Things to talk about:

• Have you ever received news that was so good that it was at first, unbelievable?
• Imagine you are at the empty tomb with Mary of Magdala. How would you have felt? What would you have said to Mary?
• Why do you think the description of the burial cloths are described in such detail?
• How does the Resurrection of Jesus Christ change the meaning of your life?
• Why is Easter the most important holiday we celebrate as Christians?

Things to do:

• Holy Saturday – On this day, we hold vigil and, in the evening, we welcome the light (fire) that dispels the darkness and proclaim “Alleluia!” and “Glory to God!” for the first time in 40 days to begin the celebration of the Resurrection. We celebrate new life in Baptism and renew our baptismal promises.
• Pull out pictures, videos, and mementos of your children’s Baptisms, and tell stories and share memories of the events. As a family, renew your baptismal promises
• Color Resurrection eggs, and explain how the egg is a symbol of the Resurrection (life emerging from the tomb). Decorate the eggs with religious symbols. 
• Easter Sunday – He is not here, he is risen from the dead. Matthew 28:6
• Chalk your driveway or use chalk paint to paint an Easter symbol on a window. Lots of good ideas if you search the web.
• The Paschal Candle – look at the markings on the Paschal candle. The numbers indicate the calendar year, the cross reminds us of Jesus’ passion and death. The alpha and omega remind us that Christ is the beginning and the end of all things. The five pieces of incense inserted into the cross represent the five wounds of Jesus. 
• Make an Alleluia banner for your Easter decorations
• At the beginning of Mass, the priest sprinkles the congregation with holy water. What sacrament does this sprinkling rite help us to recall?
• Make Resurrection rolls to eat on Easter morning
• Painted Rocks -The moment the stone rolled away, Mary and the others were filled with hope. Take some time today to share a message of hope with others. Gather some smooth rocks and paint an inspirational message or something cheerful on each one. Use acrylic paint or paint pens (the finer point pens make writing easier). Paint only one side of the rock. Once dry, seal it with a spray-on sealer or mod podge. Leave the rocks in a visible public place. Here are some ideas for inspirational messages: draw a smiley face, write Alleluia! or He is Risen, Jesus loves you, draw a fun picture to make someone smile.
   
   

Closing Prayer

Psalm 118

Pray using Psalm 118: “This is the day the Lord has made; let us rejoice and be glad.”
Amen.

Name those who need our prayers. Close with the Sign of the Cross.

Catholic Insight

Alleluia! Easter is a joyous celebration. With God all things are truly possible.

In all 4 Gospels, Mary Magdalene is among the women who are the first to bear witness to Jesus’s resurrection. In John’s Gospel she finds Peter and John to tell them about the empty tomb. They rush to see.

None of the Gospels report anyone seeing Jesus leave the tomb. In this Gospel detail is provided about the burial cloths left in the tomb. The head cloth is rolled up neatly and separately from the larger cloth that wrapped Jesus’ body. No one engaged in grave robbery would have taken the time to organize the burial garments.

Our Easter faith is based on their witness to both the empty tomb and their continuing relationship with Jesus—in his appearances and in his gift of the Holy Spirit.

Alleluia! Arise in each of us God’s unfathomable love and the desire to share His love in words and actions. Amen.

Did you know?.... The date of Easter is determined by the lunar cycle? Easter Sunday is the first Sunday after the full moon following the spring equinox. The date of Easter changes since a lunar cycle is twenty-nine and half days.

Additional key concepts for this week:

Core event of salvation– is the Paschal Mystery—the Passion, Death, Resurrection, and Ascension of Jesus Christ. This definitive event accomplished humanity’s redemption, opening heaven, which believers enter through baptism and maintain through a lifelong process of sanctification, faith, and sacramental life. Christ knew that death could not be avoided, but it must be overcome. Christ overcame death not by removing it, but by walking through it and transforming it from the inside out.The Light shines in the darkness, but the darkness has not overcome it (John 1:5).

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Resources adapted from 52Sundays.com, Celebrating the Lectionary, At Home with the Word, Celebrating Families, Sunday Connection