Holy Week at Home

 

This year, unprecedented in so many ways, we find ourselves extending that extra suffering we took on for Lent. For the first time, the faithful are not able to participate, in person, in Holy Week services. I’ve been trying to wrap my brain around how our families are going to make this week special and holy at home and wanted to put forth some resources to help.

This is not to replace the liturgy of the day but help to enter into the spirituality of the day. Adapt it and make it work for your family. You don’t have to do every single thing on every single day, but here are a number of things that will help you to make this week the high point of the year while still being at home.

Palm Sunday

As a family: read Matthew 21:1-11. Palm Sunday is a day where Jesus is welcomed into Jerusalem as the Messianic King. If you can find palm branches (or other leaves/branches) outside, wave them as you say Hosanna! Consider making palm fronds out of paper. Learn to make a cross with your paper palms. Fr. Sean has encouraged all of us to put greenery on our front door. Sing together as a family and offer your praises to God.

Younger children: Color palms and cut them out of paper. Consider acting the story out (complete with donkey!) to help them get a sense of what happened. Today is a day where we welcome Jesus into our hearts as our king.
 
Teens:  Talk about why Jesus came in on a donkey. What does a donkey symbolize (peace) vs. a horse (coming in for war). There is a strong tradition in the Old Testament of donkeys/mules being the animal kings ride in on. Read 1 Kings 1:28-40. Who is the prophet Zechariah referring to in Zechariah 9:9? As he rides in on a donkey the people lay their cloaks down on the path for Jesus to walk on. This was a sign of deference and honor, even an act of submission paid to royalty (see 2^nd Kings 9:13). What in your life/heart might Jesus be asking you to lay down so he can enter in?

Songs to sing:

Hosanna by Hillsong
All Creatures of our God and King by David Crowder
All Glory Laud and Honor
Rejoice the Lord is King

Monday of Holy Week
As a family:  read Matthew 21:12-17. Jesus cleanses the Temple because the Jews have allowed money and things to distract them from the heart of the temple, which is worshipping God. Clean the house together. What needs to be de-cluttered or moved to make space in our homes? 
 
Younger children: clean up toys and belongings. Perhaps there are toys we can give away to other kids who are more in need than we are. Talk about sharing with others.
 
Teens: What is distracting us from worshipping God?  Take time to intentionally decide how to make room for God and more prayer this week. Do they need to give away earthly possessions as well? Is limiting screen time going to help?

Tuesday of Holy Week
As a family: Read John 12:1-11, Mary gave the Lord a very generous gift. She anointed him with oil, and washed his feet. Judas was upset by this because he thought it was a waste of resources. We see that Judas loved money above everything else. Continue cleaning the house and getting the house ready for Easter.
 
Younger children: wrap up any cleaning, or clean a new spot you didn’t get to yesterday. Talk about how we can give generously. Can you point out ways in the past you’ve seen them be generous? How can we be generous to others today? Can we put up signs on our windows/garages? Can we use sidewalk chalk to write out messages encouraging others?
 
Teens: Judas’ heart wasn’t given completely over to God, he placed money above the Lord. Take some time to think about what we put in front of God. Is God our first priority or do we add him in when space and time allows? Continue cleaning and another day of giving up what they decided to do yesterday to make room for God in their hearts and lives.
 
Spy Wednesday
As a family: Read one or all of the following accounts Matthew 26:14-16, Mark 14:10-12, and Luke 22:3-6. Judas agrees to betray Jesus for 30 pieces of silver.  Judas has been with Jesus, living and working alongside him for three years. He chooses to betray Jesus for something he values more.
 
Younger children: Hide thirty coins in your home and have your children find them. If they’re old enough, discuss why it hurts so much when someone you think is a friend gives up on your or isn’t your friend anymore? How can we do something to comfort Jesus? Maybe that’s writing him a card or drawing him a picture.
 
Teens: How often do we betray others? Whether it’s betraying their confidence, trust, or just choosing ourselves. How often do we betray Jesus by choosing ourselves or sin over doing what we know is right and what we know we should do?  Today, let’s do an examination of conscience and spend some time thanking Jesus for never giving up on us. Is there someone in your life you need to forgive or need forgiveness from? Write a letter to that person either offering forgiveness or asking for forgiveness.
 
Holy Thursday
As a family: Read John 13:1-15 together. Then, have the family sit down and wash each other’s feet. Maybe it starts with Mom and Dad washing the feet of the kids and talking about how Jesus came to serve. He is a servant king who asks us to do as he did.
 
Younger children: Have them trace their hands and feet on pieces of paper and talk about how God wants us to be his hands and feet in this world. How can they serve their siblings and family members? Maybe it’s giving up their favorite seat, emptying garbage cans in the house, washing dad’s car, etc.  Bring up ways you’ve seen them do this in the past and praise them for it. 
 
Teens: What did it feel like to have someone wash your feet? Did you feel vulnerable, uncomfortable, or strange? Jesus came to show us a new way to live; a way that is radically different from the culture we live in. How can we bring the light of Christ into the world we live in? How can you be God’s hands and feet today?
 
Good Friday
As a family: Today we fast and abstain. For your family, this may look different than mine. Perhaps you start the day off with hot cross buns! Some families may choose to watch Jesus of Nazareth (free on Amazon Prime and Vudu, rent on Youtube, Google Play, and redbox). Families with older children may choose to watch the Passion of Christ (free on Amazon Prime, Vudu, and Roku, rent on Redbox, Youtube, Google play). If you prefer a screen-free activity, consider doing the stations of the cross together or reading John 18:1-19:42.
 
Younger children: Build a small cave in your backyard and put inside a stick, dead leaves, dead flowers, etc. Cover it with a stone. Tell them you’re putting these dead things in the tomb just like how Jesus died and was put in the tomb on Good Friday. Go back on Easter (without the kids) and replace the dead things with replicas that are living (a branch with leaves, live/blooming flowers). Bring the kids back on Easter Sunday to the tomb to find that what they “buried” in it has risen just like Jesus!
 
Teens: I’d highly recommend watching the Passion of the Christ with them. It’s gory but a good reminder of what Jesus went through for each and every one of us.  This is a great time to talk about the fact that if each of us were the only one in sin, Jesus would have come, suffered and died just for us alone. He loves us and values us so much he was willing to go through incredible pain and humiliating death. “You cannot better appreciate your worth than by looking into the mirror of the Cross of Christ.” St. Anthony of Padua

Holy Saturday
As a family: Today is a day of waiting. In an especially challenging way this year, this means not being able to leave our homes and do the things we normally like to do on Saturdays. There are no sports games, no concerts, no parties; today is a day of silence, much like the silence we’ve been experiencing throughout Lent. Today we join the apostles in confusion, sadness and angst. Not knowing what will come next. Not knowing if everything we’ve been doing for the past couple years was worth it. After dinner end the night in silence. No entertainment, no technology or conversation. Break the silence together on Easter morning.
 
Scavenger Hunt: Take the following scripture passages, print/copy them and put them into empty plastic Easter eggs to be hidden around the house or yard. Send children out one at time to find an egg and bring it back. If they can read, have them look up the Scripture verse in the Bible and read it aloud to the rest of the family before selecting another sibling to find the next egg. When all ten have been read, talk about how time and time again, God comes through and makes a way for his people. Which stories did they like best and why? Were there any new stories that they had never heard? Each example given was a situation similar to ours in this way: they too were wondering and waiting.  Because of their example, we can hope and have faith in Jesus because God always provides and takes care of His people.
 

1. Abraham- promise of a son
“The Lord appeared to him by the Oaks of Mamre, as he sat at the door of his tent in the heat of the day. They said to him, “Where is Sarah your wife?” Abraham said, “She is in the tent.” The Lord said, “I will surely return to you in the spring, and Sarah your wife will have a son.” And Sarah was listening at the tent door behind him. Now Abraham and Sarah were old, advanced in age. So Sarah laughed to herself.  The Lord visited Sarah as he had said, and the Lord did to Sarah as he had promised. And Sarah conceived, and bore Abraham a son in his old age at the time of which God had spoken to him. “ Genesis 18:1,9-12, 21:1-2

2. Joseph- getting out of prison
Joseph was sold by his brothers into slavery. In Egypt his master believed a lie and put him into jail. Joseph had a gift from God to interpret dreams.
“Pharaoh therefore had Joseph summoned, and they hurriedly brought him from the dungeon. After he shaved and changed his clothes, he came to Pharaoh. Pharaoh then said to Joseph: “I had a dream but there was no one to interpret it. But I hear it said of you, ‘If he hears a dream he can interpret it.’”
Joseph interpreted Pharaoh’s dream and instructed him to find someone to oversee the work.
“So Pharaoh said to Joseph: “Since God has made all this known to you, there is no one as discerning and wise as you are. You shall be in charge of my household, and all my people will obey your command. Only in respect to the throne will I outrank you.”
Exodus 41:14-16, 39-40

3. Moses- parting red sea
The Israelites had left Egypt but were being chased by the Egyptians. The Egyptians are coming behind them and in front is the Red Sea. The Israelites are trapped.
“Then the Lord said to Moses: Why are you crying out to me? Tell the Israelites to set out. And you, lift up your staff and stretch out your hand over the sea, and split it in two, that the Israelites may pass through the sea on dry land. But I will harden the hearts of the Egyptians so that they will go in after them, and I will receive glory through Pharaoh and all his army, his chariots and his horsemen. The Egyptians will know that I am the Lord, when I receive glory through Pharaoh, his chariots, and his horsemen.”
The Israelites walked through on dry land and the Egyptians were drowned in the water.
Exodus 14:15-18

4. Moses- water from the rock
As the Israelites were wandering in the desert, they came to a place with no water.
“But there was no water for the people to drink, and so they quarreled with Moses and said, “Give us water to drink.” Moses replied to them, “Why do you quarrel with me? Why do you put the Lord to a test?” Here, then, in their thirst for water, the people grumbled against Moses, saying, “Why then did you bring us up out of Egypt? To have us die of thirst with our children and our livestock?” So Moses cried out to the Lord, “What shall I do with this people? A little more and they will stone me!” The Lord answered Moses: Go on ahead of the people, and take along with you some of the elders of Israel, holding in your hand, as you go, the staff with which you struck the Nile. I will be standing there in front of you on the rock in Horeb. Strike the rock, and the water will flow from it for the people to drink. Moses did this, in the sight of the elders of Israel. “ Exodus 17:1-6

5. Joshua- taking Jericho
^“Now Jericho was in a state of siege because of the presence of the Israelites. No one left or entered. And to Joshua the Lord said: I have delivered Jericho, its king, and its warriors into your power. Have all the soldiers circle the city, marching once around it. Do this for six days, with seven priests carrying ram’s horns ahead of the ark. On the seventh day march around the city seven times, and have the priests blow the horns. When they give a long blast on the ram’s horns and you hear the sound of the horn, all the people shall shout aloud. The wall of the city will collapse, and the people shall attack straight ahead. As the horns blew, the people began to shout. When they heard the sound of the horn, they raised a tremendous shout. The wall collapsed ^, and the people attacked the city straight ahead and took it.”
Joshua 6:1-5, 20

6. David and Goliath
The Israelites were at war with the Philistines. The Philistines put forth a champion, Goliath who was a huge man who struck fear into the heart of every Israelite. Every day he came forward challenging the Israelites and taunting them. David was a teenager sent to his brothers on the front line and heard Goliath taunting Israel and God. David was allowed by the king to face Goliath but refused the king’s armor. He selected 5 smooth stones and marched down to face Goliath. As Goliath realized he was a youth, he made fun of him.
“David answered him: “You come against me with sword and spear and scimitar, but I come against you in the name of the Lord of hosts, the God of the armies of Israel whom you have insulted. Today the Lord shall deliver you into my hand; I will strike you down. All this multitude, too, shall learn that it is not by sword or spear that the Lord saves. For the battle belongs to the Lord, who shall deliver you into our hands. The Philistine then moved to meet David at close quarters, while David ran quickly toward the battle line to meet the Philistine.   David put his hand into the bag and took out a stone, hurled it with the sling, and struck the Philistine on the forehead. The stone embedded itself in his brow, and he fell on his face to the ground. “ 1 Samuel 17:45, 47-49

7. Elijah- widow during famine
“After some time, however, the wadi ran dry, because no rain had fallen in the land. Elijah arose and went to Zarephath. When he arrived at the entrance of the city, a widow was there gathering sticks; he called out to her, “Please bring me a small cupful of water to drink.” She left to get it, and he called out after her, “Please bring along a crust of bread.” She said, “As the Lord, your God, lives, I have nothing baked; there is only a handful of flour in my jar and a little oil in my jug. Just now I was collecting a few sticks, to go in and prepare something for myself and my son; when we have eaten it, we shall die.” Elijah said to her, “Do not be afraid. Go and do as you have said. But first make me a little cake and bring it to me. Afterwards you can prepare something for yourself and your son. For the Lord, the God of Israel, says: The jar of flour shall not go empty, nor the jug of oil run dry, until the day when the Lord sends rain upon the earth.” She left and did as Elijah had said. She had enough to eat for a long time—he and she and her household. The jar of flour did not go empty, nor the jug of oil run dry, according to the word of the Lord spoken through Elijah.” 1 Kings 17:7, 10-16

8. 3 men in the furnace
The Israelites were in exile and the King of the land created a huge golden statue and decreed that everyone needed to pray to his new god that he created.
King Nebuchadnezzar questioned them: “Is it true, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, that you will not serve my god, or worship the golden statue that I set up? Now, if you are ready to fall down and worship the statue I made, whenever you hear the sound of the horn, pipe, zither, dulcimer, harp, double-flute, and all the other musical instruments, then all will be well; if not, you shall be instantly cast into the white-hot furnace; and who is the God who can deliver you out of my hands?” Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego answered King Nebuchadnezzar, “There is no need for us to defend ourselves before you in this matter. If our God, whom we serve, can save us from the white-hot furnace and from your hands, O king, may he save us! But even if he will not, you should know, O king, that we will not serve your god or worship the golden statue which you set up.”  Daniel 3:14-18
They were bound and cast into the fire.
“But the angel of the Lord went down into the furnace with Azariah and his companions, drove the fiery flames out of the furnace, and made the inside of the furnace as though a dew-laden breeze were blowing through it. The fire in no way touched them or caused them pain or harm.” Daniel 3:49-50

9. Daniel and the lion’s den
Daniel was living in captivity and the Medes did not believe in the same God as the Israelites. Some men were jealous of Daniel so they had the King sign into law that nobody could pray to anyone but King Darius. Daniel continued praying to God and was caught and cast into the lion’s den.
“Then the king returned to his palace for the night; he refused to eat and he dismissed the entertainers. Since sleep was impossible for him, the king rose very early the next morning and hastened to the lions’ den. As he drew near, he cried out to Daniel sorrowfully, “Daniel, servant of the living God, has your God whom you serve so constantly been able to save you from the lions?” Daniel answered the king: “O king, live forever! My God sent his angel and closed the lions’ mouths so that they have not hurt me. For I have been found innocent before him; neither have I done you any harm, O king!” This gave the king great joy. At his order Daniel was brought up from the den; he was found to be unharmed because he trusted in his God.” Daniel 6:19-24

10. Esther- saves her people
Esther was a Jew and had been made queen. A royal in the court named Haman was jealous of Esther’s uncle and convinced the king to make a royal decree to get rid of the Jewish people. Esther prayed to God and risked her life for an audience with the king. The king granted the audience and she invited him to a banquet. At the banquet, she made her request.   
“The king said to Esther, “Whatever you ask, Queen Esther, shall be granted you. Whatever request you make, even for half the kingdom, shall be honored.” Queen Esther replied: “If I have found favor with you, O king, and if it pleases your majesty, I ask that my life be spared, and I beg that you spare the lives of my people. For we have been sold, I and my people, to be destroyed, killed, and annihilated. If we were only to be sold into slavery I would remain silent, for then our distress would not have been worth troubling the king.” King Ahasuerus said to Queen Esther, “Who and where is the man who has dared to do this?” Esther replied, “The enemy oppressing us is this wicked Haman.”  Esther 7:2-6

Easter Sunday
As a family: Read Matthew 28:1-10 together and talk about what it means that Jesus rose from the dead. His resurrection confirms his teachings and miracles. Jesus is truly the Son of God! This was a fulfillment of all the promises made in the Old Testament. He redeemed us (which is why we’re “Christ the Redeemer!”), which means he was the ultimate sacrifice for all of our sins: past, present, and future. He reconciled us to God so that we can now be a part of his family. We can live as God’s sons and daughters.
 
Younger children: Go back to the cave you built on Friday (make sure you as a parent go first) and roll away the stone to find living leaves, flowers, branches, etc! Put in the same amount of living things as dead things that were there on Friday, to show the resurrecting power of Jesus.
 
Teens: Write a note to each of your teens letting them know how much you love them. God’s love for us never fails; reassure them that no matter what happens, your love for them won’t fail either.  Together, read Colossians 3:1-2 . What does it mean to set your mind on things that are above? Then, read Colossians 3:5-10. What feelings or actions can we put away? How are we renewed in knowledge? What does it mean to look like our creator?
 
Songs to sing together
Christ is Risen by Matt Maher
Glorious Day by Passion
What a beautiful name by Hillsong
Jesus Christ is Risen Today

Continue to celebrate for the next 50 days! “We are an Easter people and hallelujah is our song!” Pope St. John Paul II