Stir up, we beseech thee, O Lord, the wills of thy faithful people; that they, plenteously bringing forth the fruit of good works, may of thee be plenteously rewarded; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

Blessed feast! Today we remember that Christ is King as the Church year ends. It is a Western, relatively new (instituted by Pope Pius XI in 1925), feast that we love. Even the older liturgical calendars emphasize His kingship on this day, so it is really a celebration of what was already remembered. In our world today, that is more important than ever.

This is what Pope Pius XI had to say about its importance:

“If to Christ our Lord is given all power in heaven and on earth; if all men, purchased by his precious blood, are by a new right subjected to his dominion; if this power embraces all men, it must be clear that not one of our faculties is exempt from his empire. He must reign in our minds, which should assent with perfect submission and firm belief to revealed truths and to the doctrines of Christ. He must reign in our wills, which should obey the laws and precepts of God. He must reign in our hearts, which should spurn natural desires and love God above all things, and cleave to him alone. He must reign in our bodies and in our members, which should serve as instruments for the interior sanctification of our souls, or to use the words of the Apostle Paul, as instruments of justice unto God.”

Pious tradition in the Catholic and Anglican worlds is to start preparations for your Christmas cake or pudding, too. Because the collect begins with "Stir up, we beseech thee, O Lord," and continues with "that they plenteously bringing forth the fruit of good works, may of thee be plenteously rewarded," it serves both as a spiritual reminder and a fun one for Christmas preparations. We are plenteously rewarded when Christmas Day comes and our cake or pudding is ready. The fruits will be stirred up - we soak them in bourbon - and the cake itself will be mixed up and baked by the end of the week.

Advent in the West begins later than it does for the East. It is more a Saint Andrew's fast than a Saint Philip's fast. This year, it is even shorter because the Nativity is on a Wednesday, so the fourth Sunday of Advent is the day before Christmas Adam. Again, it is a grace from God that it is shorter. We have had so many challenges, so beginning the fasting season more easily, and with a shorter fast is a blessing. The Advent fast is a little lighter until the last week and a half of it, we are still permitted fish, wine and oil on most days, and we, as a family will be having dairy on the weekends to accomodate others and permit some shared hospitality with a culture that doesn't really observe any spiritual preparation or penitence before the Nativity.

Our meals this week are about clearing our fridge and making room in our freezers. The folks at church have graciously responded to my plea that they take over the meal today, so I can focus on Thanksgiving preparations and some preserving to make that room in our freezers. Because of our situation with church, we do not keep the fast as completely on Sundays, and so there will not only be fish on those days, but possibly meat. We will use the turkey carcass from this year to make a soup of our Thanksgiving leftovers next Sunday and that will wrap up Thanksgiving.

This is the first year in a long time that I have ceded some of my control over all of the Thanksgiving meal, and then two of the families that normally come won't be with us. However, we will have other families and friends, and that is exciting. So, our menu plan only reflects what I am making or know for sure is being brought by others. There will be more! For one more year, we will have all our kids around our table, which makes me rejoice. I know that will not always be the case.

• Sunday
  Breakfast: Sour Milk Griddle Cakes, Lemon Curd, Sliced Apples, Milk and Coffee
  Dinner: Creamy Taco Soup, Salads, Sides and Desserts brought by Parishioners
• Monday - Feast of Saint Catherine of Alexandria
  Breakfast: Vegetable and Chorizo Hash, Mandarin Oranges, Milk and Coffee
  Dinner: Pork Chile Verde, Red Chile Rice, Corn Tortillas, Sliced Oranges
• Tuesday
  Breakfast: Blueberry Yogurt, Toast, Milk and Coffee
  Dinner: French Onion Soup with Gratinéed Croutons and Gruyère Cheese, Green Salad, Sliced Apples
• Wednesday
  Breakfast: Apple Coconut Breakfast Bowls with Cashew Butter Drizzle, Tea with Honey
  Dinner: Mejeddarah with Crisp Fried Onions, Marinated Cucumbers, Fruit Plate
• Thursday - Thanksgiving
  Breakfast: Farmer Breakfast Casserole, Mandarin Oranges, Milk and Coffee
  Dinner: Deviled Eggs, Chex Mix (some will be made Gluten Free), Relish Tray, Herb Roasted Turkey, Bourbon Gravy, Garlic Mashed Potatoes, Cranberry Horseradish Relish, Sweet Potato Rolls, Pumpkin Pies, Cranberry Cherry Pies, Chocolate Bourbon Pecan Pies, Apple Pies, Pear Mincemeat Pies, Nantucket Cranberry Pies, Wine, Eggnog, Martinelli's Sparkling Cider
• Friday
  Breakfast: Pie and Coffee
  Dinner: Leftovers and Snack Tray
• Saturday - Feast of Saint Andrew the Apostle
  Breakfast: Leftovers, Milk and Coffee
  Dinner: Leftover Casserole, Green Salad, Pies

What is on your menu this week? If you want a recipe, ask and I will provide it as soon as I can. If there are any starred recipes, I will follow up separately with a weekly recipe round up on Saturday.

Labels: Christ the King, Church Year, Faith and Morality, Family, Homemaking, Menu Plans, Tales from the Kitchen, Thanksgiving