Lent Archives - Page 3 of 21 - Catechist's Journey

Sunday : The Week :: The Triduum : The _________

Many standardized tests use the formula seen in the title for word analogies. If you are not familiar with the formula, it is “translated” accordingly: “Sunday is to the week as the Triduum is to the ______.” And the answer is: year. I learned this analogy years ago from the great liturgist, Gabe Huck, who made it a point to assert that, “Sunday is to the week as the Triduum is to the year.” In […]

How to Make Holy Week Holy

Joe Paprocki

Now that Holy Week is upon us, I recognize that many catechists may be searching for resources to help those they teach and their families to truly enter into these solemn days to make them truly holy, or “set apart.” I’d like to offer some suggestions. For starters, don’t forget this free slide presentation I put together a few years ago to provide an overview of Holy Week, the Triduum, and Easter. Another Holy Week resource […]

Crucifixion - image by Frank Vincentz, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons

The Sorrowful Mysteries: The Crucifixion and a Curtain Torn from Top to Bottom

Joe Paprocki

As we draw near the end of Lent, we pause to reflect on the Fifth Sorrowful Mystery of the Rosary: the Crucifixion. Growing up in a very Catholic family, in a very Catholic neighborhood in Chicago, and attending a Catholic school ensured that I was in church every Friday afternoon of Lent for the Stations of the Cross and on Good Friday for services that included the reading of Jesus’ Passion. Among the many things that I […]

Pop-Up Catechesis: Palms as Part of Our Catholic Home Decor

Joe Paprocki

It is no secret that Catholics have a deep appreciation for signs and symbols. It is part of our sacramental sensibility that reminds us of the presence of God in our midst. For this reason, Catholics are not shy about displaying sacred images in their homes, including a crucifix, a Bible, candles, and small statues. One unique example of this Catholic home décor is the placement of blessed palms—brought home from Palm Sunday Mass—in various […]

Jesus carrying the cross - image by Frank Vincentz, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons

The Sorrowful Mysteries: The Carrying of the Cross and the Heaviness of Discipleship

Joe Paprocki

As we continue our Lenten journey, let’s reflect on the Fourth Sorrowful Mystery: the Carrying of the Cross. When Jesus was sentenced to death by Pilate, he was made to carry his Cross—most likely a wooden cross beam weighing about 75–100 pounds, which would then be attached to a wooden pole already in the ground on Calvary. The Gospels and the Stations of the Cross remind us that, under this burden, Jesus, in his weakened […]

Pop-Up Catechesis: Holy Week

Joe Paprocki

I wonder how many parents have a dandelion, given to them by a child, pressed in a memory book somewhere. A dandelion is a very ordinary thing—a weed, actually. And yet, when a child picks a dandelion to give to Mommy or Daddy to show love, it becomes a precious thing. It is not tossed out, but is set aside, first in a vase with water and then pressed in the pages of a memory […]

Crowning with Thorns - image by Frank Vincentz, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons

The Sorrowful Mysteries: The Crowning with Thorns and a Different Kind of King

Joe Paprocki

Today we pause to reflect on the Third Sorrowful Mystery of the Rosary: the Crowning with Thorns. According to the Gospel accounts of Jesus’ Passion, Jesus was mocked by the Roman soldiers. One of these acts of mockery was to place a crown of thorns on Jesus’ head to ridicule the king of the Jews. This mockery went further with the placing of a purple robe on Jesus’ wounded body and a sign placed above his […]

Scourging at the Pillar - image by Frank Vincentz, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons

The Sorrowful Mysteries: The Scourging at the Pillar and the Protection of the Voiceless

Joe Paprocki

As we journey deeper into Lent, we pause to reflect on the Second Sorrowful Mystery of the Rosary: the Scourging at the Pillar. This violent scene is depicted in all four Gospels (Luke’s Gospel refers to Jesus being “beaten.”) with very little description, yet it is one of the most vivid images of the Passion, because it was such a barbarous act intended to humiliate the victim and instill fear in onlookers. It’s important to […]

Agony in the Garden - image by Frank Vincentz, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons

The Sorrowful Mysteries: The Agony in the Garden and the Myth of Self-Sufficiency

Joe Paprocki

As we venture deeper into this season of Lent, let’s reflect upon the Sorrowful Mysteries of the Rosary—those events that lead up to and culminate in the Crucifixion and Death of our Lord, Jesus Christ. In this first installment, we reflect on the Agony in the Garden. The Book of Genesis introduces us to the Garden of Eden—that place where Adam and Eve enjoyed absolute intimacy with God. It is within that paradise that everything […]

Pop-Up Catechesis: The Stations of the Cross

Joe Paprocki

One of the hallmarks of Catholic spirituality is the practice of going on a pilgrimage, a spiritual journey to a location of significance to our faith. In the centuries following Jesus’ Death, Resurrection, and Ascension, it was common practice for people to visit Jerusalem and retrace the steps of Jesus as he was led to his Crucifixion on Calvary. As time passed and Christianity spread, it became increasingly difficult for people to travel to the Holy Land for this pilgrimage. As […]