Archbishop Burke: The Paschal Mystery

A great article on the Paschal Mystery and the Easter Triduum.
Some highlights (at least for me):

An ancient tradition in the Church holds that Christ died on the cross on the same date as He was conceived by the Holy Spirit in the womb of the Virgin Mary, that is, March 25. The liturgical practice of the Byzantine Rite respects the inseparable connection of the Incarnation and the Crucifixion. To quote a great theologian of our time, the late Hans Urs von Balthasar: "To say Incarnation is to say Cross" (quoted in John Saward, The Mysteries of March, Washington, D.C.: The Catholic University of America Press, 1990, page 3). The whole reason of the Incarnation is the Redemption of man on the Cross. God the Son’s total outpouring of self by taking our human nature in the womb of the Virgin Mary reached its fullest expression when He died on the cross for us.

And Archbishop Burke reminds us of our Lord's infinite love for us and His perfect obedience:

In truth, we will never understand fully the depth of Christ’s love, what His suffering and dying meant for Him. As we recall Christ’s triumphal entrance into Jerusalem, with the crowds hailing Him as King, we also the repeated cry of the people: "Let Him be crucified" (Matthew 27:22-23). We meditate upon the obedience of Christ in carrying out the mission which the Father had entrusted to Him from the moment of His Incarnation in the womb of the Virgin Mary. Christ prays in the Garden of Gethsemane: "My Father, if this cannot pass unless I drink it, Thy will be done" (Matthew 26:42). In the celebration of the Eucharistic Sacrifice, we participate in the fruit of Christ’s perfect obedience, His perfect union with the Father. In the Holy Eucharist, Christ pours out anew, now in an unbloody manner, His life for us.

And again, we are reminded:

Participation in Holy Mass on Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday of Holy Week would be a wonderful way of accompanying Christ during these days. If participation in Mass is not possible, it would be good to make a visit to the Blessed Sacrament each day. For all, some time in quiet prayer each day will keep us united to Christ during these holiest of days. Praying the rosary is especially helpful for our meditation upon the mystery of the Redemptive Incarnation.
....
I remind you that Good Friday is a day of abstinence and fasting. In our homes, we should make a special effort to foster silence on Good Friday to honor our Lord in His Suffering and Dying.

Good Friday has a special and different meaning for me since last year. Despite whatever readings and prayers and other religious activities in which I may have participated, the movie, "The Passion" forced me to come face-to-face with the reality of what our Lord suffered and endured to accomplish our redemption. Good Friday is a day of somber reflection on both our Lord's love for us and the offensiveness and evil of sin - especially our personal sins and transgressions.

Archbishop Burke further reminds us:

As archbishop, as your shepherd, I urge you to plan now your full participation in the sacred liturgies of Holy Week and, especially, of the Sacred Triduum. If you have not yet confessed your sins and received our Lord’s forgiveness in the Sacrament of Penance in preparation for your participation, please do so in these days.

Full article here.