March 25 Monday of Holy Week Is 42:1-7/Jn 12:1-11

26 Tuesday of Holy Week Is 49:1-6/Jn 13:21-33, 36-38 

27 Wednesday of Holy Week Is 50:4-9a/Mt 26:14-25 

28 Holy Thursday Ex 12:1-8, 11-14/1 Cor 11:23-26/Jn 13:1-15 

29 Good Friday Is 52:13—53:12/Heb 4:14-16; 5:7-9/Jn 18:1—19:42 

30 Sat Holy Saturday

Easter Vigil: Gn 1:1—2:2 or 1:1, 26-31a/Gn 22:1-18 or 22:1-2, 9a, 10-13, 15-18/ Ex 14:15—15:1/Is 54:5-14/Is 55:1-11/Bar 3:9-15, 32—4:4/Ez 36:16-17a, 18-28/ Rom 6:3-11/Mt 28:1-10 

31 EASTER SUNDAY 11 Acts 10:34a, 37-43/Col 3:1-4 or 1 Cor 5:6b-8/Jn 20:1-9 

The gospels for Holy Week are mostly from the Gospel of John. They take us first to Bethany where Jesus must have spent his days in Jerusalem among “the Jews” who were “his own”, loyal friends who supported and cared for him. We are in Bethany.

Monday of Holy Week we’re at a meal in Bethany, where Martha, Mary and Lazarus,  celebrate God’s blessings with Jesus and his disciples. It’s a thanksgiving meal: Lazarus was raised from the dead. By dying Jesus brings life to the world.

Tuesday and Wednesday, Again we are at a meal in Bethany with disciples who will abandon Jesus. One of them, Judas, will betray him. We are reminded how frail disciples can be. But Jesus does not abandon them, nor will he abandon us and our world.

On Thursday, at table with his disciples Jesus does not wash his hands of them, he washes their feet as a servant would do. A sign of such great love. Then– Paul’s First Letter to the Corinthians recalls– Jesus took bread and wine and gave them to his disciples as his body and blood.  

                                                                                                                                                             On Good Friday the readings from Isaiah recall the Suffering Servant who gives his life for others, and Psalm 22 recalling his suffering. The Gospel of John tells the story of Jesus’ Passion today. He sees Jesus as a conquering  King even as he suffers and dies. For a commentary on the Passion Narrative of John by Fr. Donald Senior see here. 

On Holy Saturday evening, readings from Genesis and other readings from the Old and New Testament speak of Jesus and his mission to save the world. On Easter various gospel accounts announce his resurrection. He has risen! The waters of baptism are a sign that we shall live and rise too.

Morning and Evening Prayer for Week 2  here.

Stations of the Cross for Adults here.

Praying with Children here.