Attend Mass of the Lord’s Supper
The feast is of course celebrated on the same day in both the old and the new calendars. Note that the Holy Week liturgy underwent major changes between 1951 and 1969. There are three major iterations:
The pre-1955 liturgy
Pope Pius XII reformed Holy Week on November 16, 1955. However, the Easter Vigil had already been modified “on an experimental basis” on February 9, 1951.
The 1962 liturgy
The liturgy of the 1962 Daily Missal is better known as the “Tridentine Mass”, “Traditional Latin Rite” or “Traditional Roman Rite”. This missal introduced further changes to the Holy Week liturgy.
The 1969 liturgy
This 1969 Missal is more or less the Mass that we know as the modern Catholic Mass.
The Holy Week liturgy is the place where these changes are most evident. If you attend Mass at a modern church, you will experience the 1969 liturgy. If you attend Mass at most traditional churches, you will experience the 1962 liturgy. Some churches (such as those under the care of the Institute of Christ the King Sovereign Priest [ICKSP]) offer the pre-1955 liturgy and it is a true beauty to behold!
The unfortunate fact is, much of the splendor was gradually stripped away from Holy Week with each new missal.
If you would like to attend a traditional Mass for the feast, find a Traditional Latin Mass near you (click here to explore).
Attend your diocese’s Chrism Mass
Traditionally, the Chrism Mass is celebrated during Holy Week, on the morning of Holy Thursday. However, it can fall on another day of the week, or during the Lenten season, as close to Holy Week as possible. During the Mass, three types of oils are blessed for use in each parish in the diocese for the coming year. Also at the Mass, all the priests and the bishop publicly renew their commitment to priestly service.
Spend an hour in adoration to watch with me for one hour
The Catholic spiritual masters always teach the value and virtue of watchfulness.
“Watch ye therefore, because you know not the day nor the hour.” (Matthew 25:13)
After the Last Supper, Jesus went to the Garden of Gethsemene for His agony. Peter, James, and John were there to keep watch with Him. In this, Christ teaches us the importance of the vigil (Latin: “awake”)—and shows us that this vigil of Good Friday is of utmost spiritual importance for both the Apostles and for us.
“And he cometh, and findeth them sleeping. And he saith to Peter: Simon, sleepest thou? couldst thou not watch one hour? 38 Watch ye, and pray that you enter not into temptation. The spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak. 39 And going away again, he prayed, saying the same words. 40 And when he returned, he found them again asleep, (for their eyes were heavy,) and they knew not what to answer him.”
So, if you can, spend an hour in prayer in front of the Blessed Sacrament as a way to “watch with Him for one hour”. This may be easily accomplished after Mass on Holy Thursday when the Eucharist is processed to the altar of repose. There is a tradition, particularly in big cities with many parishes, to try and visit seven churches and their altar of repose during this evening.
From the Vatican’s Directory on Popular Piety:
“It is necessary to instruct the faithful on the meaning of the reposition: it is an austere solemn conservation of the Body of Christ for the community of the faithful which takes part in the liturgy of Good Friday and for the viaticum of the infirmed. It is an invitation to silent and prolonged adoration of the wondrous sacrament instituted by Jesus on this day.”
Attend Tenebrae services
Tenebrae (Latin for “darkness”) is a religious service of Western Christianity held during the three days preceding Easter Day, and characterized by gradual extinguishing of candles, and by a “strepitus” or “loud noise” taking place in total darkness near the end of the service.
Tenebrae was originally a celebration of matins and lauds of the last three days of Holy Week (Maundy Thursday, Good Friday, and Holy Saturday) in the evening of the previous day (Holy Wednesday, Maundy Thursday and Good Friday) to the accompaniment of special ceremonies that included the display of lighted candles on a special triangular candelabra.
Modern celebrations called Tenebrae may be of quite different content and structure, based for example on the Seven Last Words or readings of the Passion of Jesus. They may be held on only one day of Holy Week, especially Spy Wednesday (Holy Wednesday). They may be held during the daylight hours and the number of candles, if used, may vary.
If you would like to attend a traditional tenebrae service, find a Traditional Latin Mass near you (click here to explore).
Have a meal to commemorate the Last Supper
From CatholicCulture.org:
In imitation of Christ’s last supper, many Christians prepare a meal reminiscent of how Christ celebrated the Last Supper. We see the lamb, cooked whole, with no bones broken, foreshadowing the death of Christ, the Lamb of God. We eat the unleavened bread and recall to mind the Eucharist. We eat the whole meal in prayerful reminder of that Last Supper that Jesus spent with His apostles, His friends, instituting Holy Orders and leaving His greatest gift, the Holy Eucharist.
A representative paschal meal can include roast lamb, bitter herbs, green herbs, haroset, matzoh and wine and perhaps include readings from the Mass of the Lord’s Supper. Our Passover Feast is the Mass, in particular the whole Triduum. The US Bishops have discouraged Catholics from “baptizing” a Jewish Seder meal.