
Since nobody at this school shares my strong opinions on Holy Week, I figured I would educate that masses. I am going to talk about Holy Week. It is the only thing I want to talk about.
Is every day of Holy Week important? That’s up for debate. But like I said, we’re really focusing on the Big Three: The Paschal Triduum.
However, I will happily rank all five days of Holy Week. I’m not gonna tell you which are the most important. I’m not the Pope. I’m here to tell you how I rank Holy Week.
- Easter Sunday
I know this is crazy, and it’s probably sacrilegious. I don’t care. Easter is not the best day of Holy Week. It’s not the best Catholic holiday.
You know why? It’s too pretentious.
We get it. We’re saved. Yay. Woohoo.
But, I don’t want to sit in Mass for, like, a million hours. It’s boring, and the incense makes my hands feel funny.
Plus, the food on Easter is nothing compared to the food on Christmas. Is it the same food? Yes, but it tastes better on Christmas.
I will say I like the color scheme and wearing a cute pastel dress to church. That’s not enough to make Easter Sunday top three.
- Holy Saturday
Unfortunately, this is the only day of the Paschal Triduum that doesn’t make the top three. It breaks my heart to say it, but it’s the weakest of the three.
It’s fine. It’s a good day. Sometimes you have to go to boring Mass on Saturday if you don’t want to go Sunday, which isn’t great.
Holy Saturday is great, and I’m happy that it’s in the Paschal Triduum. It just doesn’t have the power of the other days.
It does sometimes have “The Ten Commandments” movie on TV. There is that.
- Palm Sunday
The greatest Sunday of the year, and you can quote me on that. Every other Sunday Mass pales in comparison. You don’t get a gift to hold every other Sunday. You don’t get to do a craft with said gift any other Sunday.
Also, while I have you here, if you don’t know how to make a cross from a palm on Palm Sunday, you don’t get to call yourself Catholic. Call up an old religious man and make him teach you. It’s pathetic that you don’t know.
Now, if you know how to make the cool baskets, you’re better than me, and I don’t want to talk to you anymore.
- Good Friday
Do I get annoyed every Friday of Lent when I have to eat fish? Mostly. Every other Friday it’s a whole ordeal. I don’t want to deal with that.
Good Friday, though, that’s a different story. I will happily eat seafood on Good Friday. Meat? Never heard of her. Pass the calamari.
Good Friday is like the Feast of the Seven Fishes but in the spring. How can you not love it?
And, if you’re lucky, you get to do an Easter egg hunt. You don’t have time to do an Easter egg hunt on Easter Sunday because you’re in church all day. So, you do it on Good Friday.
Good Friday is epic, and if it weren’t for the whole crucifixion thing, it would probably be the greatest day of all time.
It’s still only the second best of the Paschal Triduum, though.
- Holy Thursday
Here it is. Number one. The greatest of all the Catholic holidays. The greatest of all the days. The top of the Paschal Triduum. Holy Thursday.
I don’t know what you know about Holy Thursday Mass, but I know that I know more. I love Holy Thursday Mass. I love going to a very long Mass where people’s feet are washed for some odd reason.
I love leaving my church and having to go to several other churches to pray for a hiding Jesus. I know what’s going to happen to Jesus in a few hours, but every Holy Thursday, I get to act and pretend I’m a part of this journey. I get to go on a little trip.
It’s amazing. It’s theatrical. It is what the Catholic Church is all about.
