Holy Week begins on Sunday, March 24, with Palm/Passion Sunday. This can be a tough week for children if they don’t understand what’s going on during the “long” Masses and service. Help your children prepare for this holiest of weeks in the Church. Start by reviewing the Gospels of Lent, starting with the Temptation and Transfiguration. You may also use the free Holy Week activity sheets to help children learn and review the feasts of Holy Week.
Take a look back. We may forget that Lent can be a long season for children. Help them understand what’s coming up by going to back to where we began. The Gospel Readings for the weeks of Lent are as follows:
- 1st Sunday of Lent • Mark 1:12–15: Ask: Remember how Satan tempted Jesus in the desert? How did you avoid temptation during Lent? Were you tempted to have the things you gave up for Lent? What did you do?
- 2nd Sunday of Lent • Mark 9:2–10: Ask the children to describe how Jesus looked to his friends up on the mountain. Ask: How did Jesus look? How did he change? How have you changed during Lent?
- 3rd Sunday of Lent • John 2:13–25: Ask: Did it surprise you when Jesus got angry? What do you do when you get angry? God gives us all kinds of emotions, including anger. When could anger be a “good” emotion? How can we use anger in a good way?
- 4th Sunday of Lent • John 3:14–21: Not everyone believed in Jesus and some questioned him. Ask: How would you tell others about Jesus? How can you bring Jesus’ light to others?
- 5th Sunday of Lent • John 12:20–33: Ask: What does a seed have to do before it can sprout? How is Jesus like a seed or grain of wheat?
Take a look ahead. Remind the children that Holy Week starts with Jesus riding into Jerusalem and ends with his Passion and Death. We know how this story ends—with Jesus’ Resurrection. But before that, explain that Holy Week gives us the chance to walk with Jesus and remember everything he did for us. You may use the following activities in class or send them home for family enrichment:
Promise / Promesa: A Prayer Card for Holy Week / Tarjeta de oración para Semana Santa
Good News / Buena Nueva: The Events of Holy Week / Los sucesos de la Semana Santa
Venture / Aventura: Feasts of Lent-Easter / Fiestas de Cuaresma-Pascua
Venture / Aventura: What Happens When? / ¿Que pasa cuando?
Visions / Visiones: The Easter Vigil / La Vigilia de Pascua
Family-Parents: The Stations of the Cross
Family-Parents: A Prayer Service for Good Friday
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