Jared Dees

Author. Speaker. Teacher.

Holy Week Prayer Ideas

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The week leading up to the Easter resurrection is a powerful time for prayer. It is a special time of meditation on Christ’s Paschal Mystery, particularly his Passion and Death. Consider incorporating the following Holy Week prayer ideas into your personal, family, or communal prayer this week.

General Holy Week Prayer Ideas

  • Take the time to reflect through an Examination of Conscience. Use the Ten Commandments to slowly reflect on the sins that you have carried out over the past weeks or months.
  • Go to the Sacrament of Penance and prepare in a special way for the new Easter Resurrection.
  • Read slowly the stories from the Last Supper to Christ’s crucifixion. Imagine that you are one of the many individuals involved in these stories (Peter, Judas, James, John, Peter’s servant, the Roman soldiers, the High Priest, members of the Sanhedrin, Pilate, Pilate’s wife, Barabbas, the crowds, Simon of Cyrene, Mary the Mother of Jesus, Mary Magdalene, the other Apostles, the Daughters of Jerusalem, the Good Thief, the bad thief, etc.
  • Pray the Stations of the Cross at home or at Church.
  • Meditation on the Sorrowful Mysteries of the Rosary.

Prayer Ideas for Holy Wednesday (Spy Wednesday)

  • Read the day’s Scripture slowly and multiple times. Put yourself in the shoes of Judas. What motivation do you have for betraying your master? What do you have to gain?
  • Reflect upon your life. What small or large things have you done to betray Jesus? What personal gain or desires have you set before the Lord?
  • Although this is only Wednesday and not Good Friday, focus in a special way on your Lenten fast this day and recognize that if you abandon yourself, God will transform you and do great things with you.
  • Go to the Sacrament of Reconciliation or pray for forgiveness in a special way this day.

Prayer Ideas for Holy Thursday

  • Imagine Jesus washing your feet. How does this feel? Do you feel comfortable with him doing this? Are you able to humbly allow Christ to serve you? Are you able to let your guard down and let him show you the love he has for you?
  • Go to daily Mass or the Holy Thursday celebration and meditate on the mystery of Christ’s presence in the Eucharist.
  • Join friends of other faiths and religious traditions for a meal and conversation.

Good Friday Prayer Ideas

  • Embrace this day of fasting through prayer and focus on God during times of hunger.
  • Pray the Stations of the Cross in a special way this day.
  • Imagine what your life would be like without Jesus. Praise God for the gift of Christ in your life and the memories of his presence.
  • Instead of focusing on you and your life during prayer this day, focus on the great gift that Christ has given this day. Praise him and thank him for giving his life for you.

Holy Saturday Prayer Ideas

  • Pray for all those entering the Church this Easter weekend.
  • Think back upon your daily fasting, prayer, and almsgiving during this Lent. Where did you fall short? How far have you come? What practices will you continue as a constant habit through the Easter season and beyond?

About Jared Dees

Jared Dees is passionate about sharing practical resources to teach faith. He is best known for his website The Religion Teacher and is the author of many books including 31 Days to Becoming a Better Religious Educator, Christ in the Classroom, and Beatitales: 80 Fables about the Beatitudes for Children.

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  1. St Dismas

    I believe there is so much more to the life of the repentant thief on the cross named St Dismas according to history documentation. Being the only one promised to see paradise on the day of the Lord’s crucification even out of the 12 discipes, there must of been other notable decisions in St Dismas’s life. He is a perfect example that it is never too late to get saved, even in our darkest hour.