More Notes (Part 2), Holy Thursday, The Mass of the Lord's Supper

The following comes from The New Missal for Holy Week (1956) and is offered as background information on the Rites for Holy Week as restored by Pope Pius XII.
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THE MASS OF THE LORD'S SUPPER
STATION AT SAINT JOHN LATERAN

Holy Week has a twofold aspect. It is the last stage of Lent, for Holy Thursday, the last of the ancient forty days, completed the preparation of the faithful, catechumens and penitents, for the celebration of Easter; as the week of the Passion, it is also an anticipation of the sorrowful days of the Passover. Holy Thursday is the transitional day which pos­sesses both of these aspects.

As the last day of the original Lent, Holy Thursday had a Mass for the reconciliation of penitents; as the last liturgical or Eucharistic day before Easter night, it has the Mass for the consecration of the holy oils; as the evening of the institution of the Holy Eucharist and of the beginning of the Passion, it has the Mass commemorating the Last Supper and the wash­ing of the feet.

The Mass for the reconciliation of the penitents, formerly celebrated on Holy Thursday, has a certain continuation in the law imposing annual confession on all Christians at Easter time. The new decree has recommended that the Easter con­fession find its place in the pastoral restoration of Holy Week.

"It is necessary to recall to the faithful that, during Holy Week, they should approach the Sacrament of Penance in time; . . . during all of Holy Week and especially Thursday, Friday and Saturday, the opportunity should be given to the faithful for the convenient reception of the Sacrament of Penance."

The ancient liturgy of reconciliation invites us to go to con­fession in good time so that we may participate in the Supper of reconciliation on Thursday; moreover, as penitents, we should be reconciled and restored to our baptismal dignity before the Sacred Triduum, so that the entire people of God may together celebrate the Christian Passover.

In Cathedrals, on the morning of Holy Thursday, a Chris­mal Mass is celebrated, in the course of which, the oils are consecrated, a last preparation for the conferring of baptism and confirmation at the Easter Vigil. There is special signifi­cance in the consecration of the oils on Holy Thursday, as the day commemorating the institution of the Holy Eucharist. The Paschal mystery is the source of all the Sacraments; these, in turn, enable us to enter into the passion and resur­rection of the Lord. But the Eucharist gives us the Lord's passion and resurrection in a unique fashion; consequently, all the other Sacraments prepare for the Eucharist and complete it. The consecration by the bishop, surrounded by his priests, of the oils to be used throughout the diocese during the year, for baptism, confirmation, holy orders and extreme unc­tion, is a striking manifestation of the basically paschal and eucharistic character of Christianity.

The Mass of Holy Thursday evening, like the liturgy of Good Friday, makes explicit that which is already contained in the Easter Vigil. In their unity, the services of Holy Thursday and Good Friday associate the unbloody sacrifice of the Last Supper with the bloody sacrifice of Calvary; they have a profound relation with the passover and develop in advance some aspects of the Eucharist of the Easter Vigil. For, "on the eve of his suffering", Christ ate the passover with his disciples, at once the last paschal meal of the old Law before the new Passover, and the anticipated celebration of the new Passover.

At this Mass of Holy Thursday, the Church observes an ancient communal aspect of the liturgy. All the priests of a parish assist at the Mass of a single celebrant and receive Communion from his hands. This symbolizes the fact that at the Last Supper, Christ alone, our great High Priest, conse­crated and offered; it demonstrates the unity of the priestly power which derives from the unique priesthood of Christ.

The communal character of the Eucharist is also shown on this evening in the permission granted to the people to sing psalms together as they go in procession to Communion. The Eucharist is the sacrament of unity and of charity. "For you, although you are many, are one body, because you eat of one bread" (I Cor. 10, 17).

The Mass of the Lord's Supper is to be celebrated at a convenient time, between five and eight o'clock in the eve­ning. In addition to the Solemn Mass, one or two low Masses may be offered, with the permission of the Bishop, in each parish church between these hours.

The tabernacle should be empty. Ciboria are placed on the altar containing the hosts which are to be consecrated at this Mass for the Communion of the clergy and the people this evening and tomorrow evening. The celebrant does not consecrate a second large host, since at tomorrow's service he will communicate himself with one of the small hosts from the ciborium.

The celebrant and the sacred ministers put on white vest­ments. The clergy assist in surplice and white stole. As the procession moves through the church to the altar the choir sings the Introit:

Introit Gal. 6:14

GOD forbid that we should glory, save in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ: He is our salvation, our life and resur­rection: through Him we have been saved and set free. (Ps. 66:2). May God have pity on us and bless us: may He let his face shine upon us and pity us. God forbid that we should glory.

When the celebrant intones the Gloria in excelsis the bells are rung and the organ accompanies the singing. From this time until the Mass of the Easter Vigil both bells and organ will be silent. (See the Ordinary, p. 56)
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More on Holy Thursday will follow later tonight or tomorrow, including the Ceremony of the Washing of the Feet, as restored by Pope Pius XII.