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There are 40 days of Lent + 3 DAYS OF PASSOVER + and 50 days of Rejoicing!
All these make up one "joyful season" called "Paschaltide" and the heart of this season is the PASCHAL TRIDUUM.
The Triduum is the three days, counted sunset to sunset from Maundy Thursday evening to Easter Sunday evening,
During these three days we keep ONE feast, the feast of Passover, or as we say in English, EASTER.
These three days are ONE celebration. They are not three different feasts!
Maundy Thursday, Good Friday and Holy Saturday are not the preparation for Easter. They ARE Easter!
During these three days we lay aside all normal activities in order to keep our "PASCHA". During these three days we do no shopping; no sport; no visiting; no entertaining and no going to entertainment.
Not because any of these things are bad. They are not. But because the TRIDUUM is more important. These three days of the holiest days of the year. They are holier than any holyday of obligation. Now is the time to plan for the Triduum. This year the Triduum begins when the season of Lent ends on the evening of Maundy Thursday 1st April 2010.
LENTEN ALMS: Salt your money, the Church says. Salt is a preservative. If you don't salt your money, it can corrupt - corrupt YOU! How do you salt your money? By giving ALMS generously. That is the paradox! In order to preserve your money, you must give it away! And your left hand must not know what your right hand is doing. Give alms secretly. Put your alms in the LENTEN ALMS BOX or in SAINT ANTHONY’S BREAD, in the safe in the church porch.
The very best bank in which to keep your money - better than NatWest, Barc1ays, HSBC or even Coutts! - is the stomachs of the poor. This Bank pays 100% interest and amazing dividends. The collection as we leave Mass today is our Lenten Fast Day gift to CAFOD.
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