Easter Liturgy

Santa Maria College’s 2018 Easter Liturgy was a gathering of the entire College and led by the Year 12 Student Leadership Council. The leaders took students and staff on a journey through the main events of Holy Week. The main scenes showed Palm Sunday, which welcomed Jesus, the triumphant into our midst, followed by the special time Jesus had with his disciples on Holy Thursday. The College was then joined in prayer, reflecting upon the Stations of the Cross and the joyful rising of Christ.

Palm Sunday

Beginning with the events of Palm Sunday, five girls spoke about the events of Palm Sunday as if they were there, giving a relatable presentation of what happened when Jesus rode into Jerusalem as people placed palms on the ground.

The message of Palm Sunday is that Jesus is our true king, demonstrated by his glorious entry into Jerusalem.

Our reflection on this key event is that we should welcome everyone who joins the school and the community; by being selfless and forgiving to continue God’s will for humanity as a loving society.

Holy Thursday

The segment of the Easter Liturgy manifesting Holy Thursday, was presented in a dramatic scene involving each of the Apostles and their interactions with Jesus. Jesus acted as a servant towards His apostles, showing us the way in which the Church is at the service of all people and therefore all people should be of service to one another. The Christian mission is to love and serve and we are called by God to love and serve one another as Jesus did at the Last Supper. Like the Apostles, we are constantly in need of God’s guidance, but by the Last Supper we are reminded that Jesus has a plan for us and offers us the Holy Spirit to help us in our daily life.

Stations of the Cross: 

The Stations of the Cross follows Jesus’ journey through his suffering and death on the Cross. During the Easter Liturgy these stations were presented as a story through the actions of students reading and reflecting on his journey. The sequence of events during Good Friday are symbolic of God’s love for mankind through the death of his son, Jesus Christ. As each station was performed, ribbons were placed on the Cross, symbolising unity and belonging that is valued at Santa Maria College. Being a part of this Easter Liturgy helps us to understand the significance of Good Friday and the sacrifice Christ has made for us.

Easter Sunday

At the end of the liturgy, the whole school gathered in union in the lighting of the Easter Candle, as a representation of the risen Christ, the Light of the world. Each Year group prayed for the presence of Jesus in their lives today and celebrated the resurrection of Jesus. The College prayed for Jesus in our classrooms to help us learn, our families to help us love and playgrounds, for friendship. Easter is a time of renewal and celebration.

The Liturgy was an opportunity for all students and staff to share a faith experience together, uniting as one community. Hopefully the message shared here will extend throughout families and parish communities as they celebrate this joyful time.

Reflections written by Year 12 students