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Palm Sunday
Action: What is Jesus Doing?
· Jesus
enters Jerusalem and is welcomed by the people
with cheers and palms.
· Jesus
is betrayed by one of his own disciples, is sentenced
to death and dies on the cross.
The Symbol: Palms
· Palm-bearing
date trees were valued for their dignity, beauty
and shade.
· Palms
were a symbol of victory and sign that "all is
well".
· They
were used at special occasions to welcome heroes
and royalty.
Listen
This
liturgy has a bonus: two gospels. The first describes
Jesus' entrance into Jerusalem. The second gospel
is the Passion, which tells the story of Jesus
being captured, sentenced to death and dying
on a cross. As you listen to the Passion on this
day, place yourself in the story. What does
it feel like to be part of the crowd or to be
a disciple? Read along with Jesus: What
does it feel like to be in Jesus' place during
the passion? What would you do if you were Jesus'
best friend?
Watch For
· We
gather outside the church and pick-up palms to
welcome Jesus and process together.
· We
enter into Holy Week. Our procession into the
church reminds us to move ourselves into prayer
and action so that we can welcome Jesus with
all our hearts.
Key Scripture
Christ was humble. He obeyed
God and even died on a cross. Then God gave Christ
the highest place and honored his name above
all others. Philipians
2: 8-9
Journal Question: How
will I welcome Jesus into my life, my relationships
and my choices?
Holy Thursday
Action: What is Jesus Doing?
· Jesus
gathers with his disciples to share the Passover
meal.
· Jesus
shares his body and blood as Eucharist in the
sharing of the bread and the cup.
· After
the meal, Jesus washes the feet of his disciples
as an example his love.
The Symbol: Bowl and Towel
· At
the last supper Jesus washed the feet of his
disciples to show them how to be Eucharist for
one another.
· Sharing
a meal together and serving one another is sign
of forgiveness and a bond of friendship.
· We
celebrate Eucharist and serve others as a witness
to being Jesus' followers and sharing his love.
Listen
The first reading describes the
Passover meal. In the second reading, the institution
of Eucharist is shared: "This is my Body, which
is for you." In the Gospel, Jesus washes the
feet of the disciples. This is the service and
love of Jesus which we are asked to share in
our lives.
Watch For
· We
experience the washing of the feet: Put yourself
in the place of the foot-washer: How do you
feel washing the feet of others? Put yourself
in the place of the disciples: How does it
feel to have someone who means so much to you
wash your feet?
· At
the end of the liturgy, we remove the blessed
hosts from the tabernacle and process to a place
of prayer.
Key Scripture
You
call me your teacher and Lord, and you should
because that is who I am. And if your Lord and
teacher has washed your feet, you should do the
same for each other. I have set the example,
and you should do for each other exactly what
I have done for you.
John
13:13-15
Journal Question: How will
I follow Jesus' example and share his love with
my family, my friends, my enemies and all those
in need?
Good Friday
Action: What is Jesus Doing?
· Jesus
goes with his friends to pray.
· Jesus
is arrested, tried and sentenced to death.
· Jesus
suffers and dies on the cross.
The Symbol: Cross
· The
cross was the method of punishment and execution
of the most despised criminals and the most dangerous
political opponents.
· Dying
on the cross takes a long time, is very painful
and very public.
· This
symbol of pain and death becomes for us a sign
of Jesus' love and victory in the resurrection.
Listen
The
first and second readings, from Isaiah and Paul's
letter to the Hebrews, describe the mystery of
the cross: suffering turned into victory. The
gospel is the Passion of Our Lord Jesus Christ.
The word passion can also mean strong feelings
of love. Jesus' passion is the time from the
Last Supper to Jesus' death on the cross, during
which he shows his great love for us.
Watch For
· The
mood and tone of this liturgy is solemn--we begin
in silence and end in silence.
· The
General Intercession prayers are special for
Good Friday: praying for all people to know the
love of Christ.
· The
veneration of the cross is a time when a large
cross is brought forward. We touch or kiss the
cross to show our love and thankfulness for God's
love. If you stood at the cross on which Jesus
hung, what would you say to him? How does it
feel to touch or kiss the cross? What does this
mean to you?
· Good
Friday liturgy concludes with a communion service,
sharing Eucharist that was blessed on Holy Thursday.
Key Scripture
All
who belong to the Lord, show how you love him.
. . . All who trust the Lord, be cheerful and
strong. Psalm 31: 23, 24
Journal Question: How have I
experienced Jesus' passion? How can I share my
love for Jesus by taking time to pray and be
open to his friendship?
Easter Vigil
Action: What is Jesus Doing?
· Jesus
rises from the dead.
· Jesus
appears to friends and followers to bring peace.
The Symbol: Paschal Candle
· The
Paschal candle symbolizes that Jesus is the light
of the world.
· The
lighting of the Paschal candle begins the Easter
Vigil.
· The
candle is lit during the Easter season and used
throughout the year for baptisms, funerals and
confirmation.
Listen
Between
two and seven readings are shared in this liturgy
to tell the story of God's love and care for
God's people. In the gospel, we join with the
disciples in seeing the empty tomb and being
surprised by the angel. Then the risen Jesus
greets the disciples and us in peace.
Watch For
· The
blessing of the fire which begins this celebration.
· After
the readings, the liturgy of Baptism begins.
While the new members of the community are baptized,
the whole community joins in renewing our promises
and as the whole community is sprinkled with
water we remember our baptism. How would you
feel if you were being baptized tonight? How
does the water feel? What does it mean for you
to celebrate the joy of Jesus' resurrection?
· The
Vigil comes to a climax in the sharing of Eucharist.
Key Scripture
We
were baptized, so that we would live a new life,
as Christ was raised to life by the glory of
God the Father. Romans 6: 4
Journal Question: What helps
me to experience happiness and joy? How will
I share my Easter joy with others and keep my
Easter joy alive throughout the year?
Easter
At-Home-Prayer
for Easter
· Choose
a time to pray together as a family: when you
wake-up Easter morning, before a meal, or before
a special family Easter tradition, like opening
your baskets or going for an Easter egg hunt.
· Choose
a place to pray. Gather in a circle around the
dining table or in the family or living room.
Prayer Leader
· Have
the home Paschal Candle and matches ready.
· Ask
someone to read the reading from the Bible or
from your prayer sheet.
· The
notes that are in parenthesis are not to be read,
they are instructions for you as the prayer leader.
· As
a family you can use this candle for special
occasions and meals this Easter season and throughout
the year to celebrate a baptism, a birthday,
first Eucharist or other special time of prayer.
Family
Prayer Service at Home
Prayer Leader (begin
with the sign of the cross.)
In the Name of the Father, and
the Son and Holy Spirit,
All Amen
Reading John
8: 12 Once again Jesus spoke
to the people. This time he said, "I am the light
for the world! Follow me, and you won't be walking
in the dark. You will have the light that gives
life."
Prayer Leader Let
us pray. (pause for a moment of silent prayer,
then light the candle.)Loving God, We share in
the light of your glory through your Son, the
light of the world.
Make this candle holy, and inflame
us with new hope this Easter.We ask this through
Christ our Lord.
All Amen
Prayer Leader Today
as we celebrate Easter, we celebrate Jesus' rising
and presence here with us which brings us joy
and happiness.
As we pass this candle around
our circle, let us each pause and pray in thanksgiving
for something that brings us joy and happiness
this Easter--our prayer can be silent or can be
shared aloud.
(Pick up the lit candle and reflect
on your own prayer, sharing it aloud if you wish,
then pass the candle to the next person. After
the candle has been passed around the circle,
set it back on the table and continue the prayer.)
Prayer Leader Let
us pray. As we continue to celebrate Easter by
remembering the love and friendship of Jesus,
May the light of Christ, rising in glory, brighten
the darkness of our hearts and mindsand lead
us to joy, love and compassion.We ask this through
Jesus, the risen Christ.
All Amen
(Invite everyone to share a sign of peace and
wish each other a Happy Easter.)
All of these resources originate from the Faith
Ways program by the Center for Ministry Development |
