Holy Week For Kids

A few Fridays ago, I went to make a short visit to the Blessed Sacrament at the St Barnabas Cathedral during my lunch break. Usually, the Rosary is recited at that time. But because it was a Friday (in Lent), the children from neighboring St Joseph's Primary School would be leading the Stations of the Cross. These young children - 5 or 6 of them - were accompanied by two teachers who were guiding them in saying the prayer. I could barely understand what they were saying, yet my eyes(and even my ears)were glued at them.

In their very tender age, they were being introduced to what in real life was gruesome and hard to accept: the suffering and death of Jesus. I am touched by how these kids would say their prayers - full of faith and confidence in the One who is faithful. For me, they were not only leading us older people in reflecting the 14 stations. They were giving us a fresh outlook in life, a life that is worth dying for as far as Jesus is concerned.

As I left the church, I thought to myself it would really be good if children were tapped in the many activities of Lent and especially Holy Week.

Indeed, if we have a look at major events in Holy Week we could see that during Palm Sunday, children come to the fore waving their palms and singing Hossana to Christ the King. At the very end of this blessed week, we once again see kids involved in the Salubong (only in the Philippines)or Easter egg hunt. Perhaps it would be a good idea if we have kids acting as apostles during the Washing of the Feet (In Gagalangin, many, many years ago the late Msgr Pedro Pajarillo tapped young boys to be the apostles for Holy Week!)or reading the Lord's Passion. True enough, some Passion plays (i.e. Senakulo)in the Philippines are performed by the youth.

As I was thinking of this, I had the chance of reading "Holy Week Is For Children", an article by Peter Rehwaldt(a pastor in the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America)in praytellblog. Peter wrote: "What the church does together in its liturgical assembly during Holy Week is almost by definition much more accessible to children than what the church does on, say, the umpteenth Sunday in ordinary time. What the church does during Holy Week, when one boils it down, is simple. In our words and our actions, our songs and our prayers, we tell the story of Jesus’ death and resurrection. And we tell the story in such a way that children easily find their place within it."

He cited several stories which kids could relate with. An example is Jesus' triumphant entry into Jerusalem on Palm Sunday and then in a few days being reviled by the same people who welcomed Him. This story reminds kids of instances when kids in school who are looked up as heroes today end up being goats tomorrow.

Or Jesus' betrayal which is similar to kids dropping their old pals in exchange to be part of a "better" bunch of students.

Peter wrote that "Holy Week is made for children, who grapple with defeat and failure and brokenness all the time...who long for this grand, sweeping unconditional love...who long not for an explanation of God’s love but for an experience of that love."

Let us therefore encourage our kids to take an active part in the life of the community and of the family this Holy Week. I am saying this because, as a child, my elders exposed me to the various events making up the Semana Santa: pabasa, Way of the Cross, Mass, adoration of the Blessed Sacrament, procession, etc. That experience developed my knowledge and love for Christ. Eventually, I was inspired to serve Him.

And because we older people, regardless of age, are also God's kids let us not be bashful when there is opportunity for us to help out in the parish this week. Setting ourselves as good role models, our actions would be a strong encouragement for the young.

Christ once said "Let the children come to me" (Mk 10:14). Can we say no to such an invitation?