10 meaningful activities for adults to celebrate Holy Week

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Holy Week is a time for remembrance, devotion, & joy. It is a time to remember the sacrifice that was made for us by Jesus, & to spend time meditating prayerfully on that fact. It is supposed to be a special, sacred time, but in all the business of life, it’s easy to become distracted & forgetful. It’s easy to treat this time like it’s just any other week.

I am definitely guilty of forgetting the meaning of Holy Week. With work, tasks to be done, & a never-ending to-do list, my mind is always focused on other things. It can be difficult to find just a few minutes to just sit & spend time with God. Unfortunately, what should be my priority often feels like something I squeeze into whatever little time I have left.

I wanted this Holy Week to be different. Since January, with United Church, I have been participating in our church-wide challenge of reading the Bible in a year. It is something I have done in the past, but it was always by myself. I am finding such profound joy & value in doing this with other people, & I suppose it was this that pressed on my heart to become more mindful about this year’s Holy Week. Spending so much time in God’s word has reminded me just how much rest I find in it, & how much good it does in my life. 

So, if you’re looking for just a couple of ways to incorporate more time with God into the busyness of your everyday life during Holy Week (because, let’s be honest – the world, unfortunately, does not pause for us to celebrate this sacred time), check out the activities below! 

1. Walk with Jesus Daily Easter Text

This is such an easy way to stay in the mindset of Holy Week, & you don’t even have to do anything! Every year, I sign up for 95.1 Shine FM’s Walk with Jesus. Throughout the week, the radio station sends me texts about what was happening in the Easter story at the day & time it happened. Every time I get a text message, I prayerfully remember the season we are in. It always hits me like a gut punch when I get the text that Jesus just died in the middle of my Friday afternoon. It really helps to keep me in the right mindset while I am going about my daily life. 

To sign up, text the word “EASTER” to 88474. You can learn more about the Walk with Jesus & 95.1 Shine FM here.

2. Do a daily devotional

There are tons of Holy Week devotionals on The Bible App that have quick readings for every day of the week. Read it first thing when you wake up in the morning, during your lunch break, or right before you go to sleep at night. The app even has an audio option, so you can listen to the devotional & Bible verses like a podcast during your commute or workout.

3. Wash each other’s feet on Holy Thursday

This one may sound a little strange at first, but this a great way to show humility & God’s love to one another. Washing your family member’s feet can be a way to remember what Jesus did for His disciples during their last meal together, & to remind ourselves that we are supposed to be servants of God & to each other.

4. Eat a Passover meal

If the foot washing isn’t quite what you are looking for, why not make a traditional Jewish passover meal on Holy Thursday. Make lamb & unleavened bread, & serve it with wine or grape juice for a kid-friendly option. You can find lots of recipes for a Seder meal online. And, you can even read about The Last Supper with your family during dinner to remember why we celebrate this day. 

5. Fast on Good Friday

On the day of Jesus’ crucifixion, you can prayerfully remember his death on the cross by fasting for a day. Remember, fasting doesn’t necessarily mean you have to skip eating altogether. You can eat just light foods, or try fasting from something other than food, such as social media or another worldly distraction so you can spend more time focusing on prayer. 

6. Listen exclusively to Christian music

I listen to music throughout my day just for a little background ambience. If you do this, too, why not switch it up this week & listen exclusively to Christian music? It’s a great way to help you stay in the right mindset without having to add anything to your daily routine.

7. Spring cleaning

Hear me out on this one. Jesus came & cleansed us of our sins. Why not cleanse your environment for spring to welcome this new beginning? You can also spend some time going through your belongings to donate anything you no longer need. 

8. Volunteer

If you have some time on Saturday, why not spend it volunteering somewhere? Just as Jesus served & sacrificed of himself for us, we are called to do the same for others. If you aren’t able to get out because of COVID-19, there are plenty of ways to volunteer virtually as well. Check out VolunteerMatch.org for lots of ways to volunteer, in-person & virtually, in your area.

9. Give away Easter goodies

Fill Easter eggs with candy & leave them in a basket on a neighbor’s doorstep, or make fresh baked goodies to share. This can be a great way to share a “meal” with others in a COVID-19 friendly way. 

10. Celebrate Easter

Whatever your favorite Easter tradition is, make time for it & a little extra time for God this Easter holiday. Remember the meaning of the day, spend it with loved ones if you can, & remember just how profoundly loved you are.

Happy Easter everyone! I hope you all have a wonderful Holy Week & a fantastic holiday.

What’s your favorite way to celebrate Holy Week? Tell me about it in the comments below!