While Easter will be a different experience this year, the story of Passion Week still has much to offer us in these difficult times.
For those who aren’t online, Channel 7 will telecast Good Friday and Easter Sunday services from St Mary’s Cathedral in Sydney. The Good Friday service will begin at 3pm, while the Easter Sunday Mass will begin at 10.30am.
The Jesuit Curia has put together a catalogue of online offerings from Provinces around the world, viewable by resource type and language. It includes a variety of Easter Week resources. The catalogue can be found here: https://jesuits.online/project/
Here are some ways you can journey through Easter with the Australian Jesuit Province.
Holy Thursday
Ritual
Mass from St Francis Xavier Church, Lavender Bay (Live-streamed at 5.30pm)
https://www.youtube.com/user/cathnews
Mass in Polish – From 7pm
http://jezuici.org.au/ and facebook.com/jezuiciwmelbourne
Prayer
With Jesus in the Desert: With Jesus in the Garden of Gethsemane
https://www.pray.com.au/day-11-with-jesus-in-the-garden-of-gethsemane/
Fr Richard Shortall SJ’s Holy Week Retreat (Diocese of Hamilton, NZ)
https://www.cdh.org.nz/holy-week-retreat
Holy Week Retreat with Fr Robin Koning SJ
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCObIgRaIRGnlbO-MYs4n_hw
Reflection
Fr Brendan Byrne SJ’s Homily notes
https://www.australiancatholics.com.au/article/homily-notes–holy-week
Passion Week in Art: Holy Thursday
https://www.pray.com.au/gospel_reflection/thursday-29-march-2018/
Connection
“How did Jesus love his friends? Well I think like this: By comforting them. By lifting burdens from them. By relieving their illnesses. By freeing them from whatever made them less human. By washing their feet. By simply being prepared to spend time with them. By giving of himself selflessly. By dying for what he believed in and for those whom he loved. That is the model for loving that Jesus offers. That is the core of Jesus’ Passion teaching.”
Fr Ross Jones SJ – Jesus the teacher to the end
We might not be able to take part in the Holy Thursday ritual directly, but consider how you might show your love and ‘wash the feet’ of your friends and family today. How else might you follow Jesus’ loving example in this time of isolation?
Good Friday
Ritual
St Francis Xavier Church, Lavender Bay (Live-streamed at 3pm)
https://www.youtube.com/user/cathnews
Newman College
https://newman.unimelb.edu.au/events/mass-at-newman-college/
Polish Jesuits – Good Friday ceremony from 3pm
http://jezuici.org.au/ and facebook.com/jezuiciwmelbourne
Good Friday Liturgy from Saint Ignatius’ College, Adelaide
Prayer
With Jesus in the Desert: With Jesus at Golgotha
https://www.pray.com.au/day-12-with-jesus-at-golgotha/
Fr Richard Shortall SJ’s Holy Week Retreat (Diocese of Hamilton, NZ)
https://www.cdh.org.nz/holy-week-retreat
Holy Week Retreat with Fr Robin Koning SJ
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCObIgRaIRGnlbO-MYs4n_hw
The 14 Stations of the Cross amid the Covid-19 pandemic (Vietnamese Jesuit Province)
http://viejesuits.org/2020/03/30/14-stations-of-the-cross-amidst-the-covid-19-pandemic/
The Polish Jesuits will begin a Novena of Divine Mercy on Good Friday. Video will be available from 7pm at http://jezuici.org.au/ and facebook.com/jezuiciwmelbourne.
Reflection
Fr Brendan Byrne’s Homily notes
https://www.australiancatholics.com.au/article/homily-notes–holy-week
Passion Week in Art: Good Friday
https://www.pray.com.au/gospel_reflection/friday-30-march-2018/
Connection
‘As we walk that journey of Jesus, we seek the grace to face the violence of our world and stand firm in opposing it, whatever form it takes and whatever justification it makes.’
Fr Brian McCoy SJ – Easter story’s model of non-violence
Consider in particular today people in our community whose lives have been affected by violence: people who fled war and persecution in their home countries; families torn apart by domestic violence. How can you support those organisations who are continuing to work with those people at this time, including Jesuit Refugee Service, Jesuit Mission and Jesuit Social Services?
Easter Vigil
Ritual
No Mass on Easter Saturday from St Francis Xavier, Lavender Bay or Newman College.
Polish Jesuits – Easter Vigil from 7pm
http://jezuici.org.au/ and facebook.com/jezuiciwmelbourne
Prayer
With Jesus in the Desert: With Jesus and Mary Magdalene
https://www.pray.com.au/day-13-with-jesus-and-mary-magdelene/
Fr Richard Shortall SJ’s Holy Week Retreat (Diocese of Hamilton, NZ)
https://www.cdh.org.nz/holy-week-retreat
Holy Week Retreat with Fr Robin Koning SJ
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCObIgRaIRGnlbO-MYs4n_hw
Polish Jesuits – Blessing of the Easter Food Basket
Fr Tadeusz Rostworowski SJ will bless the Easter Food Basekt in the Church of the Heart of Jesus in Oakley, Fr Ludwick Ryba in Saint Ignatius Church in Richmond, and Fr Wieslaw Slowik at the Polish Marian Shrine in Essendon.
Blessings can be viewed at http://jezuici.org.au/ and facebook.com/jezuiciwmelbourne
Reflection
Fr Brendan Byrne’s Homily notes
https://www.australiancatholics.com.au/article/homily-notes–holy-week
Passion Week in Art: Easter Saturday
https://www.pray.com.au/gospel_reflection/saturday-31-march-2018/
Connection
‘A pilgrimage is a search for enlightenment, for self-betterment — something I hoped would make me instantly stronger, kinder, more grateful and lighter on my feet. But of course, this wasn’t the way of my Camino. Instead it was often slow, tedious and riddled with blisters. It was bickering and complaining and saying things you do not mean while in constant battle with the self to keep moving, keep walking, keep pressing on. It was also the little moments of grace: the colour in the sky and the churches that took your breath away; the strange familiarity of strangers; the process of growing closer to yourself and each other.
Newman College student – Little moments of grace
Our journey to Easter this year comes amid another, longer, journey through the coronavirus pandemic. For the Easter vigil, consider lighting a candle somewhere safe in your home. Ask God to help you find the way through the difficulties of your current journey, and to help you see the moments of grace and become closer to yourself and those around you.
Easter Sunday
Ritual
Mass from St Francis Xavier Church, Lavender Bay (7.30am Mass, 9am Children’s Liturgy)
https://www.youtube.com/user/cathnews
Mass at Newman College
https://newman.unimelb.edu.au/events/mass-at-newman-college/
Mass in Polish – From 10am
http://jezuici.org.au/ and facebook.com/jezuiciwmelbourne
Prayer
With Jesus in the Desert: With Jesus cooking for his disciples
https://www.pray.com.au/day-14-with-jesus-cooking-for-his-disciples/
Fr Richard Shortall SJ’s Holy Week Retreat (Diocese of Hamilton, NZ)
https://www.cdh.org.nz/holy-week-retreat
Holy Week Retreat with Fr Robin Koning SJ
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCObIgRaIRGnlbO-MYs4n_hw
Reflection
Fr Brendan Byrne’s Homily notes
https://www.australiancatholics.com.au/article/homily-notes–holy-week
Passion Week in Art: Easter Sunday
https://www.pray.com.au/gospel_reflection/sunday-1-april-2018/
Connection
‘This Easter, we are immersed in darkness. But we see the light. We, like Jesus, are invited into eternal life with our God who shows us the way, the truth, the light, and the life.
Let’s share our Easter eggs with those who judge us least worthy to embody the message of hope and life eternal for all, even for them. If we don’t share with them, we don’t believe. If we don’t invite them to the table, we are simply indulging in chocolate and the fare of Easter bunnies.’
Fr Frank Brennan SJ – The resurrection: Our secret with God
Easter is a time of Good News. Thanks to social media, each of us has the opportunity to reach out and connect with people even as we spend our time in isolation. How will you share the Good News of Christ’s love with others this Easter Sunday?