How Will You Make This a HOLY Week?

Like many religious holidays, Easter has become for many people simply a ‘family/social time’ to get together with relatives or take a mini-vacation with the kids out of school. Part of this is due to people’s crazy schedules they have created which do not allow for much family time during ‘ordinary time.’ I’m just asking the question: “How can you keep/restore/discover this as “Holy Week” in your own personal life and family?”

In the midst of our ‘regular’ schedule this coming week, below are a few recommendations/goals to help all of us keep these days holy. I especially want to encourage our parents to put extra effort into ‘forming’ our children into the Easter Traditions of our Catholic faith.

• Try to participate in all three of the main evening services: Holy Thursday, Good Friday and Easter Vigil, in order to get the full Triduum (3-day) experience.
• How will you fast and/or simplify your schedule, (no television or computer?) during these three days?
• Have a big ‘end of Lent’ meal with family or a friend early Thursday night before Mass since we end Lent and begin the “Triduum” from Thursday night until the Saturday night Vigil/Easter Morning.
• Stay after Mass on Holy Thursday night for Adoration and quiet time with Jesus.
• Spend some quiet time in church on Friday during the day meditating on the meaning of the Cross; pray/walk the Stations of the Cross by yourself very slowly; Divine Mercy devotions on Good Friday at 2:30 p.m. and Stations of the Cross at 3 p.m.
• Spend some time talking to the children/grandchildren about what Jesus’ Death and Resurrection mean to you.

Let us all make an extra effort to keep these days spiritual and prayerful, enjoying our rich Catholic traditions. I look forward to seeing all of you at the Triduum celebrations!

A Blessed HOLY Week to you,
Fr. Jim Deiters