Faith Formation from Home
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This week we prepare for the most important part of our liturgical year as we enter into Holy Week. As we walk with Jesus the final days leading up to his crucifixion, we remember that we are never alone. We remember that Jesus himself suffered tremendously but all out of total, sacrificial love for us. May this time of reflection remind you of how much God loves you and that no matter what you have done in life, God has already made the sacrifice for you.
We hope that you join us for Holy Week livestream Masses!
May God bless you and keep you safe!
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"Sweet Redeemer, I surrender all I am to you!"
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This week's song reminds us that every day we are called to surrender. We are called to surrender our pride, our selfishness, our fears, our worries, and all that is holding us back from being all that God longs for us to be.
"Sweet Redeemer"
is a surprisingly upbeat song with a powerful message.
The repetitive refrain will take you deeper into prayer with each line.
Click on the link for a cover of this song.
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Holy Week Activities & Bible Passages
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Wednesday is often referred to as
"Spy Wednesday"
since today we recall how Judas betrayed Jesus, trading his loyalty for 30 pieces of silver.
A fun activity for this day is to hide 30 quarters for your children to find!
Check out this original activity idea by Catholic mom blogger Kendra Tierney (link below).
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Below are links to digital live events for Holy Week as well as links to the readings connected with the
"Triduum"
, the three holiest days of our liturgical year. Comparing the different versions of the events will help you to grow in a deeper understanding of Jesus' final days.
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Today we reflect on Judas' betrayal!
Use the link to today's readings and the following passages to learn more about this event.
Matthew 26:14-16
Mark 14:10-11
Luke 22:1-6
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Holy Thursday
The Last Supper
Matthew 26:17-46
Mark 14:12-42
Luke 22:7-45
John 13-17
*The Gospel of John's version is the longest since his includes "The Last Supper Discourse". In these lengthy speeches, Jesus speaks of the Holy Spirit being sent and the role of the Holy Spirit. It is also the only Gospel book that shares
the story of Jesus washing the disciples feet
!
*Luke's story includes the detail of Jesus sweating blood! (Luke 22:44) Whereas, Matthew & Mark focus more on the apostles falling asleep and Jesus' prayers to God the Father.
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Good Friday
Jesus' Suffering & Death
Matthew 26:36-27:56
Mark 14:32-15:41
Luke 22:39-23:49
John 18-19:37
*All three synoptic gospels (Matthew, Mark, & Luke) talk about Peter denying Jesus. However, only Matthew's story goes into detail about how Judas tries to return the "blood money" and is so overcome with guilt that he hangs himself.
*Luke's arrest story gives the detail of Jesus healing the soldier's ear, emphasizing the image of Jesus being the "Great Healer". In contrast, Mark gives the quirky detail of a man running off naked during the arrest!
*John's story of Jesus' arrest highlights Jesus'
"I am"
statements that are featured throughout the Gospel of John. While the synoptic gospels focus more on the "villain" Judas and his kiss, John makes Jesus look more confident versus passive during his arrest. His version of the trial before Pilate also includes the powerful question from Pilate to Jesus,
"What is truth?"
. (John 18:38)
*It is only in looking at each Gospel's version of the trials that it is made absolutely clear that
no one
(the Sanhedrin, Herod, & Pilate)
actually found Jesus to be guilty of blasphemy and treason!
Matthew's version of the Sanhedrin trial especially emphasizes the corrupt nature of how they attempted to give false testimonies. It is Luke's version of the trials before Pilate and Herod that state directly that Jesus was not found guilty of treason by either Roman leader.
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Holy Saturday
Jesus' Burial
Matthew 27:57-66
Mark 15:42-47
Luke 23:50-56
John 19:38-42
*Matthew's account shares the concerns of the Pharisees and Romans that Jesus would rise from the dead, referring back to his earlier prophesies.
*Mark's version of the burial particularly highlights the virtue and courage of Joseph of Arimathea.
*Luke's burial includes the details of how the body was prepared with spices and perfumed oils while being wrapped, a practice that Gentiles (non-Jewish people) might not have known.
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Don't forget that St.Thomas Aquinas will be livestreaming Mass during Holy Week! Check out our webpage & Facebook to stay connected.
Additional options are provided as well!
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The Agony in the Garden
During the last moments of Jesus' life, one of the most memorable moments is when Jesus goes to the Garden of Gethsemane to pray. If you recall from our previous lessons on the stories in Genesis, the story of salvation begins and ends in a garden. In Genesis 3, we reflected on the author's explanation of how sin entered the world using the Garden of Eden as the backdrop of the story. Here in the gospels, we see Jesus taking on our sin (the sin that human beings chose thousands of years ago) in the Garden of Gethsemane. It is no coincidence that Jesus accepts God's plan fully in the Garden. Rather than running and hiding from God like Adam and Eve did, Jesus goes to his Father and seeks Him in prayer in the Garden. Jesus begs for mercy but is also willing to accept whatever the Father wills. We recognize the tremendous courage that took! Jesus is taking on the punishment for sins that we committed. Yet, it is clear in all three gospel versions that this was not an easy choice.
After reading the different versions of this event, we realize how truly and deeply grieved Jesus was about what was about to happen. Yet, in his time of anguish, he humbly accepts God's plan and obediently allows for the events to unfold without a fight.
All three synoptic gospels (Matthew, Mark, & Luke) give their own detailed version of the Agony in the Garden. TIn contrast, the Gospel of John briefly mentions that Jesus went to the garden and was arrested there (John 18:1-3) but instead focuses on the Last Supper in great detail.
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Reflection Questions:
- Have you ever had an "Agony in the Garden moment"? What was going on in your life that caused you pain? What were your prayers like during that time?
- Have you ever, like Jesus, felt like your friends or family were not there for you in your time of need? How did that make you feel? Where you able to tell them how you felt?
- In contrast, have you ever felt like the apostles? Have you ever felt so exhausted, hungry, or distracted that it was difficult to pray or worship?
- How did your faith and prayer help you through this time? How did your faith or even your ability to empathize with others change?
- What can you do to offer better support and comfort to people who are struggling?
- Which of the 3 Gospel stories did you think was the most interesting? What differences did you notice in the details of each story?
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Holy Week Ideas for Families
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- Read the Bible passages related to Jesus' Passion, suffering, and death together as a family.
- Pray the Sorrowful Mysteries of the Rosary together. (See links below!
- Wednesday: "Spy Wednesday" Activity
- Holy Thursday: Have a "washing of feet" (or hands!) ceremony before dinner on Holy Thursday. Consider incorporating traditional Passover food or having the meal in candlelight. Other ideas you could try are cooking the meal together as a family or having each family member choose 1 food they would want to eat for dinner if it was their "Last Supper". You could go around the table and each share what is something that you hope people remember about you when your time comes.
- Good Friday: Stations of the Cross. As a family, you could even get creative and do your own live, at-home "Passion Play"! In addition, you could also do a "Veneration of the Cross" ceremony at home since traditionally on Good Friday we would go forward to kiss the hands or feet of the crucifix at Church.
- Holy Saturday: Visit a graveyard and pray for the people buried there. Or have a candle vigil prayer service at home for people in your family who have passed away. Share the things you loved about these loved ones and look at old pictures of them together. Parents, this could be an opportunity to discuss with your children that although death is very sad and scary, we as Catholics have the hope of heaven and the promise of the resurrection of our bodies to bring us comfort.
- Easter Sunday: Attend Mass together. (Attend via online if Masses are still unavailable.) Celebrate with an Easter meal as a family. Since Easter is a time of rejoicing, each family member could share one thing that brings them great joy during your Easter meal.
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Praying the Sorrowful Mysteries
of the Rosary
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While the other three mysteries of the Rosary walk us through the most joyful and uplifting parts of Jesus' life and ministry, the
Sorrowful Mysteries
allow us to journey with Jesus through his passion, suffering, and death. With each decade, we reflect on the suffering and the sacrifice that Jesus willingly took on for us during his final days.
As you pray the
Sorrowful Mysteries
, take the time to meditate on each mystery. Remember how much God loved you then and how much He still loves you now!
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If you are more of a visual person, you might be interested in praying the
Sorrowful Mysteries
along with a video guide. Use the links (in order) below to visualize the decades as you pray with the narrator. This particular guide includes scripture references and video clips from
"The Passion of the Christ"
.
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"For Jesus Christ, I am prepared to suffer still more."
Saint Maximilian Kolbe
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TV Shows, Movie, & Book Recommendations
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Age Group:
Children
Rating:
PG
Length:
1 hour 39 minutes
Category:
Animation, Cartoon
Learn the history behind Passover with this classic children's version of the story of Moses! This 1998 film beautifully retells the story of Moses using colorful animation and catchy songs. This film is mainly intended for children ages 7-12 but might also hold the interest of older kids as well.
You can rent
"The Prince of Egypt"
on Amazon for $3.99.
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"The Bible Series"
Episodes 7-10
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Age Group:
7th-12th Grade
Rating:
TV-14
Episode Length:
40-45 minutes
Category:
Action, Drama
In Episodes 7-10,
"The Bible Series"
explores the Gospels and the life of Jesus! These episodes do a great job of showing how Jesus taught and lived, referencing different miracles and parables throughout Episodes 7 & 8.
Episode 9 focuses on Jesus' trials, suffering, and death. Unlike,
"The Passion of Christ"
, it is a far less gruesome portrayal of these events. However, it does not completely sugarcoat the brutality of how Jesus suffered.
Parents should review Episode 9 before having their teens watch it to make a determination of if they think it is appropriate for their child.
Again, there are times when this series takes some artistic liberty with how they portray the Bible stories and characters. However, overall, the Jesus episodes in particular are very well done!
"The Bible Series"
can be rented or bought on Amazon.
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"The Passion of the Christ"
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Age Group:
Teens & Adults
(
with parental approval
)
Length:
2 hours 7 minutes
Rated:
R
Mel Gibson's
"The Passion of Christ"
is one of the most powerful and shocking film versions of Jesus' Passion, suffering, and death ever produced. Produced in Aramaic with English subtitles, the film takes you through the last moments of Jesus' life, starting with the Agony in the Garden and ending with Jesus' Resurrection. There are also flashbacks to moments such as the Last Supper.
This film can be found on Amazon.
VIEWER DISCRETION:
This film includes scenes of
graphic violence
, showing the scourging and crucifixion of Jesus in an up close and extremely real way. The scene of the scourging (@ 52minutes-1:03) is approximately 10 minutes long.
It is recommended that parents preview it before allowing their teens to view it.
If your teen is sensitive to violence, this would not be a film for them.
It is recommended that this film is not viewed alone since it is extremely emotional. You should allow yourself time to process and discuss the film after viewing it.
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"I know quite well all you are suffering.
I know your anguish, and I share it.
Oh! But if I could impart to you the peace
which Jesus has put into my soul amid my most bitter tears.
Be comforted- all passes away."
Saint Therese of Lisieux
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