Holy Week
Note for the group: This week is “Holy Week.” In the church calendar, these are the final days of preparation before remembering Christ’s death on Good Friday and His resurrection on Easter. Tonight’s guide is centered around that.
In addition to the practice, you may choose to have a candlelit dinner, take communion together, or wash each other’s feet. These can all be forced and uncomfortable and awkward, or meaningful and memorable for your community. Perhaps have a pre-gathering text conversation to discover what feels right :)
Do this Practice Tonight
Share. Take a couple minutes to go around the room and share: if you were at church this past Sunday for Kids Sunday, what was your experience like? Did you notice God working or speaking through the liturgy, teaching, kids present, joys, tensions, discomfort, etc.?
Reflect for a few minutes on the following statements and the image below. After some time to meditate, share around the circle any thoughts that rise to the surface. You may consider the question: Who has Jesus been to you over this past year?
Jesus is the King who is worthy to have perfume worth a year’s wages poured out on his feet
Jesus is the servant who washes the feet of his disciples and takes on the cross they deserved
Bazzi Rahib, Ilyas Basim Khuri. Mary Anoints Christ’s Feet, from Art in the Christian Tradition, a project of the Vanderbilt Divinity Library, Nashville, TN. https://diglib.library.vanderbilt.edu/act-imagelink.pl?RC=57332
Next, Read Isaiah 42:1-3. Then take some time to discuss:
What does this say about who God is? Who Jesus is? Who we are?
How does this passage interact with the observance of Holy Week, Good Friday, and Easter?
What is here for you and your life this week? At work, school, home, etc.? Is there any action to take or relationship to tend to that God is bringing to your attention?
Isaiah 42:1-3
1 But here is my servant, the one I uphold;
my chosen, who brings me delight.
I’ve put my spirit upon him;
he will bring justice to the nations.
2 He won’t cry out or shout aloud
or make his voice heard in public.
3 He won’t break a bruised reed;
he won’t extinguish a faint wick,
but he will surely bring justice.
Pray. You may choose to take prayer requests and/or close the time with this written prayer:
Almighty God,
Your name is glorified
even in the anguish of your Son's death.
Grant us the courage
to receive your anointed servant
who embodies a wisdom and love
that is foolishness to the world.
empower us in witness
so that all the world may recognize
in the scandal of the cross the mystery of reconciliation. Amen.
Practice for the Week
Take some time this week to pray, listening for the Holy Spirit’s voice, and following how He may be inviting you to observe Holy Week. Prayerfully consider one or more of the following ideas:
go above and beyond in your Easter celebrations this year in hope of resurrection life
have a simple dinner one night with your immediate family, a few close friends, or your small group and wash each other’s feet like Jesus did with his disciples (sounds super weird and awkward, but can be a very meaningful way to express God’s love)
spend Holy Saturday tech-free
invite a friend, neighbor, or coworker to our Easter gathering
and/or something else that fits your life-stage, creativity, life with God
