As you dye eggs or cook hams for your Easter celebration this week, there are also a variety of ways you can join with the global and historical church to remember Jesus’ last week before the resurrection. This week is filled with some of the most significant moments of our faith, so squishing them into one day or church service just won’t do them justice. If you’re looking for ways to implement some Holy Week celebrations into your everyday life over the next few days, here are the top 5 resources you’ll need.
Bible Reading Plan
If you need a little guidance on what Scripture to read, this PDF can help. This is an Easter Bible reading plan that was put together by a church several years ago, and I’ve found it to enrich my Holy Week celebrations every year. This guide includes Scripture passages to read each day leading up to Easter, using a method called Lectio Divina which allows you to read the passage multiple times through a stance of prayerful listening. Though many of the passages are familiar, the art and direction in this guide have helped me to take something new away each time. I hope this will help you find encouragement.
Bible Reading Plan
Scripture Readings
If you’ve never been to a liturgical church service around Easter, you may not have experienced some of the historical Scripture readings that happen in such services. In that case, you may find these Scripture readings to be helpful in your own devotional time this week. This link is a reading from a traditional Easter vigil. Unlike some other liturgical elements that include other prayers and creeds, this page includes the words of Scripture from different stories throughout the Old and New Testaments. Readings like this can help set your heart and mind on the full big-picture gospel narrative from the garden to the cross, showing our need for a Messiah. Looking at the big picture can enhance the significance of the specific passages we hear every year.
Scripture Reading
Note: Reading IV includes a passage from the book of Baruch. Catholics consider those cannon, but Protestants do not. Evangelicals consider it a historically significant book in the Apocrypha but not equal in value to the canon of Scripture. If you’d prefer, you can skip that reading and stick with the Psalms and prophets you’re familiar with.
An Awesome Playlist
A curated playlist for Holy Week is a great way to implement meditative songs throughout the busy activities like driving kids to school or running errands. God is with us in the regular activities of our day just as much as He is present in our devotional time. You can listen to these songs as you wash dishes, cook, clean, do laundry, fix your car, or even as you’re doing menial tasks at your job. Here are a few different resources to fill your Holy Week with sacred music.
Playlist #1 Playlist #2 Playlist #3 Playlist #4 Playlist #5
The Stations of the Cross
Praying the stations of the cross has been a longtime tradition of Catholic and other liturgical denominations. It’s a way to center our hearts and minds on the story of the cross and meditate on our need for a savior. Though the stations of the cross sometimes include elements you may not be familiar with, there are tons of resources to help you use this tool as a devotional resource, whether you have a church offering physical stations near you or not. This resource explains some of the history of this tradition and includes Scripture you can use to set your mind on the gospel as Easter approaches.
Stations of the Cross
Make Resurrection Rolls
Whether you’re celebrating Easter with young kids or you’re just hungry for a sweet treat, this resurrection roll recipe is a great resource to have on hand. Resurrection Rolls teach a great lesson as the marshmallow that’s placed in the roll (or tomb) before baking melts and disappears by the time it comes out of the oven. It’s a yummy way to proclaim with your mouth and your stomach, “He is not here! He is risen!” You can make these with any kind of dough you like, but this recipe calls for ready-made crescent roll dough to keep it simple and quick. If you prefer homemade dough, it’s got a recipe linked at the bottom. Have fun!
Resurrection Rolls Recipe
There you go! The top 5 resources to help you draw nearer to Christ and celebrate the beauty of the gospel this Holy Week. Though you can’t cancel your everyday plans or your family’s extracurriculars, I hope you can set aside a few extra moments this week to sit with the beautiful Scripture, songs, and traditions of Easter. There’s no better way to preach the gospel to yourself each day!
