Even though I hardly ever make it to the Chrism Mass, and I didn't make it there tomorrow, I've been thinking about the significance of it. In Holy Week, right before the Lord's passion, we celebrate the institution of the priesthood, of Holy Orders, of the apostolic Church. We bless oil, and we celebrate centuries upon centuries of tradition and ritual. Before we enter the Triduum, we are reminded that the Church is timeless, that when Christ leaves His earthly life, He does not leave us. He will remain on Earth for all time. He entered the world and shall not leave until His work is accomplished. He does this through His Church, through the ordained priests and bishops who consecrate the Eucharist and bring Him to the entire Church. Tomorrow, we will enter into the most intense period of the liturgical calendar. Christ, God become man, suffers and dies for us, and the world waits with baited breath to see Him rise. Before He suffers and dies, however, He gives us the Church. He gives us His carefully chosen, beloved apostles. He gives us a promise to be with us always. It is also good right now to remember that these events - the passion, the crucifixion, the resurrection - already happened. Christ died once for everyone, and He lives no more to die. As Fr. Baker said, Easter Mass during the day is pretty normal because resurrection is the normal state for a Christian. Of all the events we commemorate during Holy Week, most of them are already accomplished. Although we may stand at the foot of the cross during Mass, in our present time, Christ has died and risen and that will never happen again. The Church, however, as Christ's body, shares in His eternal nature. Just as Christ lives now, the Church also lives in the present. When we celebrate the Chrism Mass, we celebrate the institution of Holy Orders, but we also bless oil to use in the present, because the succession of Peter remains unbroken. We celebrate continuing Tradition, the eternal march of the saints, the eternal call to holiness and union with God. Together, the Chrism Mass and the Last Supper show us what we are to love in this world - God and each other. It shows us who we are supposed to be - the bold saint who marches always towards God and the humble, contrite saint who lovingly accept Christ's sacrifice on our behalf and sacrifice ourselves for others. More on the Eucharist and the Last Supper tomorrow.

I'm praying for you!

:)