HOLY WEEK HEART OF CATECHESIS On the twenty-third day of the second month, in the one hundred and seventyfirst year, the Jews entered Jerusalem with praise and palm branches, and with harps and cymbals and stringed instruments, and with hymns and songs, because a great enemy had been crushed and removed from Israel" (1 Maccabees 13:51) JESUS CHRIST...SON OF GOD AND SON OF MAN Lesson 17 The Jewish people revolted against King Antiochus because he forbade the practice of Judaism (punishable by death) and set up an altar to Zeus in the Jewish temple. Mattathias led his sons in a revolt against the Greek overlords, and although he was killed, one of his sons, Maccabeus [which means the hammer ], was able to reclaim and cleanse the temple within three years. Could the crowds waving their palm branches as Jesus entered Jerusalem be hoping that He was coming to crush and remove from Israel another great enemy, the Romans? DID YOU KNOW? In early Christian art, martyrs were usually shown holding a palm branch, representing the victory of spirit over flesh, and it was believed that a picture of a palm on a tomb meant that a martyr was buried there. PARENTS & CATECHISTS READING REFLECTION & PRAYER Sacred Scripture MARK 10:17-31 MARK 11:1-11 MARK 14:1-11 The Entry of Jesus into Jerusalem, Pietro Lorenzetti, 1320-1330 The Rich Man Entry Into Jerusalem Conspiracy, Anointing, and Betrayal Catechism of the Catholic Church #2052-2053 The Ten Commandments #557-560 Entry Into Jerusalem #574-576 Conspiracy, Anointing, and Betrayal
Page 2 Sacred Scripture STUDENTS READING REFLECTION & PRAYER Grades K-4 New Catholic Picture Bible p. 182 The Rich Man pp. 188-189 Entry into Jerusalem HOLY WEEK Grades 5-12 MARK 10:17-31 The Rich Man MARK 11:1-11 Entry Into Jerusalem MARK 14:1-11 Conspiracy, Anointing, and Betrayal Catechism Grades K-2 First Communion Catechism pp. n/a Grades 3-6 Baltimore Catechism #1 pp. n/a Grades 7-12 Catechism of the Catholic Church #2052-2053, 557-560, 574-576 TEACHING STRATEGY & OBJECTIVES THEME: JESUS DOES NOT PROMISE THE WAY TO HEAVEN WILL BE EASY AND THAT MORE IS NEEDED THAN WEALTH, BIRTHRIGHT, OR SOCIAL STANDING. JESUS, THE LAMB OF GOD, ENTERS JERUSALEM BEFORE A CHEERING CROWD WHICH HAILS HIM AS THE MESSIAH. HE KNOWS THAT WITHIN A FEW DAYS MANY OF THOSE SAME PEOPLE WILL BE CALLING FOR HIS CRUCIFIXION. THE SON OF GOD IS READY TO LAY DOWN HIS LIFE TO SAVE US FROM OUR SINS... OBJECTIVES: Read and Discuss Mark 10:17-31 The Rich Man and emphasize these important points: Jesus once again emphasizes the importance of keeping the Ten Commandments Jesus invites (never demands) many to follow Him, but some are not ready or are unwilling to follow Jesus teaches our attachment to things of this world can hinder our efforts to get to the next world. He also teaches that those who follow Him will be asked to leave many things behind Understand that our true treasure will be in heaven
JESUS CHRIST...SON OF GOD AND SON OF MAN Lesson 17 Page 3 OPENING PRAYER: REVIEW: SANCTUS HOLY, HOLY, HOLY LORD GOD OF HOSTS HEAVEN AND EARTH ARE FULL OF YOUR GLORY, HOSANNA IN THE HIGHEST BLESSED IS HE WHO COMES IN THE NAME OF THE LORD HOSANNA IN THE HIGHEST. REVIEW: CONTINUE TO WORK ON THE NEXT PART OF THE CREED. BRIEFLY GO OVER THE COMMANDMENTS AND THE TWO GREAT COMMANDMENTS WHEN DISCUSSING THE RICH MAN THE TEN COMMANDMENTS 1. YOU SHALL NOT HAVE FALSE GODS BEFORE ME. 2. YOU SHALL NOT TAKE THE LORD S NAME IN VAIN. 3. YOU SHALL KEEP THE LORD S DAY HOLY. 4. YOU SHALL HONOR YOUR FATHER AND YOUR MOTHER. 5. YOU SHALL NOT KILL. 6. YOU SHALL NOT COMMIT ADULTERY. 7 YOU SHALL NOT STEAL. 8 YOU SHALL NOT LIE. 9. YOU SHALL NOT COVET YOUR NEIGHBOR S SPOUSE. 10. YOU SHALL NOT COVET YOUR NEIGHBOR S GOODS. THE TWO GREAT COMMANDMENTS YOU SHALL LOVE THE LORD YOUR GOD WITH ALL YOUR HEART AND ALL YOUR SOUL AND ALL YOUR MIND AND ALL YOUR STRENGTH AND LOVE YOUR NEIGHBOR AS YOURSELF The Creed FOR OUR SAKE HE WAS CRUCIFIED UNDER PONTIUS PILATE; HE SUFFERED, DEATH, AND WAS BURIED, AND ROSE AGAIN ON THE THIRD DAY IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE SCRIPTURES PLEASE CONTINUE TO REVIEW TERMS LESSON 15 HOLY EUCHARIST FAITH CHARITY HOLY SACRIFICE OF THE MASS HOPE LESSON 16 CATHOLIC CHURCH MAGISTERIUM RESURRECTION INFALLIBILITY SALVATION DIVINITY
JESUS CHRIST...SON OF GOD AND SON OF MAN Lesson 17 Page 4 READINGS FROM SACRED SCRIPTURE: THE RICH MAN MARK 10:17-31 WHAT DOES THE RICH MAN WANT FROM JESUS? He asks Jesus about inheriting eternal life. Perhaps all of his money is inherited from his own father so he may be looking to expand his fortune. WHAT DOES JESUS SAY TO HIM? First, Jesus asks the rich man an unusual question, WHY DO YOU CALL ME GOOD? NO ONE IS GOOD BUT GOD ALONE. Now we know that Jesus is GOOD and that Jesus is GOD. Perhaps Jesus is trying to help the rich REVIEW: man to make the connection Secondly, Jesus tells the rich man that to be good one must obey the Commandments then He mentions a number of the Commandments 5, 6, 7, 8, then He repeats #7 [perhaps because the Rich man has defrauded someone in the past?] then Jesus goes back to #4. CATECHISTS...QUICK REVIEW OF THE TEN COMMANDMENTS AND THE TWO GREAT COMMANDMENTS. YOU MAY WANT TO READ THE SCRIPTURE PASSAGE FOR THE TEN COMMANDMENTS IN EX 20 AND THE TWO GREAT COMMANDMENTS IN MARK 12:29. HOW DOES THE RICH MAN RESPOND? He tells Jesus that he has kept all these commandments since his youth. WHAT MORE DOES JESUS INVITE THE RICH MAN TO DO? Mark tells us that Jesus looks at the man with love and invites him to do something more. YOU ARE LACKING IN ONE THING. GO, SELL WHAT YOU HAVE AND GIVE TO THE POOR AND YOU WILL HAVE TREASURE IN HEAVEN; THEN COME FOLLOW ME. Jesus knows that the rich man is too attached to his wealth and that his possessions are holding him back from his vocation to follow Jesus perhaps as a priest follows Jesus. Christ invites him to give away his possessions and to follow Him. HOW DOES THE RICH MAN RESPOND, AND WHY? His face falls and he goes away sad. He is not ready to put God first his possessions mean too much to him. WHAT DOES JESUS SAY WHY IS IT SURPRISING AND WHAT DOES IT MEAN? HOW HARD IT IS FOR THOSE WHO HAVE WEALTH TO ENTER THE KINGDOM OF GOD! This is surprising to the Jews, because they thought very strongly that wealth was a reward to good people from God and a sign of God s favor to be enjoyed! Jesus is saying that wealth can actually get in the way in a person s relationship with God. This was an entirely new teaching for people of this time. Jesus goes on to say, IT IS EASIER FOR A CAMEL TO PASS THROUGH THE EYE OF A NEEDLE THAN FOR ONE WHO IS RICH TO ENTER THE KINGDOM OF GOD. It is hard to imagine an entire camel squeezing through a needle s eye [when we have trouble even passing a little thin thread through it] Impossible! And Jesus knows that it is impossible, so He tells us, FOR MAN IT IS IMPOSSIBLE BUT NOT FOR GOD. ALL THINGS ARE POSSIBLE FOR GOD. Visual Bible Alive
Page 5 HOLY WEEK WHAT DOES PETER SAY AND WHAT DOES HE WANT FROM JESUS? Peter states the obvious [which he is good at doing] We have given up everything and followed You. Perhaps he is looking for an attaboy or some brownie points, or some affirmation. WHAT DOES JESUS SAY TO PETER AND WHAT DOES IT MEAN? Jesus offers a very challenging saying [READ FROM SACRED SCRIPTURE V. 28-30] Jesus calls certain persons in a special way Priests, Brothers, Sisters, and Nuns to leave behind many of the goods of this world including family and lands and to follow Him. There will be rewards even in this life but persecutions as well. But Heaven eternal life, is the ultimate reward. WHAT LESSON DO WE LEARN FROM THIS STORY? Jesus summarizes it neatly with His saying, MANY THAT ARE FIRST WILL BE LAST, AND THE LAST WILL BE FIRST. Those who seem to be rich and blessed in this world may find themselves in a lower place in the next world if they are too attached to their possessions; and many who are poor in this world and in the lowest place, may well be exalted in high places in the next life. READINGS FROM SACRED SCRIPTURE: ENTRY INTO JERUSALEM MARK 11:1-11 Visual Bible Alive Golden Gate Point of entry on Palm Sunday WHY IS THE CROWD SO EXCITED? WHY DOES JESUS RIDE A DONKEY INTO JERUSALEM? His Hour has come and it is time for Him to complete His Father s Business. He knows that within the week He will be crucified. It is time to manifest Himself as the Messiah the Anointed One the Christ. Jesus is riding a donkey into Jerusalem for two reasons. First, He is deliberately fulfilling the prophecy of Zechariah, who in 9:9 of his book wrote, Your King comes to you without display astride an ass, astride a colt the foal of a beast of burden. Also, the Jews know that when a King arrives to take command of a city, if he comes riding on a horse, He is showing them who is in charge that He will exercise His authority to rule over them. If the King taking command of a city rode in on a donkey, He was telling the people that He hoped humbly to serve them. They know about the many miracles which Jesus has worked during the past 2½ years in Judea and Galilee; they also are aware of Zechariah s prophecy and the meaning of Jesus riding into the city on a donkey. Some are excited because that is how many people act in a mob. Some of them are probably hoping to be entertained by miracles. Some of those in the crowd probably believed that He was the Messiah but they will soon learn that their idea of the Messiah and God s Idea of the Messiah are two very different things! WHAT DOES HOSANNAH MEAN? Hosannah is a Hebrew word meaning, Save us! By using this word, and by referring to Jesus as the Son of David, [remember, David was an ancestor of Jesus in His Humanity] they are saying that they believe He is the Messiah. They would be remembering the prophecy in 2 SAM 7: the Son of David shall establish a Kingdom which shall last forever. The crowd is also chanting from Psalm 118:26: Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord! This was part of an Old Testament thanksgiving liturgy that was part of a victory procession of a king and the people into the temple area.
Page 6 HOLY WEEK READINGS FROM SACRED SCRIPTURE: CONSPIRACY, ANOINTING, AND BETRAYAL MARK 14:1-11 WHO WAS CONSPIRING TO KILL JESUS, AND WHY? The Sadducees, or the priests of Jesus time, wanted to kill Him because they were angry that He embarrassed them by cleansing the Temple of the moneychangers [the Sadducees were probably getting a percentage of the profits for allowing them to do business in the Temple]. They were also afraid that Jesus might cause public unrest and riots and the Sadducees [who were collaborating with the Romans] as a result could be deposed and put out of their positions. The Pharisees wanted to have Jesus killed because He violated their understanding of the law, and called the attention of the people to their hypocrisy. Jesus also condemned their Cult of Externality, the idea that if you do certain things for others to notice, that made you holy. Jesus called for a true and complete repentance and conversion exterior and interior [as in the Sermon on the Mount]. The Herodians, [like the Sadducees] saw Jesus as a threat to their power and their relationship with the Romans. In every age there are men and woman who hate Jesus and ignore Him [and who want others to do the same]. These are the people who love darkness rather than the light. They begin by sinning they become Sinners and eventually may become very evil persons who do not respect Human Life or Human Love or even God Himself. The Jews Conspire James Tissot, 1886 WHO IS THE WOMAN WHO ANOINTS JESUS WITH FRAGRANT OIL? The woman in this story is probably Mary Magdalene who is also known as Mary of Bethany [the sister of Lazarus and Martha]. She had anointed Jesus once before in Luke s Gospel [LK 7:36 50]. Mary was one of the Holy Women who traveled with Jesus and the Apostles [together with Jesus own Mother Mary]. We also see the Magdalene sitting at Jesus feet and listening to His words [while Martha is scurrying about [LK 10:38 42] and we will see her again in the weeks ahead. WHY DOES SHE ANOINT HIM? She is showing Jesus respect. It is her way of telling Him that she loves Him [as we all should love Him]. The oil was very precious and expensive it cost what an average person earned in one year of hard work. In our modern currency, that would probably be about $50,000. That is one of the reasons that those present were so shocked. In their narrow-minded way, they could only think of the price and not the value of what was done. WHAT DOES HER ANOINTING SYMBOLIZE? It certainly symbolizes the precious prayers that Mary Magdalene [and we] offer in love to Our Lord.
JESUS CHRIST...SON OF GOD AND SON OF MAN Lesson 17 Page 7 WHO IS THE APOSTLE WHO BETRAYS JESUS, AND WHY? It is Judas Iscariot who betrays Jesus. He was given 30 pieces of silver in payment for betraying Christ. This is not a great deal of money it would have been just enough to buy a nice robe or set of clothes. Judas may have been trying to force Jesus into a situation where He would use His power to perform miracles to destroy the Romans. But the most likely reason that Judas betrayed Jesus was that he was envious of Jesus special friendship with the inner circle Peter, James, and John. Judas was very clever and capable and probably thought that he should have been chosen as leader of the Apostles [and included in events such as the Transfiguration and bringing the Little Girl back from the dead]. But Jesus knew what was in Judas heart and did not bring him into that close circle of friends. Judas Betrays Jesus Duccio di Buoninsegna, 1308