The Heart of the Liturgical Year
What does it mean to live liturgically? It means that our Catholic faith doesn't begin and end at the church doors. That we celebrate the feasts and holy days of the Church within our homes. If you haven't been living liturgically within your family, Holy Week is a great time to start. There are numerous ways we can observe Holy Week at home as we celebrate the Paschal Mystery of Christ.
Palm Sunday-Make Your Own Palms
We begin Holy Week on Palm Sunday, when we commemorate Jesus' joyful and triumphant entry into Jerusalem. The people who hailed Jesus and shouted out Hosannas as they waved their palm and olive branches were using foliage that they had handy. At Mass we receive palm branches, which are blessed, and take them home with us. Some people weave their branches into a cross (a skill I've never been able to master). You can also gather some branches from your yard and add to the palms that you received at church. Decorate your home or front door with the blessed palms and branches. Most people leave their blessed palm branches up in their home until the following Lent.
Wednesday of Holy Week- Spy Wednesday
We remember Judas' betrayal of Jesus to the high priest. Read one of the accounts of Judas' betrayal with your family (Matthew 26:14-16; Mark 14:10-11; Luke 22:3-6) and then hide "30 pieces of silver" (quarters) for the kids to find. You may or may not be surprised by how greedy they become as they hunt out the money. Before they have the opportunity to revel too much in their new found wealth- have a discussion with them about greed and sin. In Luke 22:3-6, it says that "Satan entered him." Just as Judas opened himself up to sin and betrayed Jesus, we open ourselves up to sin when we don't put God first in our lives and place too much importance on material things, money, sports, popularity, etc.
Holy Thursday- Part I of the Triduum: The Last Supper
Jesus instituted the Sacrament of Holy Eucharist at the Last Supper. Prepare your children ahead of time for what they will see when you participate in the Mass of the Lord's Supper on Holy Thursday. We reenact Jesus' washing of his disciples' feet during Mass; explain that Jesus did this as an example for us. Washing the feet was the job of the lowest servant and highlights how we are to humbly love and serve one another. You can reenact this at home with your family after Mass. Another option to remind your children to love and serve one another is to put everyone's name in a bowl and pick names. Have everyone do an anonymous act of kindness for the person they picked.
The Mass of the Lord's Supper will end in silence (no recessional hymn) because the celebration isn't over. The Liturgy of Holy Thursday is Part I in the great celebration of the Triduum. Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament follows the conclusion of the Liturgy. Stay after Mass for Adoration (how long depends upon your children's attention span). Bring a religious book, prayer book or Bible for them, this will help them to sit and be in Christ's presence. Try taking them on a 7 Churches Visitation.
Palm Sunday-Make Your Own Palms
We begin Holy Week on Palm Sunday, when we commemorate Jesus' joyful and triumphant entry into Jerusalem. The people who hailed Jesus and shouted out Hosannas as they waved their palm and olive branches were using foliage that they had handy. At Mass we receive palm branches, which are blessed, and take them home with us. Some people weave their branches into a cross (a skill I've never been able to master). You can also gather some branches from your yard and add to the palms that you received at church. Decorate your home or front door with the blessed palms and branches. Most people leave their blessed palm branches up in their home until the following Lent.
Wednesday of Holy Week- Spy Wednesday
We remember Judas' betrayal of Jesus to the high priest. Read one of the accounts of Judas' betrayal with your family (Matthew 26:14-16; Mark 14:10-11; Luke 22:3-6) and then hide "30 pieces of silver" (quarters) for the kids to find. You may or may not be surprised by how greedy they become as they hunt out the money. Before they have the opportunity to revel too much in their new found wealth- have a discussion with them about greed and sin. In Luke 22:3-6, it says that "Satan entered him." Just as Judas opened himself up to sin and betrayed Jesus, we open ourselves up to sin when we don't put God first in our lives and place too much importance on material things, money, sports, popularity, etc.
Holy Thursday- Part I of the Triduum: The Last Supper
Jesus instituted the Sacrament of Holy Eucharist at the Last Supper. Prepare your children ahead of time for what they will see when you participate in the Mass of the Lord's Supper on Holy Thursday. We reenact Jesus' washing of his disciples' feet during Mass; explain that Jesus did this as an example for us. Washing the feet was the job of the lowest servant and highlights how we are to humbly love and serve one another. You can reenact this at home with your family after Mass. Another option to remind your children to love and serve one another is to put everyone's name in a bowl and pick names. Have everyone do an anonymous act of kindness for the person they picked.
The Mass of the Lord's Supper will end in silence (no recessional hymn) because the celebration isn't over. The Liturgy of Holy Thursday is Part I in the great celebration of the Triduum. Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament follows the conclusion of the Liturgy. Stay after Mass for Adoration (how long depends upon your children's attention span). Bring a religious book, prayer book or Bible for them, this will help them to sit and be in Christ's presence. Try taking them on a 7 Churches Visitation.
Good Friday-Part II of the Triduum: The Passion
Good Friday is meant to be a solemn day as we commemorate Jesus' crucifixion. We are supposed to take the day off from work and school to observe the Holy Day. But it's not suppose to be play time, which is hard with kids. |
Watching religious movies at home over the course of Holy Week instead of your usual TV shows will help you to keep Holy Week holy within your home. |
Aim for keeping a holy silence between the hours of 12 pm and 3 pm- the time of day Jesus was crucified. So turn off the TV, music and all electronic devices. Have quiet family time (or some alone time) to pray and read scripture. During the Good Friday Liturgy, there will be Veneration of the Cross. Veil the Crucifixes in your home- you don't have to run out to the fabric store, whatever cloth you have handy that will cover it will work, but if you have something red, use that, it is the Liturgical color for Good Friday. After you participate in the Good Friday Liturgy, watch The Passion of the Christ at home. This isn't for little ones, but I've found it helpful with older kids to help them understand exactly what Christ endured for us when He was crucified.
Holy Saturday
We wait on this day, while Jesus' body lay in the tomb. This can be a day of rest for your family as you extend the fasting of Good Friday or a day of preparation for the celebration of Easter. Decorate, dye eggs and prep the food for Easter dinner. And get your church clothes ready, too! Wear your Sunday best. The whole point of "wearing your Sunday best," is that it is an outward expression that Sunday is special and different from every other day. So have everyone pick out their clothes and get them ready for Easter Sunday.
Easter Sunday-Part III of the Triduum-The Resurrection
The celebration of Jesus' Resurrection begins with the Easter Vigil on Holy Saturday. The Vigil Mass is a bit longer than usual. There are more readings as we hear the story of our salvation beginning with Creation and the Fall. It is one of the most beautiful Liturgies of the Church. We begin in darkness and as the Paschal candle is lit, the Light of Christ passes from one person to the next- symbolic of how we are called to share Christ's Light with the World. As the readings are read and we get closer to the Gospel and Christ's Resurrection, the lights go up, gradually dispelling the darkness.
On Easter Sunday morning, instead of waking up to cries that the bunny has hidden the eggs- wake everyone up with "He is Risen!" And maybe wait on the egg hunt until after you go to morning Mass.
Keeping your family's celebrations centered around the Church's celebrations of Holy Week will help you help your children to keep their focus on Jesus and the gift of Salvation we have because of His Paschal Mystery.
Don't forget that Easter lasts for 50 days! So keep celebrating the Resurrection. It is traditional to greet people with "He is Risen!" instead of a hello during the Easter Season, the response to that is "He is Risen, indeed!" Try to greet each other that way all 50 days! You (or make it a project for the kids) can research saints whose feast days are observed during Easter and then have a celebration on their feast day to honor the saint.
Holy Saturday
We wait on this day, while Jesus' body lay in the tomb. This can be a day of rest for your family as you extend the fasting of Good Friday or a day of preparation for the celebration of Easter. Decorate, dye eggs and prep the food for Easter dinner. And get your church clothes ready, too! Wear your Sunday best. The whole point of "wearing your Sunday best," is that it is an outward expression that Sunday is special and different from every other day. So have everyone pick out their clothes and get them ready for Easter Sunday.
Easter Sunday-Part III of the Triduum-The Resurrection
The celebration of Jesus' Resurrection begins with the Easter Vigil on Holy Saturday. The Vigil Mass is a bit longer than usual. There are more readings as we hear the story of our salvation beginning with Creation and the Fall. It is one of the most beautiful Liturgies of the Church. We begin in darkness and as the Paschal candle is lit, the Light of Christ passes from one person to the next- symbolic of how we are called to share Christ's Light with the World. As the readings are read and we get closer to the Gospel and Christ's Resurrection, the lights go up, gradually dispelling the darkness.
On Easter Sunday morning, instead of waking up to cries that the bunny has hidden the eggs- wake everyone up with "He is Risen!" And maybe wait on the egg hunt until after you go to morning Mass.
Keeping your family's celebrations centered around the Church's celebrations of Holy Week will help you help your children to keep their focus on Jesus and the gift of Salvation we have because of His Paschal Mystery.
Don't forget that Easter lasts for 50 days! So keep celebrating the Resurrection. It is traditional to greet people with "He is Risen!" instead of a hello during the Easter Season, the response to that is "He is Risen, indeed!" Try to greet each other that way all 50 days! You (or make it a project for the kids) can research saints whose feast days are observed during Easter and then have a celebration on their feast day to honor the saint.