Without a doubt, births and deaths are some of the most profound moments of our lives. They are most certainly “thin places”—those moments or places where the veil that normally prevents us from recognizing God’s presence seems to be quite thin. As we approach Holy Week, we prepare to come face to face with death and new life; Good Friday and Easter are a continuum.
In our catechetical settings, Holy Week provides us with an opportunity to invite those we teach to immerse themselves in the Paschal Mystery of Jesus: our belief that in death, we find new life. In her book, Braving the Thin Places: Celtic Wisdom to Create a Space for Grace, Julianne Stanz tells us that: “In a thin space, if you attune your eye to what is in front of you, you will begin to pick up the subtleties in color and variation, your eye will move from the general to the particular, and in death you will see new life.”
Help those you teach to attune their eyes to see new life in death by delving into the story of Jesus’ Passion, Death, and Resurrection. To assist, Loyola Press has many Holy Week resources available. Here are just a few:
Holy Week Activities Pack
Help children and families experience the full meaning of the final days before Easter with puzzle sheets and prayerful Scripture activities.
Stations of the Cross for Children
View an online presentation of the Stations of the Cross for children. Also available in Spanish.
The Seven Last Words
Pray this devotion commemorating each of the Seven Last Words that Jesus spoke from the Cross.
Pop-Up Catechesis: Holy Week
Set aside time to enter the events of Holy Week.
May we all attune our eyes so that in death we will see new life!
You are inspiring me with your understanding and great help