Prayer for Holy Week

The special prayer either before or after the Monday evening meal is a selection from Psalm 21, in which we see through the eyes of David the picture of Christ suffering for us on the Cross.

Prayer for Monday of Holy Week
Psalm 21:1-12 My God, my God, why have you forsaken me, far from my prayer, from the words of my cry? O my God, I cry out by day, and you answer not; by night, and there is no relief for me. Yet you are enthroned in the holy place, O glory of Israel! In you our fathers trusted; they trusted, and you delivered them. To you they cried, and they escaped; in you they trusted, and they were not put to shame. But I am a worm, not a man; the scorn of men, despised by the people. All who see me scoff at me; they mock me with parted lips, they wag their heads: "He relied on the Lord; let him deliver him, let him rescue him, if he loves him." You have been my guide since I was first formed, my security at my mother's breast. To you I was committed at birth, from my mother's womb you are my God. Be not far from me, for I am in distress; be near, for I have no one to help me.
AMEN.

Prayer for Tuesday of Holy Week
Psalm 21:13-22 Many bullocks surround me; the strong bulls of Basan encircle me. They open their mouths against me like ravening and roaring lions. I am like water poured out; all my bones are racked. My heart has become like wax melting away within my bosom. My throat is dried up like baked clay, my tongue cleaves to my jaws; to the dust of death you have brought me down. Indeed, many dogs surround me, a pack of evildoers closes in upon me; They have pierced my hands and my feet; I can count all my bones. They look on and gloat over me; they divide my garments among them, and for my vesture they cast lots. But you, O Lord, be not far from me; O my help, hasten to aid me. Rescue my soul from the sword, my loneliness from the grip of the dog. Save me from the lion's mouth; from the horns of the wild bulls, my wretched life.
AMEN.

Prayer for Wednesday of Holy Week
Psalm 21:23-32 I will proclaim your name to my brethren: in the midst of the assembly I will praise you; "You who fear the Lord, praise him; all you descendants of Jacob, give glory to him; revere him, all you descendants of Israel! For he has not spurned nor disdained the wretched man in his misery Nor did he turn his face away from him, but when he cried out to him, he heard him." So by your gift will I utter praise in the vast assembly; I will fulfill my vows before those who fear him. The lowly shall eat their fill; they who seek the Lord shall praise him: "May your hearts be ever merry!" All the ends of the earth shall remember and turn to the Lord; All the families of the nations shall bow down before him. For dominion is the Lord's and he rules the nations. To him alone shall bow down all who sleep in the earth; Before him shall bend all who go down into the dust. And to him my soul shall live; my descendants shall serve him. Let the coming generation be told of the Lord that they may proclaim to a people yet to be born the justice he has shown.
AMEN.

Prayer for Holy Thursday
Table Blessing for Holy Thursday
It is good to have a special table blessings reflecting the Church's liturgical year. These can be used individually, with the family or in a group. Here is meal blessing for Holy Thursday from Table Blessings: Mealtime Prayers Throughout the Year by Brother Victor-Antoine d'Avila-Latourrette. 
Reading:

Instructing his friends into the divine mysteries, Jesus, the wisdom of God, prepares a table that gives food to the soul, and mingles for the faithful the cup of the wine of life eternal. Let us all, therefore, draw near the mysterious table, with pure souls let us receive the Bread of Life: Let us remain at the master's side, that we may see how he washes the feet of the disciples and wipes them with a towel, and let us do as we have seen him do, washing one another's feet. For such is the commandment that Christ himself gave to his disciples (Byzantine Matins).

Responsory:

Verse: Come, O faithful, let us enjoy the master's hospitality, Response: and partake at the table of immortal life in the upper room.

The Lord's Prayer
Blessing

Lord Jesus Christ, in your ardent love for your apostles you desired to share the Passover meal with them on the night before you suffered. During the course of that meal, you instituted the sacrament of the Eucharist where you offered to us your own body and blood as bread and wine to nourish our souls. Send your blessings upon this table and all those who partake of it. Nourish us with the Bread of Life, until the day we are called to the banquet of eternal life. Amen.

Prayer for Good Friday
This prayer is designed to be said within the family before a Crucifix on Good Friday.
Mother or a child: Jesus lives his entire life for his journey or a child: under the Cross of salvation. St. John's Gospel gives us some of his last words (12:27-33): Now my soul is troubled. And what shall I say! Father, save me from this hour. No, this is why I came to this hour! Father, glorify thy Name. There came therefore a voice from heaven: I have both glorified it, and I will glorify it again. Now is the judgment of the world, now will the prince of the world be cast out. And I, if I be lifted up, will draw all things to myself.Father: He humbled himself becoming obedient unto death, even to death on a Cross. Therefore God also has exalted him and has bestowed upon him the name that is above every name, so that at the Name of Jesus, every knee should bend of those in heaven, on earth and under the earth, and every tongue should confess that the Lord Jesus Christ is in the glory of God the Father. We adore your Cross, O Lord, and we praise and glorify your holy resurrection Family: because by this sacred wood joy has come into the whole world. Father: Let us pray. We beseech you, O God, look upon this your family for whom our Lord Jesus Christ allowed himself to be betrayed into the hands of wicked men and to undergo the torment of the Cross. In his Name grant our petition. Family: Amen.

Prayer for Holy Saturday
This prayer is designed to be said within the family before a Crucifix on Holy Saturday.
No candles are lit today. Mother or a child: "May our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son, who alone by his powerful word governs all things, yet has buried the shame of the Cross and iron bonds, who has broken the bars of the bronze doors and has descended into hell, who has shone with the brightness of a new light on those who were sitting in the shadow of death — may he, the sun of justice, rising from the tomb, shine upon our darkness with the marvelous light of his risen Body." Father: The women sitting at the sepulchre Family: were weeping and lamenting for the Lord. Father: Let us pray. O God, who makes this most holy night illustrious by the glory of the resurrection of our Lord, preserve in the new children of your family the spirit of adoption which you have given, that, renewed in body and soul, they may give you a pure service. This we ask of you through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son. Family: Amen. Father: Let us bless the Lord. Family: Thanks be to God. Father: May the almighty and merciful Lord, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, bless and keep us. Family: Amen.

Prayer for Easter Sunday
On Easter morning, before beginning the festivities, the family should share their joy in the Resurrection by praying together. Here is a beautiful little formula, easily understood by children. End it with a hymn, such as the universal favorite, Jesus Christ is Ris'n Today.
Father: Christ is risen, Alleluia.  
Family: He is truly risen, Alleluia. 
Father: The Lord is risen from the grave, Alleluia. 
Family: Who hung upon the Cross for us, Alleluia.
Father: Let us pray. O God, through Thine only-begotten Son Thou hast overcome death on this day and hast opened unto us the gate of everlasting life; pursue with Thine aid the good resolves Thou hast inspired, and by Thy constant help make them lastingly effective. Through the same Jesus Christ, Thy Son, who is living and reigning forever and ever. Family: Alleluia, Alleluia. Father: This is the day the Lord has made, Alleluia.   Family: Let us be glad and rejoice in it, Alleluia.   Father: To God the Father let us sing, to God the Son, our Risen King.   Family: And let us equally adore the Spirit, God forever more, Alleluia. Father: Praise the Lord, for He is good,   Family: Sing praise to our Lord, for He is gracious, it is fitting to praise Him. Sing to the Lord with thanksgiving; sing praise with the harp to our God, Who covers the heavens with clouds, who provides rain for the earth; Who makes grain sprout on the mountains and herbs for the service of men; Who gives food to the cattle, and to the young ravens when they cry to In the strength of the steed He delights not, nor is He pleased with the fleshness of men. The Lord is pleased with those who fear Him, and with those who hope for His kindness. Father: Now when the Sabbath was past, Mary Magdalen and Mary, the mother of Jesus, and Salome bought sweet spices that coming they might anoint Jesus. And very early in the morning, the first day of the week, they came to the sepulchre, the sun being now risen. And they said to one another: Who shall roll us back the stone from the door of the sepulchre? And looking they saw the stone rolled back, for it was very great. And entering into the sepulchre they saw a young man sitting on the right side, clothed with a white robe; and they were astonished. Who saith to them: Be not affrighted. You seek Jesus of Nazareth who was crucified. He is risen! He is not here! Behold the place where they laid Him. But go tell His disciples, and Peter, that He goes before you into Galilee where you shall see him, as He told you. (Mark 16:1-7)

They placed Him in a tomb of stone, Dead, all helpless, and alone. But Easter morn, before the light, He rose alive in glory bright!

Family: Alleluia. Christ has Risen. AMEN.

Prayer Source: Family Customs: Easter to Pentecost by Helen McLoughlin, The Liturgical Press, Collegeville, Minnesota, 1956

Prayer Source: Lent and Holy Week in the Home by Emerson and Arlene Hynes, The Liturgical Press, Collegeville, Minnesota, 1977

Prayer Source: Holy Lent by Eileen O'Callaghan, The Liturgical Press, Collegeville, Minnesota, 1975