celebrating Holy Week

There are many important lessons that come with the celebration of Holy Week - love, compassion, selflessness, justice, sacrifice.  So many lessons that I want to plant in the little minds in my home.  Earlier this week our family attended a Passover Seder and learned about the symbols and traditions of the Jewish people.  What always strikes me about this tradition are the stories of enslavement and God's message(s) about how we should treat one another.  Again - love. compassion. forgiveness. justice.

With the topic of Holy Week for our Sunday school lesson, I thought there might be too much ground to cover  for one day.  I decided we should take advantage of our time off and cover the events one. day. at. a. time.  Sunday we celebrated with palms and singing.  Tuesday, we celebrated the Seder.  Today, the Last Supper.

We started with the story of Jesus washing the feet of the disciples.  At the Seder it is tradition to wash hands during the meal.  Jesus' sets a beautiful example of leadership in his gesture to wash the feet of his followers.  This message was not lost on my children as they eagerly asked to wash Mama's feet.  There was even a bit of compromise and compassion as Mr. Man quietly agreed to wash Pie's feet so that Peace could wash mine.  Peace saw this sacrifice and shared her gratitude.  It seems some messages are taking root!

Then we talked about communion - the commonality between the Jewish cups of wine and matzah and Jesus' body and blood.  Both a beautiful expression of life.  So, we shared our own communion - each getting to serve and each to be served.

We closed today's lesson with the prayers in Gethsemane.  The fact that Jesus chose a garden for prayer - the stillness of night, surrounded by God's gift of creation - mattered to my children.  "Oh Mom," they said, "You like to meditate outside at the park. The picture of Jesus praying looks a little like where you meditate."

We talked about how Jesus must have felt and the words he prayed.

Father, if you can, take this cup from me.  But your will be done, not mine.

All three saddened faces knew Jesus was afraid.  They knew he was sad.  They wondered if they could truly leave themselves to do God's will.

A long time ago, I had the honor of co-directing a children's choir with a dear friend of mine.  We are far apart now and I miss her so.  Today, there is a song on my mind and heart that we sang with those little people as the adults of the church stripped the altar at the close of the service.  I'll leave you with the words...

A Lenten Love Song

Helen Kemp

Now Jesus went into the garden,

The garden of Gethsemane.

He went there sad and very weary

To be alone to pray.

"Dear God, I am so sorrowful,

is there no other way?

Dear God, if it is possible,

let this cup pass away."

Now Jesus went into the garden,

The garden of Gethsemane.

The olive tree bent over him,

and heard him sadly pray:

"Dear God, your Son is sorrowful,

but knows your way is best.

Let love take hold of me!

Help me to be bold and free

to do your will

and rest."