Sunday, March 17, 2024
Menu Plan: Passion Sunday
I am a little sad that we are entering the final week of Lent at the time that the East is entering the first week. Properly, this Sunday is called Passion Sunday, was the beginning of the final week of Lent, with Holy Week being its own separate and distinct observance. Passion Sunday gave the general overview of the last days of Christ's life on earth, while with Palm Sunday, we enter into each day of that final week with Him quite specifically. Unfortunately, in the West, this has largely been relegated to a footnote to Palm Sunday, rather than its own observance. So, right on the heels of celebrating the Hosannas of Christ's triumphal entry, we slide into the Good Friday narrative. This is a shame; it is jarring, and robs parishioners of the real walk of that final week of His life with Him during Holy week, from Palm Sunday, the first, instructive events of Holy Monday and Tuesday, with the fig tree and the annointing with perfume and oil, through His betrayal on Spy Wednesday, His Last Supper and the institution of the priesthood and the Eucharist, His arrest and trial, His crucifixion, and His rest in the tomb, as He harrowed Hell to free those captive to death. We live through the events of that week each year. It seems to me that the modern church seems to think it is too much to ask of her people to take that walk with Him for one week each year. Meanwhile, our calendars and prayer books still show that this is the historic practice and we preserve it in this way only. We will keep His final days in mind this week, meditating on His words and actions, as we prepare for the hard Via Dolorosa we will embark on next Monday.
Passion Sunday marks the last week of Lent, as a summary of what Christ did to rescue us from sin and death, as we ready ourselves to walk each day of the way of sorrow with Him and, in the East, ends with Lazarus Saturday, the first resurrection which points to the greater one. We have begun observing it ourselves, as one of the commemorations that is significant to the life of the Church. Jesus raised Lazarus in anticipation of His own resurrection - and ours. One tradition for Lazarus Saturday is to make sweet, little breads shaped like a man wrapped in linens (Lazarakia). Another is to permit the eating of caviar (fish eggs) as little eggs, before we get to have eggs again on the Paschal feast. We will be doing both of those, but it will have to wait until after liturgy, because of that difference in the timing of Lent for East and West.
So, because of the feasts of Saint Patrick and Saint Joseph this week, we get fish twice! Even though our Lent has been interrupted and truncated, in some ways, the relief we are given from the discipline is a blessing. We embrace it and enjoy it. We have a special devotion to Saint Joseph here, Rich even more so, and love him so much. He is Elijah's patron saint, as well, and we love to remember and celebrate him. Our grocery stores had some great deals on fish, too, so we are enjoying a fish pie for Saint Patrick's day after church and a Spanish fish and shellfish stew for Saint Joseph's feast. Rich is planting some peas today, in honor of Saint Patrick.
Now that we are at the end of our fast, I invite you to walk with the Church in these last days of Christ's suffering. Look for a Catholic (especially Traditional Latin or Eastern Rite) or Anglican type church in your area which has actual Holy Week services, and go to them next week. If your church does not observe Passion Sunday, read through the gospel accounts of the Passion and prepare yourself for the daily Via Dolorosa that is to come. Next week, read through the events of each day of Holy Week, beginning with Palm Sunday, and allow them to penetrate your heart and mind. Saturate yourself in them. Pray an hour with Christ in the garden on Maundy Thursday. Fast with Him on Good Friday. Pray at the tomb on Holy Saturday. Prepare yourself for a full rejoicing when He bursts from the tomb. Don't limit it to one day's notice and leave Him. Remember that the Paschaltide begins on the Paschal feast and goes 40 days to the Ascension and another 10 days to Pentecost. Do not let it end with one Sunday. You will find life in His life.
Keep praying for us, and we continue to pray for you. Blessed Lent (and Forgiveness Sunday for our Eastern brethren). Forgive me, a sinner.
- Sunday - Passion Sunday
Breakfast: Leftovers, Sourdough Toast, Strawberries, Coffee and Tea
Dinner: Colcannon Fish Pie, Roasted Broccoli with Vinaigrette, Fruit Plate - Monday - Feast of Saint Cyril of Jerusalem
Breakfast: Polenta with Almond Milk and Maple Syrup, Sliced Pears, Coffee and Tea
Dinner: Seafood and Scallion Pajeon with Dipping Sauce, Kimchi, Jasmine Rice - Tuesday - Feast of Saint Joseph
Breakfast: Home Fries, Sliced Apples, Tea with Honey
Dinner: Spanish Seafood Stew, Country Bread, Salad/Fruit brought by Bible study members - Wednesday - Feast of Saint Cuthbert
Breakfast: Steel Cut Oats with Chopped Apples, Raisins, Cinnamon and Brown Sugar, Tea with Honey
Dinner: Mahjouba, Persian Chopped Salad (using sunflower oil), Date and Orange Salad - Thursday
Breakfast: Scrambled Chickpeas with Peppers and Onions, Sourdough Toast, Mandarin Oranges, Mint Tea with Honey
Dinner: Pasta with Mussels and Garlic, Steam Sautéed Carrots and Brussels Sprouts with Garlic and Dill (using sunflower oil), Sliced Oranges - Friday
Breakfast: Peanut Butter Toast with Honey, Sliced Apples, Tea with Honey
Dinner: Olive and Rosemary Focaccia, Middle Eastern Chard with Garlic, Onions and Sumac, Lenten Bougatsa me Crema - Saturday - Lazarus Saturday
Breakfast: Marinated Chickpea Salad with Herbs and Spices to break the fast after Liturgy (Lazarakia and Caviar in the afternoon)
Dinner: Imam Bayildi, Arabic Style Rice Pilaf, Green Salad with Lemon Vinaigrette, Fruit Plate
Labels: Church Year, Faith and Morality, Family, Fasting as a Family, Homemaking, Homesteading, Lent, Menu Plans, Prayer Requests, Tales from the Kitchen
