The Triumphal Entry into Jerusalem

We have made it. This week is the penultimate week of the year. We are walking the Via Dolorosa with Christ. We live each of those days with Him. It is the busiest, hardest, most challenging week of our year. Meals this week are lighter and simpler, and follow the strictest fasting rules. Traditionally, a full fast begins on the evening of Maundy (Mandatum - from the new mandate/commandment Jesus gives, as He established the priesthood, the sacraments of the Eucharist and confession), and goes through the end of the Vigil on Saturday, as we await Jesus by the tomb. The events of this week are what give shape to every other week of our year. We have the priesthood, the Eucharist, confession, because of this week. We fast on Wednesdays and Fridays because of Judas' selling Jesus on Wednesday and Christ's crucifixion on Friday. We celebrate a little Paschal feast every Sunday. This week is the most important week in the year. It is such a significant week that it is eight days long. The Sunday of the Resurrection is the eighth day of creation.

The final three days of Holy Week are counted as a single unit, the Triduum, or three days, which are a continuous liturgy. It begins with the liturgy on Maundy Thursday, then with the Good Friday liturgies, venerating the cross and the mourning at the tomb, finishing with the Vigil on Saturday evening, which flows into the Paschal liturgy at midnight.

This week is our first week of spring break (though two of the kids are in a biology and geometry class with a hired teacher, and they have class this week), but it is our work week. I have already made the sheera and assembled the baq'lawa and put it in the freezer to bake on the day of the feast, and made the red dye for the eggs, the girls helped me put together the waraq 'ounab, and we have frozen them so we can just cook them on that day, as well. Bright Week is our actual week of "rest" for spring break, by which I mean, our kids sleep in and rest, and I will be making loads of the foods I normally make for the day of the feast.

I pray for a blessed Holy Week and Triduum for you all!

• Sunday - Palm Sunday
  Breakfast: Mana'eesh, Blackberries, Mint Tea with Honey, and Coffee
  Dinner: Herby Coconut-Poached Rockfish, Jasmine Rice, Fruit/Salads/Vegetable Side Dishes/Breads brought by Parishioners, Strawberries
• Monday - Holy Monday
  Breakfast: Lenten and Gluten Free Chocolate Chip Pancakes with Maple Syrup, Sliced Apples, Tea with Honey, and Coffee
  Dinner: Instant Pot Thai Vegetable Curry, Jasmine Rice, Mandarin Oranges
• Tuesday - Holy Tuesday
  Breakfast: Lenten French Toast (page 101 in Fasting as a Family), Baked Sweet Potato with Brown Sugar, Cardamom, Cinnamon and Clove for Jerome, Tea with Honey, and Coffee
  Dinner: East African Pilau, Portuguese Marinated Carrots, Sliced Cantaloupe
• Wednesday - Spy Wednesday
  Breakfast: Steel Cut Oats with Chopped Apples, Raisins, Cinnamon and Brown Sugar, Tea with Honey
  Dinner: Lentil Chimichangas (also from Fasting as a Family) with Prize Winning Roasted Tomato Salsa, Cilantro Lime Rice, Sliced Oranges
• Thursday - Maundy Thursday
  Breakfast: Peanut Butter Toast with Honey, Sliced Apples, Tea with Honey
  Dinner: Crab and Avocado Salad, Crackers (GF for Jerome), Fruit Plate
• Friday - Good Friday
  Breakfast: Fasting
  Dinner: Crudités, Crackers, and Fruit for Nejat
• Saturday - Vigil/Bright Saturday
  Breakfast: Potato Hash, Fruit, Tea with Honey for Younger Girls
  Dinner: Sirnica, Italian Bacon and Romano Pasqua Bread, Ham, Charcuterie Trio, Fancy Cheeses, Strawberries, Red Eggs, Ma'amoul, Chocolate Lambs, H'alawa, Sesame Candies, Chocolate Eggs, Jelly Bellies, all from our Pascha basket, to break the fast after the Vigil and Paschal Liturgy

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: Church Year, Faith and Morality, Family, Fasting as a Family, Holy Week, Homemaking, Lent, Menu Plans, Palm Sunday, Tales from the Kitchen, Triduum