Lesson 6: Meet Jesus in Lent & Holy Week

This page is for SMA Family Faith Formation Catechists only. Content for this lesson is linked below.

Summary of Lesson

We are in the midst of Lent and headed towards Holy Week. This is a very important moment in our faith journey. Each year, we set aside a special time to remember what Jesus did for us. We spend 40 days praying, fasting and giving alms in order to prepare ourselves to walk with Jesus along his path to the cross. At the end of the 40 days, we enter into Holy Week, starting with Palm Sunday, and the Sacred Triduum, which includes Holy Thursday, Good Friday and Holy Saturday. In these three most holy days, we read and mediated on Jesus’ giving of himself in the Eucharist and on the cross. The liturgies are full of symbolism and beauty. They help us to understand all that Jesus did for us. After re-living Jesus’ sacrifice for us, we then celebrate on Easter Sunday, and for 50 days after that!

Meet the Saints Bullet Points:

Lent is a time of prayer, fasting and almsgiving.
Lent helps to open our hearts to God.
Holy Week starts with Palm Sunday; it is the week before Easter.
The Sacred Triduum is: Holy Thursday, Good Friday, and Holy Saturday.
Jesus suffered and died so that our sins could be forgiven and we could enter Heaven.

Scripture Passage: John 10: 11-18

“I am the good shepherd; the good shepherd lays down His life for the sheep. He who is a hired hand, and not a shepherd, who is not the owner of the sheep, sees the wolf coming, and leaves the sheep and flees, and the wolf snatches them and scatters them. He flees because he is a hired hand and is not concerned about the sheep. I am the good shepherd, and I know My own and My own know Me,even as the Father knows Me and I know the Father; and I lay down My life for the sheep.I have other sheep, which are not of this fold; I must bring them also, and they will hear My voice; and they will become one flock with one shepherd. For this reason the Father loves Me, because I lay down My life so that I may take it again. No one has taken it away from Me, but I lay it down on My own initiative.

Discussion Prompts/Questions:

What do you think of when you hear the word “Lent”?
Have you ever thought about what Jesus did for each one of us?
What happened on Holy Thursday and Good Friday?
We get excited about Easter, and that is a good thing, but how does Lent help us to get ready for Easter?

Saint of the Month: Saint Katharine Drexel (March 3rd)

The Saint of the month is St. Katharine Drexel. St. Katharine Drexel is the second American-born saint to be canonized by the Catholic Church. She grew up in a family that prayed together and served the poor. This led her to give her life as a religious sister and dedicate all her time to helping Native Americans and African Americans. She started schools and hospitals, including one in our own city – Xavier University! Katharine Drexel loved all people with the love of Christ and she tirelessly spent her life serving others.