Today is Palm Sunday. This starts the week in the church year that we call Holy Week. We start out with remembering Jesus triumphal entry into Jerusalem when the people waved palms and shouted "Hosanna!" which means "save us." Then we have Maundy Thursday where we remember the institution of the Lord's Supper. Good Friday is an extremely solemn remembrance of Christ's death and we finally get to Easter! Christ is risen, indeed!
Here are a few suggestions for Holy Week.
Palm Sunday: Go to church. Anything you are doing in the church year, if church is offered, definitely go. Christ comes to you in the most concrete way in His Word and Sacrament. Most churches give out palms and there is either a procession into the sanctuary where you lift your palm while singing or some other point in the service where you lift your palm while singing. If you get the right kind of palm you can later fold your palm into a cross. This could be a great project to do with the kids, although you can do it whether you have kids or not. This video shows how to make them. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oT-0Z6YSJoU Also open up your hymnal and maybe learn one of the hymns that specifically goes with Palm Sunday.
Monday-Wednesday: There are actually things that happened on Monday-Wednesday that are mentioned in the Bible. In addition to your regular devotions, take time to read the passages on what happened on these days. For Monday you have: Matthew 21:12–22, Mark 11:15–19, Luke 19:45-48, and John 2:13-17. For Tuesday: Matthew 21:23–24:51, Mark 11:20–13:37, Luke 20:1–21:36, and John 12:20–38. For Wednesday: Matthew 26:14-16. Something else I definitely suggest on one of these days is to watch The Prince of Egypt and so you get the 100% accurate account read Exodus 1-14. Jesus died during the Passover feast. Exodus 1-14 tells why the Passover is so significant. Everything in the Bible is connected and ultimately points to Jesus. Knowing that Exodus account, gives some awesome context for what was happening around Jesus death.
Maundy Thursday: Go to church. Learn a hymn that either is labelled Maundy Thursday or is labelled to be sung during communion. Read the accounts of the Lord's Supper that weren't read in the church service. You can find all the Lord's Supper accounts in Matthew 26, Mark 14, Luke 22, and 1 Corinthians 11. Go through the Lord's Supper section of the catechism.
Good Friday: Go to church. Learn a Good Friday hymn. Read the accounts of the crucifixion that weren't read in church. All the accounts are in Matthew 26-27, Mark 14-15, Luke 22-23, and John 19.
Holy Saturday: If your church has an Easter vigil service, go to church. Read Matthew 27:62-66. Watch The Passion of the Christ. It's a bit to intense for kids, so maybe this would be something you would watch after they go to bed, but for them I suggest https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HL8R158Ujp4&t=56s
Easter Sunday: Go to church. Read the accounts of the resurrection that weren't read in church. All of the accounts are Matthew 28, Mark 16, Luke 24, and John 20.Learn one of the Easter hymns. Read and/or watch The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe. The death and resurrection theme in that story are so absolutely beautiful.
I hope you have a wonderful Holy Week full of reflection on the most beautiful thing that has ever happened. Christ died to take away your sins and defeat the devil, and He rose again to defeat death!
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