Journey to Pascha

Opening Prayer

In the Name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.

The Troparion (Tone 1)
By raising Lazarus from the dead before Thy passion, 
Thou didst confirm the universal resurrection, O Christ God.
Like the children, with the palms of victory,
We cry out to Thee, O Vanquisher of Death,
Hosanna in the Highest!
Blessed is He that comes in the Name of the Lord.

Scripture Activity

• Read the Lazarus Saturday Gospel: John 11:1-45.  As students are reading, ask them to highlight phrases/sentences that they will use to discuss the friendships of Lazarus, Mary and Martha with Jesus. Tell students that at the end of the lesson they will be asked why they chose these particular phrases or sentences.
• Use the concordance to discover more about Lazarus’, Mary’s and Martha’s relationships with Christ. Have students look up each of the three names in the concordance and find passages that tell about their relationships. (If necessary, tell students how a concordance is used: it is a listing of key names or words and where they are found in the Bible.) Make sure the students look up the correct "Mary"--the sister of Martha and Lazarus--since there are several Marys in the New Testament.
  

Discussion Questions

• Describe and compare the friendships of Lazarus, Mary and Martha with Jesus using examples you found.
• How can we use these examples to help us find positive relationships? What are their characteristics?

Activity

Tell students to select three relationships they have with other people (family, friends, acquaintances), prioritize them and be ready to explain why they relate to them differently.

Note: Students can jot notes to be used in discussions.

Discussion Questions

• What things influence our relationships with others?
• How can we make these relationships positive?
• How can the events of Lazarus Saturday be a lesson  from Jesus Christ the Teacher to help us find the way to positive relationships?

Wrap Up

Ask students to select words, phrases, sentences to write on the foam panel with the Lazarus Saturday icon that will remind them of what they learned in this lesson. They can explain why they chose their selections.

Closing Prayer

In the Name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.

The Troparion (Tone 1)
By raising Lazarus from the dead before Thy passion, 
Thou didst confirm the universal resurrection, O Christ God.
Like the children, with the palms of victory,
We cry out to Thee, O Vanquisher of Death,
Hosanna in the Highest!
Blessed is He that comes in the Name of the Lord.

Opening Prayer

In the Name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.

The Troparion (Tone 1)
By raising Lazarus from the dead before Thy passion, 
Thou didst confirm the universal resurrection, O Christ God.
Like the children, with the palms of victory,
We cry out to Thee, O Vanquisher of Death,
Hosanna in the Highest!
Blessed is He that comes in the Name of the Lord.

Activity

Ask students to read the Bible passages that tell of Martha’s and Peter’s confessions of faith and Peter’s denial. (These passages are noted in the Objectives, above.) Ask students to list 3-4 words or phrases they feel describe each confession. They will use the list when they share and compare.

Role Play

Scripture Reflection

Introduction to Palm Sunday

Discussion Starter

• When Jesus says to His disciples, at the news of His friend’s death: “For your sake I am glad that I was not there, so that you may believe.” (John 11:14), what do you think He wants the disciples to believe?
• In what ways do Christ’s actions both on Lazarus Saturday and Palm Sunday show that He is a loving teacher and friend?
• Standing at the beginning of Holy Week, what affirmations doyou think we should  be ready to make because of the Lazarus Saturday/Palm Sunday events?

Discussion Questions

Compare the confessions of Martha and Peter.
Add names of others who exalted Jesus on Palm Sunday and deserted Him later in the week.

• What made people change their minds?
• Why do you think the mood changed between the triumphal entry into Jerusalem and later in the week?
• What personal experiences have you had that you are reminded of by your study of Palm Sunday? These might involve loyalty or lack of loyalty.
  

Wrap Up

Closing Prayer

In the Name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.

The Troparion (Tone 1)
By raising Lazarus from the dead before Thy passion, 
Thou didst confirm the universal resurrection, O Christ God.
Like the children, with the palms of victory,
We cry out to Thee, O Vanquisher of Death,
Hosanna in the Highest!
Blessed is He that comes in the Name of the Lord.

Opening Prayer

In the Name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.

O Heavenly King, the comforter, the Spirit of truth,
Who art everywhere and fillest all things,
Treasury of blessings and giver of life,
Come and abide in us, and cleanse us from every purity,
And save our souls, O Good One.

Discussion Starter

Read about the Bridegroom Services in My Guide to Holy Week and the Feast of Palms. The information is under the heading "Some Basic Characteristcs of the Great and Holy Week of the Lord's Passion, and the column is numbered at the bottom "Holy Week--2." Tell students that as they read they should note words and phrases that remind them of the guidance for living that we are given, both in the Scriptures and services of the first three days of Holy Week.

Oral Summaries

Ask the students to prepare an oral summary of the parables: The Wise and Foolish Maidens (Matthew 25: 1-13), the Publican and the Pharisee (Luke 18: 10-14), the Prodigal Son (Luke 15: 11-32) ; the Fig Tree (Matthew 21: 18-22), and the Talents (Matthew 25: 14-30). Describe the theme of each.

Depending on class size, this can be an individual or group activity.

Each student or each group can make a mini-poster that includes the name of the parable, a short summary, a description of the theme and a graphic if desired. The mini-poster should be displayed for the discussion segment of class.

Presentation

Ask the students to present their parable mini-posters

Discussion Questions

• What common themes do we find in the parables of the Wise and Foolish Maidens, the Publican and the Pharisee, the Prodigal Son, the Fig Tree and the Talents? (Anwers could include the need to be prepared, humility, the requirement that we "bear fruit" in our lives)
  
• Why do you think these themes are presented to us during the first three days of Holy Week? (As we prepare for Pascha, we need to do these things--let students give other answers--their own ideas)
  
• How do these biblical examples help you to deal with the challenges and options that you meet in today’s society in terms of values, behavior and pressures to conform?

Journal Prompt

Ask students to write a page in their journal that reflects their plans to use the themes of Holy Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday in their lives.

Wrap Up

Invite students to put comments on the poster.

Closing Prayer

In the Name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.

Behold! The Bridegroom comes at midnight,
And blessed is the servant whom He shall find watching;
And again, unworthy is the servant whom He shall find heedless.
Beware, therefore, O my soul, do not be weighed down with sleep,
Lest you be given up to death, and lest you be shut out of the Kingdom.
But rouse yourself, crying: “Holy! Holy! Holy! Art Thou, O our God,
Through the Theotokos, have mercy on us!”

Opening Prayer

In the Name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.

O Heavenly King, the comforter, the Spirit of truth,
Who art everywhere and fillest all things,
Treasury of blessings and giver of life,
Come and abide in us, and cleanse us from every purity,
And save our souls, O Good One.

Activity

Read together about Great and Holy Thursday in My Guide to Holy Week and the Feast of Palms,in the column marked "Holy Week--4."

Discussion Starter

Tell the students to list and briefly describe some religious and political groups of Jesus’ time using biblical references and aids (e.g. Bible, dictionary, encyclopedia etc.) and recalling those mentioned in previous lessons.

Answers should include at least these basic groups:

Pharisees: Learned Jews who kept the Old Testament law very seriously. Jesus sometimes challenged them if He saw that their adherence to law was getting in the way of compassion.

Sadducees: Jewish leaders who did not believe in the resurrection of the dead, or in angels.

Zealots: Jews who wanted to overthrow Palestine's Roman rulers, and were disappointed that Jesus would not lead their fight.

Sanhedrin: The highest Jewish political and religious court, including both Pharisees and Sadducees.

Discussion Questions

• Describe a time or times when Christ was confronted with evil. (Let students come up with their own ideas. Certainly when Jesus was falsely accused, when He ws mocked, and when He was jeered at on the cross are important instances.)
  
• How did the confrontation take place?
  
• What was Jesus’ reaction?
• How might you feel or act in comparable circumstances? Would you react with silence or speech, and why?
  

Scripture Reflection

Read together Matthew 26: 6-16. Compare the attitudes of the sinful woman and Judas toward money.

Discussion Questions

• Read together Matthew 26: 6-16 and then discuss: What were the attitudes of Judas and of the sinful woman toward the use of money?
  
• How do the following words of the hymn (Matins of Great and Holy Wednesday compare them? (Let students give their own ideas.)

The sinful woman brought oil of myrrh; the disciple Judas came to an agreement with the transgressors
She rejoiced to pour out what is very precious; he made haste to sell the One who is above all price
She acknowledged Christ as Lord; he severed himself from the Master
She was set free, but Judas became the slave of the enemy.

Wrap Up

Closing Prayer

Look together at the icon of the Last Supper, and ask students how we take part in this meal in a special way. (Holy Communion.) That is the "Mystical Supper" referred to. Close with the prayer that follows:

In the Name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.

Of Thy Mystical Supper, O Son of God,
Accept me today as a communicant
For I will not speak of Thy Mystery to Thine enemies,
Neither like Judas will I give Thee a kiss
But like the thief will I confess Thee:
Remember me, O lord in Thy Kingdom.

Opening Prayer

In the Name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.

O Heavenly King, the comforter, the Spirit of truth,
Who art everywhere and fillest all things,
Treasury of blessings and giver of life,
Come and abide in us, and cleanse us from every purity,
And save our souls, O Good One.

Discussion Starter

Tell students to write a journal entry on what they believer it means to "take up your cross and follow Christ." If any wish to do so, they may share some of what they have written, and it's possible that a discussion could folow.

Scripture Reflection

Read together Mark 14:32-15:15, and look together at the icon. Ask students to identify the followers of Jesus who were at the Cross, then to name 3 people who had been with Him but abandoned Him. (Possible answers: the disciples as a group or individual disciples, the people who greeted Him on Palm Sunday.) Ask students to suggest reasons why people might have done this.)

Discussion Questions

• What does the expression “keep watch” mean?
• When are we willing to “keep watch” and why?
• What examples can we give of our failure to “keep watch”?
• What qualities help a person to “keep watch”?

Personal Reflection

Discussion Questions

• What lesson do we learn from Christ’s example on the cross?
• What can you do to benefit others?
• What things do you want to do to accomplish, correct or make right again?

Wrap Up

Closing Prayer

Opening Prayer

In the Name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.

Do not lament me, O Mother, seeing me in the tomb,
The Son conceived in the womb without seed.
For I shall arise and be glorified with eternal glory as God.
I shall exalt all who magnify you in faith and love.

Discussion Starter

Put the following Old Testament citations on the chalkboard:

Isaiah 53: 12                       Jonah 1: 17

Ezekiel 37: 1-10                  2 Kings 4: 32-37

Divide students into groups of 3 or 4. Ask each group to read the citations, and then write a key word or phrase for each one. Have the groups take turns reading one of their key words aloud, and having the rest of the class guess which citation it refers to. This should be easy, and is a way of becoming familiar with these Old Testament prophecies of the work and resurrection of Christ, which is how the Church understands them.

Discuss each reading a little:

Isaiah describes how the Savior will accomplish His saving work; Ezekiel tells us of the resurrection of all people; Jonah prefigures Christ's 3 days in the tomb; 2 KIngs shows us God's loving power in giving a prophet the power to raise a boy from the dead.

Do not lament me...

Ask students to read again the text of the Ninth Ode of the Nocturn Kanon of Pascha: “Do not lament me...”, which is the Opening Prayer of this lesson. Divide students into groups of 3 or 4, and have each group rewrite the words of the Kanon, keeping the meaning but using words they think would be clear to someone who was not familiar with the Scriptures. (Main points here would be that Jesus was truly born and grew in His mother's womb but was conceived through the power of the Holy Spirit rather than sexual relations. Though His suffering and death are terrible, He will rise from the dead, and will come with glory to judge all. Those who honor His mother will be glorified--in honoring her, they show that they believe in Him.His words clearly show His love for her.) Let students come up with their own ideas and wording, but make sure they understand these main points as being truths of Christianity.

Biblical Reflection

Using a concordance or Bible dictionary for sources, ask students to describe the relationships of Nicodemus, Joseph of Arimathea and the Myrrh-bearing Women to Jesus, and the risks they took at the time of His Crucifixion and Burial. (Students can come up with their own ideas.)

Personal Reflection

• Read, or listen to recordings of, the Paschal stikhera. Ask students to select words or elements from the text that encourage them to make a new effort in their life.
• Invite students (those who wish to) to share their selections, explaining why they chose them.

Wrap Up

Ask students to put comments on the foam board poster. Review the Old Testament exercise by asking students to look again at the citations on the chalkboard and write about at least 3 of them--what they foretell about Jesus Christ and the Resurrection. Let students share their answers if they wish to.

Closing Prayer

In the Name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.

Do not lament me, O Mother, seeing me in the tomb,
The Son conceived in the womb without seed.
For I shall arise and be glorified with eternal glory as God.
I shall exalt all who magnify you in faith and love.