Maundy Thursday Watch

The Watch

One of the key features of the start of the three sacred days of the Triduum is the "Watch" that follows the Mass of the Lord's Supper. Fr Ian will be offering Holy Mass at 7pm and the Watch will begin shortly afterwards. The Watch is before the tabernacle. The main altar will be stripped and all adornments removed. The Blessed Sacrament chapel will be adorned with branches and greenery to remind us of the garden of Gethsemane. Candles will be lit before the tabernacle as the church building otherwise descends into darkness. 

At Gethsemane our Lord called His disciples to watch and pray. He Himself experienced such tribulation that His sweat was as drops of blood. His agony in the garden was tremendous - beyond our imagination. Angels came to minister to Him. 

On Holy Thursday, even though the Faithful are unable to be present before the tabernacle, a watch of prayer can be kept in our homes (or even in our own gardens). As Fr Ian keeps a watch before the tabernacle until midnight, he would greatly appreciate solidarity in prayer from some of the faithful.

During the Watch, the priests of the country will be renewing their ordination promises before the Blessed Sacrament. Please offer a prayer for them. I think it an appropriate time to ask for prayer for priests. Priests need your prayer to keep faithful. At times priests experience a little of the agony of Christ in times of prayer. There is a temptation to put aside the 'cup' priests are asked to drink. The prayers of the faithful make a difference. 

During the time of this pandemic many priests around the world are facing temptations to despair or discouragement. The absence of the faithful and their feeling of helplessness can lead to spiritual despair if the priest isn't vigilant. No doubt the Enemy has a hand in this. The call to prayer is also strong to counteract this. Please pray for your priest and all priests as they pray for you.

In Plymouth deanery three priests are trained and ready to enter the red (COVID) wards at Derriford Hospital as needed to minister to those who are hospitalised by this virus. Please pray for Fr Mark, Fr Jacek and Fr Jon. The rest of the priests will be ministering to patients in blue (non-COVID) wards who need the Last Rites. Elsewhere in the country Ordinariate priests are available for ministry in COVID wards including the new Nightingale Hospitals, please pray for them.

Postscript:

The national coverage of Watching will be from St Chad's Cathedral in Birmingham, where a live-stream may help give a sense of watching and praying at the tabernacle. A link to the Cathedral's website is HERE.