Why no Consecration on Good Friday?

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My non catholic girlfriend asked me after the service tonight as to why there was no consecration today. What is the reasoning? I gave her what I thought the answer is but I am curious if I am right. Also is the next time the Consecration takes place the Easter vigil?
 
There is no consecration on Good Friday, because Good Friday is more of a service than a mass. it is the liturgy of the word (with veneration of the cross) and a communion service.

No mass is celebrated between Holy Thursday, and Eater Vigil as we wait anxiously for the glorious celebration of Easter!
 
according to our priest today, its a subtle reminder of the same circumstance when Christ died and was buried. we are reminded of the time when Christ was in our midst then taken away, he wasn’t there for two days. that is why the tabernacle is open
 
Well, Christ isn’t necissarily with us now. He’s in the tomb.
 
thanks all

That is pretty much what I said to her. But sometimes I struggle with the correct wording when put on the spot. thanks again.
 
descout said:
My non catholic girlfriend asked me after the service tonight as to why there was no consecration today. What is the reasoning? I gave her what I thought the answer is but I am curious if I am right. Also is the next time the Consecration takes place the Easter vigil?
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Yes, the next Consecration will take place at the Easter Vigil.

The whole Triduum is a reenactment of Christ’s Passion, and I think it’s meant to shake you up through how different it is from the rest of the year, because this weekend is not like other weekends.

On Thursday night, we celebrate the Lord’s Supper, where the priest, in Persona Christi, washes the feet of 12 men, as Christ himself did. Then, after the meal (Holy Communion), we leave the church without the final blessing, just like Jesus and his disciples left the upper room without the final blessing of the Passover meal. Then, in a separate place, we keep watch with Jesus (in the Garden of Gethsemane), until he is taken away (to the Tabernacle of Repose) to be questioned, flogged, and crowned with thorns.

On Good Friday, we gather in silence, without the traditional greeting because it is a continuation of last night’s Mass. We watch as our Lord is crucified, and we receive the Precious Body that He Himself consecrated last night because the Apostles could not yet consecrate the hosts themselves since Christ had no risen; His Body and Blood were still separated. After Holy Communion, Christ is laid in the tomb (again the Tabernacle of Repose), and we depart in silence, again without the blessing because our High Priest is dead.

On Holy Saturday, there is no liturgical movement. We are in mourning, observing the Passover Sabbath, until we have a chance to go back to the tomb to anoint his body with the herbs and spices.

We do this when we gather after dark, after the Jewish Sabbath ends, at the Easter Vigil. We gather again without the usual greetings because this is still a continuation of the Mass of the Lord’s Supper. We recount our history, through the Scriptures of the Old Testament, and midway through, Jesus is risen! We then read from the New Testament, and since His Body and Blood are reunited in the Resurrection, the priest can again consecrate the Blessed Sacrament.

Peace be with you
 
Spirithound said:
Yes, the next Consecration will take place at the Easter Vigil.

The whole Triduum is a reenactment of Christ’s Passion, and I think it’s meant to shake you up through how different it is from the rest of the year, because this weekend is not like other weekends.

On Thursday night, we celebrate the Lord’s Supper, where the priest, in Persona Christi, washes the feet of 12 men, as Christ himself did. Then, after the meal (Holy Communion), we leave the church without the final blessing, just like Jesus and his disciples left the upper room without the final blessing of the Passover meal. Then, in a separate place, we keep watch with Jesus (in the Garden of Gethsemane), until he is taken away (to the Tabernacle of Repose) to be questioned, flogged, and crowned with thorns.

On Good Friday, we gather in silence, without the traditional greeting because it is a continuation of last night’s Mass. We watch as our Lord is crucified, and we receive the Precious Body that He Himself consecrated last night because the Apostles could not yet consecrate the hosts themselves since Christ had no risen; His Body and Blood were still separated. After Holy Communion, Christ is laid in the tomb (again the Tabernacle of Repose), and we depart in silence, again without the blessing because our High Priest is dead.

On Holy Saturday, there is no liturgical movement. We are in mourning, observing the Passover Sabbath, until we have a chance to go back to the tomb to anoint his body with the herbs and spices.

We do this when we gather after dark, after the Jewish Sabbath ends, at the Easter Vigil. We gather again without the usual greetings because this is still a continuation of the Mass of the Lord’s Supper. We recount our history, through the Scriptures of the Old Testament, and midway through, Jesus is risen! We then read from the New Testament, and since His Body and Blood are reunited in the Resurrection, the priest can again consecrate the Blessed Sacrament.

Peace be with you
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This is one of the most amazing things I have ever read on these boards. Thank you. 😃
 
PacoG said:
This is one of the most amazing things I have ever read on these boards. Thank you. 😃
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Totally agree, and this being the very first time I’ve experienced an Easter in full like this, just so completely unique to me. I spent time tonight, at Mary’s outdoor shrine afterwords, prayers to her, for the pain and suffering she also endured during this to top it off. Amazing how so far I’ve came since Last Easter guys, I’m so very glad to be Catholic, this is just something else, this is also really bringing to home, with our New priest, the direction he’s wanting to take the parish, and it’s long time in coming here. Praise be our Lord most high!!!
 
JesuXPIPassio said:
Do monastics celebrate the Hours though?
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Yes, thank you for bringing that up.

Monastics, and all clerics pray their regular Hours on Holy Saturday. Except…Easter does not have a 1st Vespers. It is instead Holy Saturday’s Vespers. This seems interesting, because Easter, being our most solemn day should have the same level of ceremony we attach to every other Sunday, right? But it does, and in fact, has three times more! As of…now, we have already been celebrating our Lord’s Passion, Death, and Resurrection for 38 hours, and we’ve got another 34 to go!

So why does Holy Saturday get the Vespers? Firstly, it is the natural division of time, and especially during what I like to think of as the longest day of the year, there is no particular reason to artificially push it over into Sunday. But more specifically, because the Easter Vigil is a continuation of the Liturgy started on Holy Thursday and continued on Good Friday, it is not advantageous to insert the 1st Vespers of Easter Sunday before it, since 1st Vespers in the rest of the year function to separate when the opportunity for a Saturday Mass may be said, and when the Mass counts towards your Sunday privilege 😉

ps, thank you all for the encouragement. This is just my reflection 😊
 
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