Episode Details

A meditation for Maundy Thursday, from Dom Guéranger’s “The Liturgical Year”. Maundy Thursday commemorates the institution of the Holy Eucharist and the sacred priesthood at the Last Supper of Jesus Christ on the night before His Passion, drawing its name from the Latin mandatum (“commandment”) given in His words, “that you love one another.” In the traditional Roman liturgy, the Mass of this evening marks the end of Lent and the beginning of the Paschal Triduum, with white vestments expressing both solemn joy and the gravity of what is to come; the Gloria returns with the ringing of bells, which then fall silent until the Easter Vigil. The Gospel recounts Christ’s washing of the apostles’ feet, a profound sign of humility and charity that is ritually reenacted, while the consecration of the Eucharist is given special emphasis as the abiding sacramental presence of His forthcoming sacrifice on Calvary. After Mass, the Blessed Sacrament is carried in solemn procession to an altar of repose, recalling the agony in Gethsemane and inviting the faithful to watch and pray, while the main altar is stripped bare, signifying the abandonment of Christ and the desolation of His Passion that now begins.Dom Prosper Guéranger's The Liturgical Year, a monumental fifteen-volume work, offers a comprehensive exploration of the Catholic Church’s liturgical calendar, guiding readers through the spiritual and historical richness of the Church’s worship. Written in the 19th century, the series provides daily meditations, historical context, and liturgical texts for the Mass and Divine Office, covering the entire cycle of seasons—Advent, Christmas, Lent, Passiontide, Easter, and the Time after Pentecost—as well as feast days of saints. Guéranger’s work, rooted in a deep contemplative spirit, aims to immerse the faithful in the Church’s prayerful life, emphasizing the unity of faith through the axiom lex orandi, lex credendi ("the law of prayer is the law of belief"), and remains a cherished resource for Catholics seeking to deepen their spiritual lives. Dom Prosper Guéranger (1805–1875) was a French Benedictine monk, liturgical scholar, and founder of the Solesmes Abbey, renowned for his pivotal role in reviving the Benedictine Order in France and restoring the Roman liturgy after the disruptions of the French Revolution. Born in Sablé-sur-Sarthe, he entered the priesthood in 1827 and, inspired by a vision to restore monastic life, reestablished the Benedictine community at Solesmes in 1833, becoming its first abbot. A staunch defender of ultramontanism and traditional Catholic worship, he also championed the revival of Gregorian chant, significantly influencing the liturgical renewal movement.Link to the Dom Guéranger's Liturgical Year playlist (updated daily): https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLZKdyYnV_bkh7rH6piW0ShgsdcefFoOvJIf you would like to support this channel:Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/cw/InprincipioPodcastPayPal: https://www.paypal.com/donate/?hosted_button_id=U5EZ9X2CE2V7WMost sincere thanks to all who are able to contribute, by your prayers, your patronage, or otherwise. Your support sustains this work and helps make these readings available to others.Music: Ave Maria (Gregorian chant)From Vesperae de Confessore non Pontifice in honor of Saint Vincent PallottiPerformed by Schola Gregoriana, Pallottine Seminary (Ołtarzew, Poland)Conductor: Fr. Dariusz SmolarekLicense: CC BY-SA 3.0 — https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/Changes: noneExcept where otherwise noted, original content © InPrincipio Podcast.Chant audio used under CC BY-SA 3.0.