7 Holy Week Prayers to Prepare Your Heart for the Passion of Christ
- Jennifer Waddle iBelieve Contributor
- Updated Mar 21, 2024
Most Easter holidays come and go with little more than a faint memory of colored eggs and candy baskets. This year, let’s make Holy Week a time to refocus our hearts on the Passion of Christ. Through daily prayers for each day of the Holy Week, let’s remember who we’re celebrating and the most wonderful gift we’ve ever been given.
Whether you use these Holy Week prayers in a church service, during your quiet personal time, or share with friends and family, may these words help you see reflection, repentance, and renewal as we approach the Easter celebration.
1. Palm Sunday: Prayer of Worship to Begin the Holy Week
Lord God, today we join the crowd of people mentioned in Matthew chapter 21, who spread palm branches on the road shouting, “Hosanna in the highest!” As we remember Jesus riding into Jerusalem on the colt of a donkey, we recognize the humility He displayed. Even though He was the King of Kings, He humbled himself as a gentle Savior. Help us to follow His example of humility and peace. To those around us, make us a light of Your love and a witness of Your Gospel. In Jesus’ name, amen.
2. Holy Monday: Prayer of Righteousness
Heavenly Father, today we pray for right thinking as we focus our hearts on the Passion of Christ. On this Holy Monday, help us remember how Jesus acted in righteous anger to clear the temple of moneychangers. His zeal for Your house drove Him to do the right thing that day, and we want that kind of zeal for Your ways. Lord, help us not grow complacent or compromise our faith but to grow more steadfast in Your truth. We look to Your Son as our ultimate example for faith and life, knowing our righteousness is found in Him. In His name, we pray, amen.
3. Holy Tuesday: Prayer of Love
Gracious God, as Jesus clearly shared in Matthew 22:37-40, the two greatest commandments are to love You with all our heart, mind, soul, and strength and to love others as ourselves. Please remind us of these commandments today as a blueprint for our lives. Show us how every thought, belief, and action can align with these commandments, and help us test everything in the light of Your love. Thank You for Jesus’ willingness to follow You in perfect obedience - even obedience to the cross. We can never repay You for the amazing gift of salvation You provided, but we can live according to the greatest commandments. We offer this prayer of love today - first for You and then for others. In Jesus’ holy name, amen.
4. Spy Wednesday: Prayer of Giving
Lord Jesus, thank You for the example of the woman who poured out the jar of expensive perfume to prepare Your body for burial. You said she would be remembered from that day on, and we remember her lavish gift today. Please help us be generous in our offerings. Help us release our tight grip on earthly treasures and store up treasures in heaven where moths and rust cannot destroy. Open our hands to the poor and open our doors to our neighbors. Most of all, open our hearts to You anew, filling us with a deeper understanding of who You are - the Savior of the world. In Your precious name, we pray, amen.
5. Maundy Thursday: Prayer of Communion
Lord, today we remember Your last meal - the Passover. As you gathered with Your disciples, You broke bread with them and instituted the first communion. Help us set aside a quiet moment today to remember Your body and blood that was given for us. You died in our place, and Your blood was sacrificed for our atonement. Please help this sink deeply into our hearts as we recall the joy of our salvation. We cannot thank You enough for dying in our place and saving us from sin and death. We remember You today in a time of sweet communion. In Your name, always, amen.
6. Good Friday: Prayer of Remembrance
Holy God, we thank You for sending Your Son to die on the cross during this solemn day of remembrance. The symbol of our faith in You is a precious symbol of redemption for all humankind. Oh, how we long for all to come to know You! We pray specifically for our loved ones who do not believe. Let this day be the day they come face-to-face with their need for a Savior. Let the magnitude of Your sacrifice touch their hearts and lead them to repentance. As we gather for our Good Friday services, deepen our faith and renew the joy of Your salvation once again. In the wonderful name of Jesus, amen.
7. Holy Saturday: Prayer in the Waiting
Lord Jesus, today we wait in quiet stillness for the glorious day when people all over the world celebrate Your resurrection. Let us never forget the victory You accomplished over sin and death! As we celebrate with our families, church congregations, and communities, remain at the center of our attention. Throughout this day of waiting and preparing, ready our hearts to worship You in Spirit and in Truth. Help us reflect on the ways in which we’ve grown stagnant in our faith and revive us again. Thank You for the cross, Lord. Thank You for the tomb. And thank You for rising again. You are our hope, our joy, and our salvation, the only risen Lord and King of Kings. In Your mighty name, we pray, amen.
As Holy Week draws to a close, may the prayers and reflections shared throughout this holiest of seasons continue to bless and inspire us. From the solemnity of Palm Sunday to the contemplation of Maundy Thursday, the sorrow of Good Friday, and the anticipation of Holy Saturday, each day has brought us closer to the heart of Christ's passion and resurrection. As we celebrate Easter Sunday, let us carry the spirit of renewal and redemption into our lives, sharing the light of Christ with all whom we encounter. May these prayers deepen your faith, strengthen your walk with Jesus, and remind you of the enduring love and grace that surrounds us each day because of Jesus' sacrifice on the cross.
A Prayer for Easter Sunday
Gracious God, as we celebrate the joyous resurrection of your Son Jesus Christ on this Easter Sunday, we offer our heartfelt gratitude for the gift of salvation and the promise of new life. May the triumphant victory of Christ over sin and death inspire us to live faithfully, spreading love, hope, and compassion to all we encounter. Renew our spirits, O Lord, and fill us with the light of your presence as we rejoice in the miracle of Easter. Amen.
