Seniors & Easter: Tips for Preparing Your Heart for the Coming Season

Easter is an important season in the Christian church. It’s a time of reflection on the life of Jesus and the sacrifices he made. Being intentional during Easter can help you prepare your heart and go deeper into your faith. Here are some ways to prepare for and embrace Easter.

1. Decorate for Easter

Incorporate religious Easter decorations into your home as a preparation for the holiday season. These decorations serve as a constant reminder of the Easter story and encourage you to reflect on Jesus and Easter throughout Lent. Crosses, tombs, eggs with religious words and banners that say “He is risen” are examples of things you might display in your home.

2. Read a Devotional

Reading a daily devotional related to Easter and Jesus’ sacrifice helps you dig deeper into this season. It gives you small, easily digestible pieces of the story, which helps you learn more without feeling overwhelmed. Devotionals guide you through the study, so you don’t have to search for your own scripture or create a plan to delve into the Easter story. Some options you can use include:

• Meditations on the Cross by Dietrich Bonhoeffer
• 50 Reasons Why Jesus Came to Die by John Piper
• Jesus, Keep Me Near the Cross: Experiencing the Passion and Power of Easter by Nancy Guthrie (editor)
• Preparing for Easter: Fifty Devotional Readings by C.S. Lewis

Inviting others to join you in your daily devotionals can generate deep conversations around the ideas. Create a group with your fellow assisted living residents to create fellowship around the Easter season.

3. Study the Easter Story

You likely have a general idea of the story of the Easter season. Even if you know more than the average person, studying Jesus’ last days on earth can help you prepare your heart even more. You’ll likely pick up new details and have deeper reflections on the story the more you study it. A meaningful way to do this is to study the last week of Jesus’ life in the week leading up to Easter. Each day, read scripture and learn more about what Jesus did on that day. This can make you feel more a part of the story and help you understand the journey Jesus took.

4. Meditate on the Meaning of Easter

Spend time leading into the season in quiet meditation, reflecting on the meaning of Easter. You might spend time after reading your devotional or doing other activities that help you learn more about this time of year. This meditation time helps you reflect on how Easter affects your life and how you can make changes in your life based on this season.

5. Attend Special Church Services

Attending church regularly helps you strengthen your faith, but attending special services throughout Lent can be especially moving. This might include Ash Wednesday, Palm Sunday, Maundy Thursday and Good Friday. Being present throughout Lent at church services can fill your heart with the message of the season. Get involved in as many Lenten activities as possible at your church, or try out different local churches for those activities if you don’t have a church home.

6. Watch Movies and Shows

When you feel bored, it’s common to turn on the TV or watch a movie. As Easter approaches, focus your selections on movies or programs related to the season. Some options include:

• The Passion of the Christ
• The Greatest Story Ever Told
• Ben-Hur
• Risen
• The Last Temptation of Christ

If you watch with someone else, discuss the movies after watching them. If you’re by yourself, take time to reflect on what you saw or journal about the movies to help you go deeper into your understanding and how you can apply the lessons in your life.

7. Pray Regularly

Having a regular prayer routine helps you follow God throughout the year. If you don’t have a regular prayer routine, Easter is the perfect time to start. Set aside time for daily prayer related to everything you’re learning about and reflecting upon in the Easter season. You might read a passage about Jesus’ life leading up to the Resurrection each day and pray about what you read.

8. Give Something Up

Sacrificing something in your life can help you reflect on the sacrifices Jesus made. Giving up a bad habit or vice can help you prepare your heart for Easter. It can also keep you focused on the season as you constantly work to give up the thing you enjoy, whether that’s chocolate, spending time on social media or something else. It can also be the start of creating healthier habits that stick beyond Easter and help enrich your life.

9. Listen to Spiritual Music

The music you listen to can have a strong impact on how you feel. Choosing spiritual music, especially hymns related to this season, can prepare your heart for the Lenten season. Create a playlist for the season, or look for Easter playlists on your favorite music streaming services. Keep the music playing in your assisted living apartment when you’re doing your everyday activities. Sing along with the music if you’re moved to do so. Having this spiritual soundtrack playing throughout the season helps keep your heart and mind on the reason and meaning of Easter.