Thursday, April 7, 2011

Tips for talking with kids about Holy Week

Betsy Moss in collaboration with Catherine Keating, Ed. D.

Children of all ages have complicated questions about Holy Week. Below are suggestions for responding to their questions and short descriptions of some of the events of Holy Week. I encourage you to think through these questions and about how you might respond. You may find reading scripture will help you better explain what happened and why. Recommendations for children’s Bibles and other resources are listed at the end of this essay. This is a wonderful opportunity to share with your children what you know about God’s love, to teach your children about Jesus, and to pray with them.

What happened on Palm Sunday? Why is it important?


Palm Sunday is the day we remember the triumphal entry of Jesus into Jerusalem exactly one week before His Resurrection. Jesus fulfilled a prediction/prophecy (Zechariah 9:9) by riding into the city on a donkey. As he approached the city, a huge crowd gathered and shouted out praise to God for all the amazing acts they had seen Jesus perform. They called, “Hosanna! Blessed be the King that comes in the name of the Lord: peace in heaven, and glory in the highest.” (Matthew 21:1-11)

What happened on Maundy Thursday? Why is it important?


Jesus knew his time on earth was going to end, so he gathered his followers to share their last meal together. It was the first supper of Passover, a week-long Jewish festival when the Israelites celebrate God delivering them from slavery under the Pharaoh in Egypt (Exodus 12:14). We call this meal with Jesus and his disciples the Last Supper.

Two important things happened during the meal. First, Jesus washed and dried his disciples’ feet with a towel. He did this because He wanted to show them what it means to be made clean and holy by Him. He also showed them that are all equals in God’s eyes. (John 13: 4–17) Then, during the meal, Jesus took bread and wine, blessed them, and shared them with His disciples. He taught them that sharing in this meal represented God’s forgiveness and love for the entire world. (Matthew 26: 26-29, Luke 22:19-20)

At Church of The Messiah we follow the example of Jesus and his disciples on Maundy Thursday by sharing a meal and washing one another’s feet. The word Maundy comes from the Latin word mandatum, which means “command.” Jesus asked us to repeat the Last Supper in memory of Him, and we do this every Sunday in the Eucharist (also called Communion).

Why do we call it Good Friday?


It is easy to forget that we need to explain the paradox of Holy Week – how strange it is to call the day Jesus died GOOD Friday. What happened on that Friday is only good because we know what happened on Easter Sunday: Jesus came alive again! In the church service on Easter Sunday and on every Sunday, we remember what happened on the first Easter Sunday. It is not happening right now, and we are not re-enacting it.

Why did Jesus die?


Children may have questions about death itself. You can reassure them that most people die when they are much older than their parents, and that very few children die nowadays. All living things die at some point. You may want to use the example of plants and the seasons as a way to illustrate this for young children.
Some children may have experienced the loss of a loved one or a pet. The Apostle Paul and the author of Revelation make it clear that all things are made new in the final expression of God’s power. That means even deceased pets have a share in God’s kingdom. It also means that the Resurrection is more than the resurrection of individuals, but whole societies—the whole world. (I Corinthians 15)

Why was Jesus killed?


Focus on the human actions and motivations for the events in the story, rather than trying to give a complex theological response.

His friends betrayed Him, the religious authorities were bullies who liked being in control and didn’t want to loose their power, and the Roman governor didn't want to get involved in a religious conflict.

The short response, “Jesus died for our sins” will be lost on children who are still struggling to grasp the details of the story. This question may lead to many other questions about historical details, like Who killed Jesus? What did He do? Why didn’t someone stop them?

Why did people kill Him if He was so good?


The focus in this question is on who killed Jesus and on his provocative ministry. Emphasize the controversial aspects of Jesus’ life and explain how His own actions had a part in bringing about His arrest and death. His teaching in the temple was a serious threat to the religious authorities, which is why they arrested Him in the first place. They were jealous of Him and afraid He would change things and take over all they had and knew. He was also accused of leading a political rebellion, which is why Pilate had the sign “King of the Jews” nailed to his cross.
Jesus turned the world upside down. He taught people to love their enemies and to give their money to the poor. He invited everyone to be a part of God’s kingdom, not the popular or powerful people. Many people in Jesus’ lifetime did not understand who He was. He did miracles and healed people, which amazed some people. But, some thought Jesus was wrong to befriend the poor, the sick, and people who were different. And others thought He was wrong to heal on the Sabbath because they did not work on the Sabbath and thought of the healing as work.

Who killed Jesus?


The simplest answer is “His enemies” who were afraid and jealous of Him taking over what they had. This response helps make sense of what happened. Avoid using terms like “the Jews,” because we must not answer this question in a way that teaches anti-Semitism. It is much better to emphasize that people who lived long ago killed Him.

Did we kill Jesus?


Some children may have heard this idea in a sermon or other teaching. We are all like Peter, Judas, or the other disciples who betrayed Jesus. We are all involved in personal and societal patterns that are very similar to those Jesus opposed.
Why didn’t God stop them from killing Jesus? How could God let Jesus be killed? How can we be safe in the palm of God’s hand?

God did not want people to kill Jesus. God loves Jesus and He loves us too. Avoid saying God intended Jesus to die. What sort of loving father intends his son to be killed? Jesus was fully human and He chose not to abandon the undertaking of the Incarnation—God becoming fully human. When God became human He committed to going along with whatever consequences might arise in response to His love. Jesus bore the consequences of having come into the world. God wanted to make disciples of Jesus. He did not want people to kill Him.

There are some things that mommies and daddies may not want to happen to their children, but they happen anyway, like falling when learning how to ride a bike. God took care of Jesus; he did not desert Him. Jesus’ whole body was healed and made alive again because God wouldn’t let death be the last word. Just like God raised Jesus from the dead, He is also going to raise us from the dead. Nothing—not even death—can take us away from God. God always cares for us, no matter what happens to us or what we do. (Romans 8: 37-39)

Guidance on talking about the Resurrection


This is the pinnacle of Christian joy—our biggest celebration even more that that of Christmas! We spend the six weeks of Lent in preparation for Easter, and we live in Easter-tide for fifty days after Easter. There are many ways of celebrating Easter at home with candles, fresh flowers, and egg decorating. The complex celebration finds its fullest expression in the church.

It may be tempting to focus only on the Resurrection and avoid the grief of the Crucifixion. That is how many of us deal with pain, by diverting our attention away from it and focusing on happy memories and promises. But, remember that avoiding the grief of the Cross means we miss the power of the Resurrection.
How did God do that—raise Jesus from the dead in a new way?

The truth is, we just don’t know. Jesus’ Resurrection was an amazing miracle that cannot be explained. It really did happen and His disciples really did see and touch Him. There were many witnesses who saw Jesus and testified that He was alive.

Was Jesus a zombie?


Unlike zombies who have bodies that continue to decay, the Resurrected Jesus was fully and completely alive in body, mind, and spirit. He was in no way still dead.

Resurrection—total healing


Just as God heals us when we get sick, he has the power to heal the most serious illnesses. This is a theological interpretation of the healing process. He can even heal us of death. Jesus’ miraculous healing of people’s bodies (especially in the Gospel of Mark) anticipates his Resurrection. Many of the instances of Jesus healing involved someone being “raised up.”

Resurrection—God didn’t let Jesus stay dead.


And so He wouldn’t let us stay dead either! God has the power to undo the worst things that happen to us. And the worst thing we can do to ourselves or someone else is not beyond the reach of God’s love, power, and forgiveness. (Romans 8:38-39, 10:9-10)

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