Why does the Passion Sunday Mass precede the Mass of the Last Supper?

[Krisdun]

Looking at the timeline of events should it not be the other way round?

 

[Stephen_says]

The readings for the liturgy are not necessarily in chronological order 100% of the time, but if you participate in the liturgy or at least read the Daily Readings for Holy Week, you will notice that they do line up chronologically, with the lord’s supper on Thursday and the Passion on Friday.

The Sunday Readings follow a path through Lent from Jesus’s time in the desert after his baptism to the Resurrection, but you have to read those separately from the weekday readings.

It might also have something to do with the fact that not everyone can make it to Daily Mass, but it is proper to read the passion during a Mass, so it’s most appropriate that it be the Mass on the Sunday before the Resurrection

 

[BartholomewB]

Looking at the timeline of events should it not be the other way round?

No. Passion Sunday is Palm Sunday, the first day in Holy Week, commemorating the Triumphal Entry into Jerusalem. The Last Supper took place four days later, on Thursday evening.

 

[Krisdun]

Granted yes Palm Sunday does celebrate the Triumphant entry of our Jesus into Jerusalem but the gospel reading for that mass also describes our Lord’s passion including his crucifixion and death on the cross.

 

[Fauken]

No. Passion Sunday is Palm Sunday, the first day in Holy Week, commemorating the Triumphal Entry into Jerusalem. The Last Supper took place four days later, on Thursday evening.

In the EF, Passion Sunday is the Sunday before Palm Sunday.

but the gospel reading for that mass also describes our Lord’s passion including his crucifixion and death on the cross.

Because that’s what we are heading towards. The Lord is processing in triumph in Jerusalem now, but not so the people can raise Him up as the king He rightfully is. All of Lent prepares us for this. We are now being reminded once again of what the importance of this week is.

 

[Krisdun]

I suppose another way of asking this is why was the mass of the last supper not made a Sunday mass considering its importance i.e. the origin of the Eucharist?

 

[Fauken]

I suppose another way of asking this is why was the mass of the last supper not made a Sunday mass considering its importance?

Because for one, this didn’t happen on a Sunday, it happened on a Thursday, and two, the Triduum is a single Mass that lasts three days, starting on Holy Thursday, and it is the single most important Mass of the year. Parishes are not even to attempt to celebrate it if they cannot give it the reverence it deserves. Instead they’re supposed to go to a nearby church that can.

 

[Stephen_says]

Well, in many forms of the Gospel for Passion Sunday, the last supper is combined with the passion narrative (unless you get a short version), which is appropriate since the Last Supper, the Crucifixion, and the Resurrection can be viewed as one event.

 

[Krisdun]

There are many important feasts/events celebrated at Sunday masses throughout the year which in most likelihood did not occur on a Sunday originally.

 

[Fauken]

There are many important feasts/events celebrated at Sunday masses throughout the year which in most likelihood did not occur on a Sunday originally.

Yes, but we know for a fact what day of the week Holy Thursday was celebrated on. And they are not the most important event in the Christian calendar.

 

[Krisdun]

…therefore if you only attend mass on Sundays (which many people do) and you get the short version of the Palm Sunday gospel reading then you will miss out the last supper event.

 

[Stephen_says]

I don’t make the rules, I just try to explain them lol .

PS. We hear about the institution at every mass, so I don’t think it’s something that is being intentionally left or anything.

 

[BartholomewB]

…therefore if you only attend mass on Sundays (which many people do) and you get the short version of the Palm Sunday gospel reading then you will miss out the last supper event.

There is no intervening Sunday between Palm Sunday and Easter.