Happy Triduum!! These days are my most favorite days out of the whole year!! Ever since I was a little kid I was enthralled with Holy Week and the traditions. When I was little, our traditions included going to Holy Thursday Mass with my Daddy, watching him get his feet washed, singing at Mass, and visiting three churches after Mass. Every single year we would visit those churches and it was a tradition I simply loved so much. I don't know why they excited me so much, all I know is that I loved it.
So, last year, I googled (like a good student) why we did this tradition. There are so many reasons and so many number of churches. Some say it's a walking pilgrimage, to walk to three different churches to remember the walk to Calvary. However, this can only really happen if you live a big city with churches on every other block. Some say it is a custom to remember the seven wounds of Christ. Some say, for a novena and they visit nine churches. Some even say it goes back to Mary searching for Jesus when he was lost in the Temple. But I like the one explanation that explains it is like visiting with Jesus in the Garden.
Now that I was a fully informed scholar, I made it a goal of mine to visit Seven Churches on my own last year after I went to Mass with the sisters. I succeeded in making it to five, because two were closed for the night already. I remember getting upset because who closes churches at 10:30 at night, I mean really?! But honestly, when I thought about it, I understood. So this year, my goal was the same. I had a whole route planned out in my head and knew I would make it! I went to Mass with the Sisters again, but this time my little sister came with me as well. Mass was beautiful, as always!! And then, my little sister, in all her innocence, invited one of our closest sisters with us. And so, we made the journey!
After traveling to many different churches, seeing so many of my sister friends at each one (which really warmed my heart!), I dropped my little sister off at home and went to our final church of the evening with my "Big Sister." It has always been my favorite chapel to visit on Holy Thursday and it is always the last one I visit. It is the most beautiful by far and the most enriching. We had just made it for the final twenty minutes of the night before they locked up the Chapel at midnight. Yes, we were out that late visiting churches!
At the last church of the night, I always reflect on the lateness of the night and what this means to Jesus. Truly I felt, that while everyone else was sleeping, we were still up with Jesus. I think that if I had been a disciple on the night of the Last Supper, I would have had no problem staying up with Him while He was in the Garden. Now that may sound presumptuous, but let me tell you this: I am a college student, which is a synonym for insomniac which means, too many times have I done my praying at 2 or 3 in the morning after finishing all my school work. I think I would have made it. There's something mystical about this night, too. On any other given night at midnight or later, I probably would have been a little terrified going out by myself in places I rarely ever go, at night. And yet, last night, and every Holy Thursday, there is no fear for myself. But rather, for Jesus, and His awaiting of the news that He was going to be crucified. My Jesus, my Beloved Jesus, was just waiting for the bad news to come. I can't tell you how many tears I shed at the various churches we visited!
The truth is, out of all the days of the year, late, late night on Holy Thursday is when I really feel the closest to Jesus. Because while everyone else is asleep, I'm awake in the garden.
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