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Palm Sunday is the first day of Holy Week, where Jesus enters Jerusalem on a donkey. The crowds welcome him as a King, waving palms and shouting, ""Hosanna in the Highest"

See below for the different ideas you can undertake as a family to commemorate Palm Sunday

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The servant of the Lord, an expiatory Sacrifice

See, my servant will prosper,

he shall be lifted up, exalted, rise to great heights.

As the crowds were appalled on seeing him

– so disfigured did he look

that he seemed no longer human –

so will the crowds be astonished at him,

and kings stand speechless before him;

for they shall see something never told

and witness something never heard before:

‘Who could believe what we have heard,

and to whom has the power of the Lord been revealed?’

Like a sapling he grew up in front of us,

like a root in arid ground.

Without beauty, without majesty we saw him,

no looks to attract our eyes;

a thing despised and rejected by men,

a man of sorrows and familiar with suffering,

a man to make people screen their faces;

he was despised and we took no account of him.

And yet ours were the sufferings he bore,

ours the sorrows he carried.

But we, we thought of him as someone punished,

struck by God, and brought low.

Yet he was pierced through for our faults,

crushed for our sins.

On him lies a punishment that brings us peace,

and through his wounds we are healed.

We had all gone astray like sheep,

each taking his own way,

and the Lord burdened him

with the sins of all of us.

Harshly dealt with, he bore it humbly,

he never opened his mouth,

like a lamb that is led to the slaughter-house,

like a sheep that is dumb before its shearers

never opening its mouth.

By force and by law he was taken;

would anyone plead his cause?

Yes, he was torn away from the land of the living;

for our faults struck down in death.

They gave him a grave with the wicked,

a tomb with the rich,

though he had done no wrong

and there had been no perjury in his mouth.

The Lord has been pleased to crush him with suffering.

If he offers his life in atonement,

he shall see his heirs, he shall have a long life

and through him what the Lord wishes will be done.

His soul’s anguish over

he shall see the light and be content.

By his sufferings shall my servant justify many,

taking their faults on himself.

Hence I will grant whole hordes for his tribute,

he shall divide the spoil with the mighty,

for surrendering himself to death

and letting himself be taken for a sinner,

while he was bearing the faults of many

and praying all the time for sinners.

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Did You Know? Good Friday- The only day that Mass is not celebrate

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Did You Know? Good Friday- The only day that Mass is not celebrate

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On Good Friday, there is no consecration and only the distribution of Holy Communion that was consecrated on Holy Thursday

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Luke 19:28-40

Blessings on him who comes in the name of the Lord.

Jesus went on ahead, going up to Jerusalem.

When he drew near to Bethphage and Bethany,

at the mount that is called Olivet,

he sent two disciples,

saying, ‘Go into the village opposite,

where on entering you will find a colt tied,

on which no one has ever yet sat;

untie it and bring it here.

If any one asks you,

“Why are you untying it?”

you shall say this,

“The Lord has need of it.”’

So those who were sent

went away and found it as he had told them.

And as they were untying the colt,

its owners said to them,

‘Why are you untying the colt?’

And they said,

‘The Lord has need of it.’

And they brought it to Jesus,

and throwing their garments on the colt

they set Jesus upon it.

And as he rode along,

they spread their garments on the road.

As he was drawing near,

at the descent of the Mount of Olives,

the whole multitude of the disciples

began to rejoice and praise God with a loud voice

for all the mighty works that they had seen,

saying,

‘Blessed is the King who comes in the name of the Lord!

Peace in heaven and glory in the highest!’

And some of the Pharisees in the multitude said to him,

‘Teacher, rebuke your disciples.’

He answered,

‘I tell you, if these were silent,

the very stones would cry out.’

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Have you ever made a cross out of palm leaves? Check this out and see how you go!

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MATT MAHER + MIA FIELDES - Christ Is Risen: Song Session

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Play Through the Stations of the Cross for KIDS

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The Story of Jesus' Resurrection (The Easter Story for Kids, Pt.4) - Bible Stories for Kids

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What Happened at the Last Supper? | Easter Bible Stories for Kids

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Feast Day: Institution of the Eucharist & Priesthood

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Feast Day: Institution of the Eucharist & Priesthood

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Today is a Feast Day, the day the Jesus instituted the Eucharist and the Priesthood. You don't need to Fast today!

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Parents, model Jesus washing the disciples feet by washing your children's feet. Then they can take turns too, serving with humility and love as Jesus demonstrated to us and encouraged us to do to others.

Simple and Impactful

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Stories of the Bible- Stories of the Last Supper

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Stories of the Bible- Stories of the Last Supper

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Now he showed how perfect his love was

It was before the festival of the Passover, and Jesus knew that the hour had come for him to pass from this world to the Father. He had always loved those who were his in the world, but now he showed how perfect his love was.

They were at supper, and the devil had already put it into the mind of Judas Iscariot son of Simon, to betray him. Jesus knew that the Father had put everything into his hands, and that he had come from God and was returning to God, and he got up from table, removed his outer garment and, taking a towel, wrapped it round his waist; he then poured water into a basin and began to wash the disciples’ feet and to wipe them with the towel he was wearing. He came to Simon Peter, who said to him, ‘Lord, are you going to wash my feet?’ Jesus answered, ‘At the moment you do not know what I am doing, but later you will understand.’ ‘Never!’ said Peter ‘You shall never wash my feet.’ Jesus replied, ‘If I do not wash you, you can have nothing in common with me.’ ‘Then, Lord,’ said Simon Peter ‘not only my feet, but my hands and my head as well!’ Jesus said, ‘No one who has taken a bath needs washing, he is clean all over. You too are clean, though not all of you are.’ He knew who was going to betray him, that was why he said, ‘though not all of you are.’

When he had washed their feet and put on his clothes again he went back to the table. ‘Do you understand’ he said ‘what I have done to you? You call me Master and Lord, and rightly; so I am. If I, then, the Lord and Master, have washed your feet, you should wash each other’s feet. I have given you an example so that you may copy what I have done to you.’

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Jesus Washes His Disciples' Feet | Stories of the Bible

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Let's pray the Act of Contrition Prayer together!

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The crucifixion - Brother Francis 10 clip

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Spy Wednesday : Catholic All Year : Kendra Tierney

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Brother Francis- Formed- Catholic Netflix

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Brother Francis- Formed- Catholic Netflix

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He Is Risen! The Power of the Resurrection

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Join Brother Francis as he celebrates the power and splendor of the Resurrection of Jesus Christ in this moving and instructive animated presentation! This episode includes: An animated presentation of key points in the life of Jesus Christ, His Death on the Cross, triumph over death, and A...

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Easter Paschal Candle DIY with Free Printable | The Little Rose Shop

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King of Kings Animated movie out in cinemas from April 10th. 

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King of Kings Animated movie out in cinemas from April 10th. 

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The King Of Kings | Official Trailer | In theaters April 11 | Angel Studios

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Holy Week and Easter for Kids Story Video

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Holy Week and Easter for Kids Story Video

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The Story of Easter for Kids | Stories of the Bible | Holy Week

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The Story of Easter (The Triumphal Entry)

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The Passover is a day of festival for all generations, for ever

The Lord said to Moses and Aaron in the land of Egypt:

‘This month is to be the first of all the others for you, the first month of your year. Speak to the whole community of Israel and say, “On the tenth day of this month each man must take an animal from the flock, one for each family: one animal for each household. If the household is too small to eat the animal, a man must join with his neighbour, the nearest to his house, as the number of persons requires. You must take into account what each can eat in deciding the number for the animal. It must be an animal without blemish, a male one year old; you may take it from either sheep or goats. You must keep it till the fourteenth day of the month when the whole assembly of the community of Israel shall slaughter it between the two evenings. Some of the blood must then be taken and put on the two doorposts and the lintel of the houses where it is eaten. That night, the flesh is to be eaten, roasted over the fire; it must be eaten with unleavened bread and bitter herbs. You shall eat it like this: with a girdle round your waist, sandals on your feet, a staff in your hand. You shall eat it hastily: it is a passover in honour of the Lord. That night, I will go through the land of Egypt and strike down all the first-born in the land of Egypt, man and beast alike, and I shall deal out punishment to all the gods of Egypt. I am the Lord! The blood shall serve to mark the houses that you live in. When I see the blood I will pass over you and you shall escape the destroying plague when I strike the land of Egypt. This day is to be a day of remembrance for you, and you must celebrate it as a feast in the Lord’s honour. For all generations you are to declare it a day of festival, for ever.”’

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Journeying Through Holy Week with Jesus' Companions- Reflection by Erin Gillard

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Journeying Through Holy Week with Jesus' Companions- Reflection by Erin Gillard

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It has finally arrived, the Easter Triduum, the last three days of holy week. The summit of our liturgical year as Catholic Christians. After journeying through the 40 days of Lent, the three most powerful days have come where we celebrate Jesus suffering, death and his glorious resurrection.

Journeying with Jesus over these days are many men and women who have accompanied him through his life and ministry. By reflecting on their accompaniment of Jesus over his final days, we can learn from and be encouraged by their lives and actions as they reveal to us important aspects of our lives as Christians and what we should strive to be like.

Mary was one of Jesus closest friends, followers and was Lazarus' sister. She was praised by Jesus earlier in the Gospel for sitting at his feet, fully engrossed with his message and learning from Him, her Rabbi, much to her sister, Martha's, disdain. "Mary has chosen what is better and it will not be taken from her." Luke 10: 42. On Monday of Holy Week, in the Gospels of John and Mark, we see that Mary generously and lavishly anoints Jesus' feet with expensive perfume, pure nard, readying him for his burial. She uses her hair to wipe Jesus' feet in loving, humble service and reverence to the Messiah. Her loving act, her faith in action, however, is once again met with disdain, not from Martha this time but from Judas Iscariot, who reprimands Mary for the 'gross misuse of this expensive perfume'. Jesus once again explains that Mary has chosen the right path, of humble service and lavish generosity and will be remembered forever because of it. "Leave her alone," said Jesus. "Why are you bothering her? She has done a beautiful thing to me. The poor will always have you and you can help them any time you want. But you will not always have me. She did what she could. She poured perfume on my body beforehand to prepare for my burial. Truly I tell you, wherever the gospel is preached throughout the world, what she has done will also be told, in memory of her." Mark 14:6-9.

Mary of Bethany, who accompanied Jesus throughout his life, ministry and finally to the cross, models to us the importance of spending time with Jesus, of praying and listening to Him and of meditating on His words in the Scriptures. Mary of Bethany encourages us to be generous always with our time, talents and treasure in building up the kingdom of God. Twice others mock Mary for her discipleship and twice Jesus encourages and supports Mary in her faith and her faith in action.
How can we be more like Mary of Bethany in these last days of Holy Week and beyond? Have we taken the time to simply listen to what Jesus is wanting to say to us, rather than telling him, petitioning him for what We need? Have we spent time reflecting on His word, the sacred scriptures this Lent?
My heart breaks and I'm often brought to tears when I contemplate the agony that was Mother Mary's over these days of Holy Week. How she has to simply watch and suffer silently alongside her innocent Son. I'm sure every cell of her body cried out as she witnessed her Son be condemned. I imagine she was held back by her close friends and cousins as she watched every lash rip open the flesh she knitted together in her womb. As any mother would, she would have taken on her sons' suffering in an instant but she didn't, she couldn't. She knew God's will needed to be done and this unfortunately meant suffering beyond comprehension for both Jesus and herself. Imagine how she felt as they forced Jesus to carry his cross after they finished torturing and mocking him, how she felt when the force of the hammer came down onto Jesus' hands and feet to fix him to the cross and then how she felt when he lay lifeless in her arms, cradling him like she once did after he was born. Her son, flesh of her flesh, human yet divine, gone.

Mary demonstrates to us how we can endure our suffering and allow God's will to be done, even when we don't understand or cannot comprehend it. Mary was aware that she must suffer, Simeon prophesied it way back at the Presentation at the Temple, and she knew her Torah so she may have had some idea. But the degree to which she must accompany her son through such suffering and pain, I'm not so sure. She had to prayerfully accompany her son through his suffering, help him through with her presence and her trust in God's divine providence - that her son will be glorified and that something greater was to come from his great suffering.
Do we have the strength we need to accompany those who we love and care for when they are suffering and are carrying a burden, their cross? Have we spent time contemplating Mary's agony, perhaps through the sorrowful mysteries of the rosary this Lent? Mother Mary is our Mother too, and as she accompanied her son through his suffering, his agony and his cross, Mary will accompany us through our darkest times, as we carry our crosses in life, we need only to ask her to come and be our Mother. She will strengthen us as she did her son on his journey to Calvary.
Mary Magdalene, a faithful friend and follower of Jesus after her miraculous healing, accompanied Jesus throughout his ministry, journeyed with him to the cross, tendered to his lifeless body after his death and diligently went to finish the proper preparations for burial on Easter morning, as the Jewish law allowed. Her shock, tears and confusion at the empty tomb, and her haste and eagerness to find Jesus' missing body was transformed when she encountered Jesus in the garden and called her by name.

"Thinking he was the gardener, she said, "Sir if you have carried him away, tell me where you have put him, and I will get him" Jesus said to her, "Mary." She turned toward him and cried out in Aramaic "Rabboni!" (Which means Teacher)." John 20: 15-16.

It is only when Jesus calls Mary by her name, does she recognise Jesus. Jesus obviously didn't look like Jesus at the resurrection, his appearance was altered. She was one of his closest friends and disciples, she would not have mistaken him for the gardener if he looked as his did before he died.

After revealing himself to her, Jesus entrusts Mary with the proclamation of the resurrection, to first the apostles and then the whole world. Mary Magdalene proclaims "I have seen the Lord." She is the apostle to the apostles. Tasked with sharing the good news, to go forth bravely and profess the truth.

Mary Magdalene demonstrates to us how transforming a relationship with Jesus can be. Her whole life changed when she encountered him and her life became one of discipleship, of proclaiming the power of Jesus and of the Resurrection. She demonstrates patience and persistence in prayer and in waiting on the Lord.

Just as Jesus called Mary by name, Jesus calls you and I by name as well, "Do not fear, for I have redeemed you, I have called you by name; you are mine" Isaiah 43:1

We are all called to go and share this profound good news, to not cling to Jesus but to share Him and his radical, transforming love with others. To proclaim just as boldly as Mary Magdalene did on that first Easter morning: "I have seen the Lord"!
Over these last 40 days of Lent have you heard Jesus call your name? Can you hear him? Perhaps that call wasn't as you expected, just as Jesus didn't appear as Mary expected, having mistook him initially. Did you answer or ignore that call? It's never too late.
As much as Peter loved Jesus, Jesus knew Peter's heart and his inability at this heated and trying time to full comprehend all that Jesus had spoken about, how he had prepared him, over the last 3 years of ministry. Peter's cowardice and denial of Jesus three times, fulfilling Jesus prophecy mere hours earlier at the Last Supper, shook Peter to the core. His shame was palpable. However, instead of running away and giving into despair for his actions, as Judas Iscariot did, Peter remained with the apostles. Peter runs towards Christ, upon news of the empty tomb. Jesus restores the relationship by asking Peter three times if He loves him, forgiving him of the three denials. Jesus dies on the cross for all sins, including those of the first leader of the church. Peter demonstrates to us, the saving power of Jesus' cross and resurrection and Jesus' readiness to ALWAYS forgive our sins, we need only to ask in the Sacrament on Reconciliation and not give into despair, feeling that we are somehow irredeemable. It is not possible.
Have I asked for forgiveness for the times that I have denied Jesus? Have I felt at times irredeemable, beyond forgiveness? Have I availed myself of the endless fount of mercy and love that is in the Sacrament of Reconciliation this Lent?
Simon of Cyrene, pulled unwittingly from the crowd, is forced to help Jesus shoulder the weight of the heavy cross and journey with him to Calvary. Simon, I'm sure, had very different plans for his day in Jerusalem but in an instant, they changed. Did he even know Jesus, or had he even heard of him? That was irrelevant now. He journeyed with the suffering Christ, through his last hours on earth, making them more bearable, and assisting the Son of God to carry what he must, to redeem the world.

Simon demonstrates to us the power of accompaniment, of journeying with others through their pain and suffering. It is entirely possible that Jesus would not physically have been able to make it all the way to Calvary, after all the suffering and abuse he had already endured, if Simon hadn't been called to assist in carrying the heavy load. No doubt, this assistance gave Jesus the strength, courage and energy needed to endure and to see everything to it's completion, it's fulfilment.

Simon demonstrates to us our need to offer our assistance to those who struggle with heavy burdens and the crosses they must endure. Assistance through prayer and accompaniment, assistance through physical, emotional or spiritual help. The Christian life is not one that can or should be lived alone, we need others to help journey with their crosses to Calvary, "Take up your cross and follow me." John 16:24. We also need to be humble enough to accept that help as well, just as Jesus, the Son of God, needed and accepted assistance to carry his cross and fulfil God's divine will for his life. "Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light." Matthew 11: 28-20
How have I helped others shoulder their crosses this Lent? Have I readily assisted those who needed me? Could I have done more? Am I letting others assist me in carrying my own burdens and crosses or am I trying to do it all on my own? Do I want to take up my cross and follow Jesus? Our Life in Christ - One of Action
By reflecting on the lives of those who journeyed with Jesus during his life and especially those who journeyed with him through Holy Week, we can see, in action, what we are called to as Christians. We are called to a life of loving service, to radical hospitality and generosity, to contemplate, pray and reflect on Scripture, to accompany others through their suffering and burdens and ease them as we can, are are called to forgive and to repent. We are called by name, to take up our cross and to follow Jesus. To surrender our will to God in confidence and trust knowing that we are loved beyond all measure and that God only wants what will make us flourish, our union and life in Him.

Over these powerful days last days of Holy Week, the Triduum, please take every opportunity to spend time journeying with Jesus, through his suffering, his death on the cross, and into his glorious resurrection on Easter Sunday. I encourage you to embrace the next three days of the Triduum so that you too can boldly proclaim like Mary Magdalene on that first Easter Morning, "I have seen the Lord, He is Risen!"

Never forget our deeply loved you are! Have Blessed Triduum!
What to read and reflect more?
If you haven't already you can read about my reflection on Jesus divine love and how his actions in Holy Week are his love letter to us with him showing us "See How Much I Love You."

I also reflect on our need to take up our cross and to follow Jesus, trusting always in his divine will and providence.

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Journeying Through Holy Week with Jesus' Companions

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Reflecting on the actions of those closest to Jesus on his journey of suffering, death and resurrection over the Easter Triduum.

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Were You There? - Song by The Vigil Project

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Were You There? - Song by The Vigil Project

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WERE YOU THERE // feat. Andrea Thomas - #VIGIL

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Let's Pray the Divine Mercy Chaplet...for kids!

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Divine Mercy Prayer and Image Lego Build | The Divine Mercy Chaplet For Kids

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I Have Seen the Lord feat. John Finch by The Vigil Project | Series 1

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Blessed Carlo Acutis, The Tech Teen who found Jesus | EWTN Vaticano

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An Interview with Carlo Acutis' Mother Antonia

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An Interview with Carlo Acutis' Mother Antonia

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Who is Carlo Acutis? An Interview with His Mom

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Welcome to our Vatican News Channel. Get your information about Pope Francis’ main activities and important Vatican events right here. This Channel opened on December 16th 2017 and is updated daily. Vatican News is a service provided by the Vatican Dicastery for Communication. The images published on this channel are produced or owned by the Dicastery for Communication.
Any use of these images by third parties is prohibited without express written consent.

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Isaiah 50:4-7

I did not cover my face against insult: I know I shall not be shamed

The Lord has given me

a disciple’s tongue.

So that I may know how to reply to the wearied

he provides me with speech.

Each morning he wakes me to hear,

to listen like a disciple.

The Lord has opened my ear.

For my part, I made no resistance,

neither did I turn away.

I offered my back to those who struck me,

my cheeks to those who tore at my beard;

I did not cover my face

against insult and spittle.

The Lord comes to my help,

so that I am untouched by the insults.

So, too, I set my face like flint;

I know I shall not be shamed.

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When living the liturgical year with kids, holy week is a really big and excellent week to include! The most important thing is to help keep your family focused on the true meaning of this season, and remembering that this is the last week of Lent. Easter starts on Sunday, but to help hold off on Easter celebrating until the actual Easter season begins, you can try to get your family involved with these Holy Week resources for kids! This post includes recipes, crafts, activities and more, and I will walk you through celebrating Holy Week with your family step by step.

You can read my article here about observing Lent during Lent and saving Easter celebrating for Easter.

Holy week really encompasses a lot, and the better you understand the meanings behind the different days, the better you will be able to celebrate with your family. My Lenten planning pack for moms does have some special pages for planning Holy Week with your family, so you may find that helpful as well. Let's take a look at the breakdown of Holy Week.

What Happened During Holy Week: (The Cheat Sheet)

Palm Sunday: Liturgical color, red. Jesus rides a donkey into Jerusalem, the people wave palm branches at him shouting "Hosanna".

Holy Monday: Liturgical color, purple. Jesus and his disciples go into the temple, and Jesus overturns the tables since people are selling things rather than praying there.

Holy Tuesday: Liturgical color, purple. Jesus and the disciples return to the temple and teach the people many things with parables and give the people the new commandment.

Holy Wednesday (AKA Spy Wednesday): Liturgical color, purple. Judas agrees to hand over Jesus for 30 pieces of silver.

Holy Thursday (AKA Green Thursday): Liturgical color, white. Jesus has the Last Supper, which is the institution of the Eucharist and also the first mass. He also washes the feet of his disciples. Jesus asks his disciples to pray in the garden with him all night, and they fall asleep.

Good Friday: Liturgical color, black. Jesus dies on the cross. All the things from the stations of the cross happen this day.

Holy Saturday: Jesus is dead in the tomb. The evening of Holy Saturday is considered the "vigil", and Easter celebrating can begin then.

Holy Week Meals And Recipes For Families

If you are are looking for food ideas for celebrating Holy Week, be sure to check up my round up of Holy Week recipes here. I always find that celebrating with food is fun for the kids, and it kills 2 birds with 1 stone because I always have to feed people anyway.

Now you can find all my Holy Week recipes my new cookbook for families- The Symbolic Holy Week & Easter Cookbook! This cookbook includes 23 recipes that point to the true meaning of Easter. It only includes 29 pages of bonus printables! You do not want to miss this amazing resource.

Fun Ways To Teach The Holy Week Story To Kids:

Check out this children's book I made, Holy Week In Handprints! It tells the entire story of Holy Week, day by day, and your child illustrates it themselves with handprints. I have step by step directions for completing each illustration. So it is a great teaching tool for learning about Holy Week, and it also becomes a keepsake for your family to cherish year after year.

You can download yours here for just $8

You can find my Holy Week eggs here. I designed them to be a "Catholic" version of Resurrection eggs, but later on, I ended up designing a different set for the Stations of the cross as well. You can find that farther down the post.

You can also use my printable passion set of peg dolls to help teach your kids the story of Holy Week. For these peg dolls you just decoupage on the body, and all you have to paint are the heads! I also provide step by step directions to walk you through painting the heads. My kids love these little guys!

Check out this printable list of 10 Holy Week activities for families from Real Life At Home.

You can also use your passion peg doll set and build a block version of Jerusalem to give your kids an idea of where all these events happened. My kid and I LOVE this!

Monthly Liturgical Membership

I also have a set of printable art cards that go with the places of Holy Week that includes truly beautiful Catholic artwork on every card.
Post continues after this brief information about the Catholic Icing Monthly Membership
The peg dolls can also be used to teach Montessori-type lessons on Holy Week. Again, I love teaching this kind of stuff in hands-on ways for littles!

I also have a set of Holy Week notebooking pages for older kids that are very handy for the season. Free to print!

This symbolic Lenten lunch for kids teaches the Holy Week story in a great hands-on way as well. We do this every year!

Sara J Creations has a free printable set of Holy Week matching cards. Isn't that awesome?! I'm sure these would be great for all kinds of Holy Week activities.

Look To Him And Be Radiant has an awesome FREE printable Holy Week journal and plans for an at home "family retreat" with videos, scripture, crafts, and food ideas for each day. You gotta check it out!

You can find my full round up of Holy Week Crafts here.

A round up of Holy Week coloring pages and printables is here.

Palm Sunday Celebration Ideas:

There are so many fun traditions your family can choose from for Palm Sunday that I have a special post rounding up all of my Palm Sunday celebration ideas, so check that out for sure!

Holy Thursday Traditions And Celebration Ideas:

There are also so many traditions and celebration ideas for Holy Thursday that I have an entire post dedicated to celebrating Holy Thursday with kids. This is a page you don't want to miss!

The post above has some great ideas for lunch, dinner, crafts, and solemn observances throughout the day.

Holy Saturday Plans For Catholic Families

Let's be realistic here... you have held off on Easter celebrating for the length of Lent. You have been keeping Lent in Lent, and saving Easter for Easter. But realistically for mothers, we can't wake up on Easter morning, then decorate, bake, stuff baskets, etc. So Holy Saturday is the day I use for setting up and preparing for our Easter celebration.

There is also a very special Mass on this day (Easter Vigil Mass). It's beautiful, the entire parish spreads flames through individually held candles, and it really is a cool experience if you have never attended it. I would recommend trying. However, I caution those of you going with children because it's late, it's very long (like possibly even 2 hours long), and again, there's lots of fire. So yeah, I don't personally find it to be a child-friendly Mass. We usually go on Easter morning.

If you enjoyed this guide to celebrating Holy Week, I would really appreciate it if you shared the link! Thanks so much!

The Symbolic Holy Week & Easter Cookbook is sure to bless your family in the upcoming seasons! Read more now.

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The Ultimate Guide for Celebrating Holy Week With Kids!

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When living the liturgical year with kids, holy week is a really big and excellent week to include! The most important thing is to help keep your family focused on the true meaning of this season, ...

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Blessed Carlo Acutis - born on May 3, 1991, in London, England, and raised in Milan, Italy - passed away at the young age of 15 on Oct. 12, 2006. Carlo's brief but impactful life was marked by the unique combination of his devotion to the Catholic faith and his extraordinary computer skills. He was an inspiration to many through his kindness, remarkable maturity and his use of presentations and websites to spread the Gospel.

Carlo's most notable achievement was creating a comprehensive online catalog of Eucharistic miracles from around the world. This project was a testament to his dedication to the Eucharist and his desire to share the miracles that reinforced the Catholic belief in the Real Presence of Christ in the Eucharist.

Carlo's beatification (which was held Oct. 10, 2020 - two days before his feast day, Oct. 12) made him a role model for young Catholics and a symbol of holiness for the modern world. Blessed Carlo's insistence that "to always be close to Jesus, that's my life plan" can encourage every Catholic to seek holiness with the same zeal that he did.

Here are 22 quotes from Blessed Carlo Acutis to inspire you today!

The Eucharist

1. "The more often we receive the Eucharist, the more we become like Jesus and the more we get a foretaste of heaven."

2. "Jesus, make yourself at home! Live within me as if it were your own dwelling!"

3. "Jesus is very creative because he hides in a little piece of bread, and only God could do something so incredible!"

4. "Throngs of people stand in interminable lines to buy tickets to rock concerts or soccer matches, but I don't see crowds of people lined up outside church waiting to see Jesus in the Eucharist. This should make us pause and reflect."

5. "If we truly reflect, we are much, much luckier than those who lived more than 2,000 years ago with Jesus in Palestine."

6. "The Eucharist is my highway to heaven!"

Christian life

7. "Life is a gift, because as long as we are on this planet, we can grow in our ability to love. The more we learn to love, the more we will enjoy eternal blessedness with God."

8. "Everything fades, anyway. ... What will make us truly beautiful in the eyes of God is only the way in which we loved him and how we loved our neighbors."

9. "I let God observe me, to dig deep inside me, to form my soul, to mold it. He is truly present, not an invention. He's there. And if everyone could realize that, how they would run to it! If everyone believed in this truth, how their lives would change for the better!"

10. "Why do people worry so much about the beauty of their body but never worry about the beauty of their soul?"

11. "Not self-love, but God's glory."

12. "Everyday life should be understood in the atmosphere of baptism. This atmosphere is a different air, a different climate, a different land, a different region. If we enter into this order of ideas and ideals, evangelization becomes a new and renewing fact."

13. "Sadness is looking toward oneself, happiness is looking toward God."

14. "Our frenetic pace of life has made us forget that each of us must climb Golgotha sooner or later. Our journey on this earth is marked from the beginning: We are all invited to take up our cross and climb Golgotha."

15. "Everyone is born as an original, but many people end up dying as photocopies."

16. "Every minute that passes in vain is a missed opportunity to become more holy."

17. "Our ultimate goal must be the Infinite and not the finite."

18. After the holy Eucharist, the holy Rosary is the most powerful weapon for fighting the devil and the shortest ladder for climbing into heaven."

19. "Each time that we address the Mother of God, we place ourselves in direct and immediate contact with heaven."

20. "Conversion is nothing other than lifting one's gaze upward. All you need is a simple movement of the eyes."

21. "Prayer is the language of heaven."

22. "If God possesses our hearts, then we will possess the Infinite."

Editor's note: These quotes are taken from two books about Bl. Carlo available at the OSV Catholic Bookstore, " Carlo Acutis: The First Millennial Saint" (OSV, $14.95) and " My Son Carlo: Carlo Acutis Through the Eyes of His Mother " (OSV, $27.95).

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The ultimate collection of Blessed Carlo Acutis quotes

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Blessed Carlo's insistence that "to always be close to Jesus, that's my life plan" can encourage Catholics to seek holiness as he did.

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Mercy and Love Overflowing in Lent- My Reflection

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Mercy and Love Overflowing in Lent- My Reflection

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His state was divine,

yet Christ Jesus did not cling

to his equality with God

but emptied himself

to assume the condition of a slave

and became as men are;

and being as all men are,

he was humbler yet,

even to accepting death,

death on a cross.

But God raised him high

and gave him the name

which is above all other names

so that all beings

in the heavens, on earth and in the underworld,

should bend the knee at the name of Jesus

and that every tongue should acclaim

Jesus Christ as Lord,

to the glory of God the Father.

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The Passion of our Lord Jesus Christ according to Luke

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Every time you eat this bread and drink this cup, you are proclaiming the death of the Lord

This is what I received from the Lord, and in turn passed on to you: that on the same night that he was betrayed, the Lord Jesus took some bread, and thanked God for it and broke it, and he said, ‘This is my body, which is for you; do this as a memorial of me.’ In the same way he took the cup after supper, and said, ‘This cup is the new covenant in my blood. Whenever you drink it, do this as a memorial of me.’ Until the Lord comes, therefore, every time you eat this bread and drink this cup, you are proclaiming his death.

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Why look among the dead for someone who is alive?

On the first day of the week, at the first sign of dawn, the women went to the tomb with the spices they had prepared. They found that the stone had been rolled away from the tomb, but on entering discovered that the body of the Lord Jesus was not there. As they stood there not knowing what to think, two men in brilliant clothes suddenly appeared at their side. Terrified, the women lowered their eyes. But the two men said to them, ‘Why look among the dead for someone who is alive? He is not here; he has risen. Remember what he told you when he was still in Galilee: that the Son of Man had to be handed over into the power of sinful men and be crucified, and rise again on the third day?’ And they remembered his words.

When the women returned from the tomb they told all this to the Eleven and to all the others. The women were Mary of Magdala, Joanna, and Mary the mother of James. The other women with them also told the apostles, but this story of theirs seemed pure nonsense, and they did not believe them.

Peter, however, went running to the tomb. He bent down and saw the binding cloths but nothing else; he then went back home, amazed at what had happened.

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What's the story of Blessed Carlo Acutis? | Saintly Creatures Book