Spending Holy Week at Home as a Family

April 3, 2020 - Family Life Ministry

Spending Holy Week at home as a family

What does it mean to be family? Since we are God’s children, we must all be family, connected to each other in various ways.  Whether we are referencing our family of faith at Christ the Redeemer, our family at home, or our extended family circle of relatives and friends, we all share a sense of belonging to each other and with each other. 

During the last few weeks of Lent, our journey has taken an abrupt turn.  The COVID-19 pandemic has taken us in many uncharted directions, confronting us almost daily, with new challenges.  As we approach Holy Week, we have been given an unparalleled opportunity to experience our journey together with Jesus, through our own daily struggles to surrender and trust in the face of an uncertain future.  We don’t know what this time of great pause will create in our lives, our families, and our community of faith.  What we do know, is that the Lord is kind and merciful.  What we do know, is that the Lord will not abundant us, especially in times of uncertainty. 

In Matthew 7:24-27 Jesus uses the metaphor of building our house on rock, a strong foundation that will survive the shifting sands of life. During this time, we are invited to reassess what is foundational in our lives.  Have we built our house on the rock of Christ’s love, or the shifting sands of changing events?

Now, like never before, we are summoned to prayer, fasting and sacrificial love; Summoned to penetrate deeper still, through these everchanging events to the steadfast Rock of Christ. He is the grounding that can hold us steady through these challenging times. We are invited to be still and discover ourselves “in Christ” by listening to each other and allowing all that has kept us apart to dissolve. The veil is thin, go to your inner sanctuary and connect with Love.   Let this journey through Holy Week become the blueprint that rights our foundation and readies us to rise up and stand with Christ Jesus this Easter!

Peace be with You,
Christy Wright,
Director of Family Life

Prayer for Families

Lord, we thank you that you have formed us and given up a strong foundation, of family and community. We pray that your creative spirit will penetrate each of us to discover more deeply our connection of belonging to you and each other in love. May our hearts and homes be open to receive the great gift of your love and healing as we journey through this Holy Week with you at our side.  Amen