Holy Week is at the very height of participation within the Catholic Church, and beyond. It is a time for prayer, fasting, almsgiving, and of walking with Jesus on the road to Calvary. Jesus draws us to pray with him, and to be with him during Holy Week and every day of our lives. Here are a few ways to love Jesus more, and to never forget the message of holy week.
Meditate on the passion
The Passion of Jesus Christ draws us to the heart of his mission and why he did for us. As a family, it is important to take the time to celebrate holy week and to slow down in order to pray more. Praying and mediating on the Passion is a beautiful way to walk alongside him, and to get to know his heart even better. Take the opportunity to meditate, to read, and to reflect on his life, death, Resurrection, and ascension. Meditation and quiet prayer time is the best avenue to reflect on the goodness of God in order to celebrate him every day. It will bring joy to the heart.
Slow down
A beautiful way to celebrate Holy Week perhaps as a family is to slow down. If you can take off from work, do it. Visit an adoration chapel, go to Mass when able, and pray together with family members to understand the heart of Jesus during his last days before his death and essentially to his Resurrection. Slowing down will enable you to fully partake in the season. Your family will thank you later.
Visit an adoration chapel and go to Mass
Holy Week is a tremendous opportunity to visit a local adoration chapel and to go to mass. Attending Holy Thursday Mass, Good Friday, and perhaps Holy Saturday prayer services are a beautiful way to pray and to honor him. This is referred to as the Triduum, and it is the most sacred time within the liturgical calendar. Pray for those in Purgatory, your family, and the whole world during the Triduum as it is at the height of devotion to the Lord within the season. Below is a prayer asking the Lord to help you to know him better.
Prayer to grow in love of Jesus
Lord, we thank you for the opportunity to love and serve you. We especially thank you for your Passion. You lived, died, ascended and rose for our sake, and we are grateful you. Help us to model you each day, and that we may love and serve you better. Help us to pray for the lonely, lost, forsaken, and poor. Help us to understand what a privilege it is to love and serve you. We ask all this in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the holy spirit. Amen.
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