During Holy Week 2021, a group of Augustinian youths along with the Tagaste Youths organised a number of sessions together in preparation for this year’s Easter. In spite of the restrictions and other constraints that were in force because of the COVID-19, these did not deter the two groups from holding virtual meetings and from entering into the spirit of that sublime time in this particular year.
The sessions were spread over the entire week and comprised prayer, meditation on the three days of the Triduum , as well as reflections for Easter Saturday and Easter Sunday. The meetings were all led by the youths themselves whilst the reflections during the Triduum days were broadcast Live on their Facebook page.
Notwithstanding the difficulties and complications brought about by the restrictions, whereby it was impossible for the youths to meet in groups, these sessions made it possible for the youths to experience together moments of recollection and prayer in preparation for the feast of Holy Easter. Below are the experiences of a few of the youths who participated in these sessions:
Edward Abela
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“During this Holy Week, through the few minutes of recollection together with other youths, I managed to detach myself from my daily thoughts and to prepare myself in an appropriate manner for the passion, death and resurrection of Our Lord Jesus Christ. These moments helped me to appreciate all the more what God did for mankind, including myself, to save us from sin and to give us everlasting life.”
Jeremy Zarb
“During this time when everyone is feeling isolated both physically and spiritually due to the pandemic, the activities during Holy Week were an opportunity for us as a group truly to reflect on our relationship with Jesus as we progress in our life. It was an opportunity where, by means of electronic devices, we were able to get together so as to share these important moments in our Christian life, where we live together and reflect on the death and resurrection of Our Lord Jesus Christ”.
Owen Parnis
For me this was a unique Holy Week because it was a week of remembrance of the passion of Jesus Christ. During these days, with the help of our prayers together online as a group of youngsters, I felt happy and I managed to find time to sit back from work or play and to reflect on myself and on Christ’s passion, death and resurrection.
Mark Caffari