Holy Thursday

April 8, 2020
by Barbara Simon-Johnson

Focus:

Jesus celebrated his Last Supper with his apostles. The Eucharist was instituted at this time. Jesus also showed us how to care for one another by washing his apostles’ feet.

Materials Needed:

Candle
Bible
Bowl
Towels
Pitcher of Water
Ingredients for bread baking or a nice meal

Create a special table or sacred space in your home you can where you focus during prayer and your in-home celebration. Include your bible, candle, bowl, towel, and pitcher of water.

Light the candle. Call your family to prayer.

Begin with the Sign of the Cross.

Music:

Choose one of the music suggestions below. Sing together as a family.

Opening Activity:

Begin by talking about summertime, when we have the opportunity to be barefoot or wear sandals more often. Our feet get dirtier in the summer because of this. Jesus and his apostles lived in a place and time where people wore sandals or even no shoes. Their feet were always dirty and when they would enter a person’s home their feet were washed by a slave. Jesus changed that for us when he washed his disciples’ feet himself. This was an act of true love for another.

As a family, show an act of true love by washing one another’s feet.

Scripture:

Together read the Gospel. Feel free to use your family bible or children’s bible. Be creative. Read it in parts. Act out the story.

USCCB – http://cms.usccb.org/bible/readings/040920-lord-s-supper.cfm

Jesus was preparing the disciples for life without him as he knew his death was drawing near. He wanted them to know ways to show great love for others. Discuss other ways we can show love for one another, especially in this time of social distancing.

Apostles Creed:

Together pray:

I believe in God the Father almighty Creator of heaven and earth. And in Jesus Christ, his only Son, our Lord who was conceived by the Holy Spirit, born of the Virgin Mary, suffered under Pontius Pilate was crucified, died, and was buried. He descended into hell; the third day he rose again from the dead; he ascended into heaven, and sits at the right hand of God the Father almighty, from thence he shall come to judge the living and the dead. I believe in the Holy Spirit, the holy Catholic Church, the communion of Saints, the forgiveness of sins, the resurrection of the body and life everlasting. Amen.

Music:

Choose another song to sing together.

Universal Prayers

As a family, offer prayers for our Church, our world, your local communities, and your families.

The Lord’s Prayer:

Together pray the words that our Savior gave us:

Our Father, Who art in heaven,
Hallowed be Thy Name.
Thy Kingdom come.
Thy Will be done,
on earth as it is in Heaven.

Give us this day our daily bread.
And forgive us our trespasses,
as we forgive those who trespass against us.
And lead us not into temptation,
but deliver us from evil. Amen.

Tonigh, we end in silence in preparation for Good Friday.

Family Activity Suggestions:

Bake bread together as a family. Choose to make a family favorite or if you have never baked bread together before, you find easy recipes online. If you cannot find yeast, you can make unleavened bread together as well. Unleavened bread would connect well with the first reading from the liturgy.

Another idea is to take time to prepare and eat a meal together, choosing favorite family foods. Decorate the table to show the importance of sharing a meal together as Jesus did with his apostles.