Triduum Sacrum

We are now entering the last three days of Holy Week. 

"The Latin word triduum refers to a period of three days and has long been used to describe various three-day observances that prepared for a feast day through liturgy, prayer, and fasting. But it is most often used to describe the three days prior to the great feast of Easter: Holy Thursday, Good Friday, and Holy Saturday and the Easter Vigil."  You may read more here and here.

We are about to celebrate the greatest day of the year.  "The meaning of the great feast is revealed and anticipated throughout the Triduum, which brings the people of God into contact – through liturgy, symbol, and sacrament" ~ Carl E. Olsen

It what we share every Sunday in celebrating the Mass and what we look forward to as Catholics each year prior to Easter Sunday!  It's been an 'uncomfortable' Lent for me.  But, I feel closer to peace and this renewal time of my own baptism has brought out some messy things within me that needed tiding up.  So, yep I am looking forward to soaking up these last holy days.  The gift they hold need to sustain me until we are here again next year.

Our Plans  

Holy Thursday

"Holy Thursday is also known as "Maundy Thursday." The word maundy comes from the Latin word mandatum (commandment) which is the first word of the Gospel acclamation

Mandátum novum do vobis dicit Dóminus, ut diligátis ínvicem, sicut diléxi vos:"

I give you a new commandment: Love one another as I have loved you." (John 13:34)

~ catholic culture

 

With the hopes that our cleaning with be done we are going to keep these days simple and focused

 

To remind us 

Continue with the readings from our Lenten Ark, reading a Psalm a day, and Paschale-Mysterium-Gregorian-Chant-Easter in the background.  My library actually had this in the system and it should be here tomorrow.

 

From the Kitchen

• Judases a Czechoslovakian tradition.  These are twisted dough made to look like ropes.  Symbolic of the rope used by a remorseful Judas after his betrayal of Jesus. 
• Lamb chops and a green salad.  I'm tying in the lamb and greens as a gesture towards the Jesus' Last Supper

Good Friday

"It is accomplished; and bowing his head he gave up his spirit."

 From the kitchen: 

Last year we made these Hot Cross Buns.  I didn't add any icing until the next day when we ate them again Saturday morning.  I know some have concerns over eating anything sweet on such a somber day.  But, I looked at it this way; Jesus gave himself for me to live.  There is nothing sweeter, no gesture more pure than that.  We don't over indulge in eating these sweet little things, but instead remember his love while he died on that cross for us.

To remind us: 

Following last years plans.  We'll be making our Paschal Candle again.  Our home Paschal Candle is a reminder of the larger one at Church.  It is Jesus as our Light.  It becomes our visual light during prayer or time of reflection through out the year.  It need not be fancy or have every single symbol engraved or pasted on.  It merely needs to be that light "that dispels the darkness".

There are several places to find instructions here are some:

• catholic culture for basic directions
• Simple version from HomeSchool Goodies (quite nice too)
• Catechists Journey for directions and history

Sabbatum Sanctum

Holy Saturday

 "It has been called the "Second Sabbath" after creation. The day is and should be the most calm and quiet day of the entire Church year, a day broken by no liturgical function."

 To remind us

Easter egg decorating.  Perhaps we'll use this idea or this one

 From the kitchen: 

Resurrection cookies!  Here are two versions:

Mommies Idea Book

Catholic Cuisine

Easter Sunday

(a post for later)

Someone is growing up~

My sweet Rose has lost her first tooth.  This always makes me want to cry!

I believe inflation is at work here...5 bucks for a baby tooth is a bit much

Her father's idea mind you...

"...encourage one another and build each other up..."

~1 Thessalonians 5:11

For more on this read here

Part one

This may hit a nerve...but here it is. 

I know of people in situations where there is a break in the family.  Mother to daughter, brother to brother, son to father.  Choose your combination there is a division.  I've seen it start small and I've seen it result from an explosion....either way there is a hurt, then silience, then the words..."I need a break from you".  Maybe the words aren't even spoken?  The understanding is there, stay back.  At least for one of the people involved it's clear.  I've even heard of spiritual directors advice on "distancing oneself from those that aren't condusive to relationship with God". 

Fair right?  

If it takes you away from God cut it off, right?  Aren't we supposed to cut the weeds, the dead branches so that we may grow fruit?

But, without meaning to sound naive, is it that simple?

No, it's not and it's not easy for those involved...I'm sure of it.  There are circumstances, exceptions to be made where a distance is quite necessary.  But, I believe those situations are few.  My thing is this, has is gotten easier in this climate of me to cut what doesn't feel right too quickly?  Have we fallen, without knowledge, into a trap of satan himself?

I've read several posts and books about lenten reflections.  And this is what I'm reflecting on.  It's personal for me you see.  It's all around me it seems.  From family, friends, to those I don't even know there seems to be an infection going on within families. 

And I don't like it. 

to be continued

I Eat Weird ~

My friend Michelle has a cooking blog.  And not just any ol' cooking blog but a Gluten-Free/Vegetarian cooking blog.  I mean talk about talent.  Our family is neither gluten-free or vegetarians....but we are eaters and I've tried Michelle's cooking...it's AWESOME, TASTY, & whoa...bonus it's SUPER DUPER HEALTHY eating.

I eat weird is the blog...go check it out.

On the feast of St. Joseph

O glorious St. Joseph, you were chosen by God to be the foster father of Jesus, the most pure spouse of Mary ever Virgin, and the head of the holy family. You have been chosen by Christ's Vicar as the heavenly patron and protector of the Church founded by Christ. Therefore it is with great confidence that I implore your powerful assistance for the whole Church on earth. Protect in a special manner, with true fatherly love, the Pope and all bishops and priests in communion with the See of Peter. Be the protector of all who labor for souls amid the trials and tribulations of this life, and grant that all peoples of the world may follow Christ and the Church He founded.

Dear St. Joseph, accept the offering of myself which I now make to you. I dedicate myself to your service, that you may ever be my father, my protector, and my guide in the way of salvation. Obtain for me great purity of heart and a fervent love for the spiritual life. May all my actions, after your example, be directed to the greater glory of God, in union with the divine Heart of Jesus, the immaculate heart of Mary, and your own paternal heart.

Finally, pray for me that I may share in the peace and joy of your holy death.

Our ever growing St. Joseph Altar

~Plans~

craft:  I printed out the pages for 3 of my kids to make a St. Joseph lapbook

menu: 

dinner:  Minestrone Soup or a light version of Fettuccini without the chicken

dessert:  If there is time I'd like to do these St. Joseph Sfinges with Older Girl

*update:

We enjoyed honoring St. Joseph with a beautiful meal.  I love cooking with my kids, they really get into it and want to be a part of the whole process.  This meal was extra special because it lended itself to talk about why St. Joseph was so special.  His kindness and willingness to say 'yes' to God in such difficult circumstances was a testimony to his faith.  I hope we all can carry ourselves in such a way when the situations persent themselves.

The minestrone soup (link is above) was awesome!

Cream Puffs...oh my...so good!

St. Joseph Pray for Us

We are in need of your intercession and implore your help in the matters dear to our hearts

Scenes from St. Patrick's Day

Irish Soda Bread, a book, and coloring  pages waiting for the family

Victor was home with us to enjoy a hardy breakfast

Beginning their coloring pages...look at those little green grins

Yummy Shamrock pretzels!

I couldn't find the Pillsbury breadsticks so we bought their cinnamon twist version.  Easy and so good!

I have no pictures of our dinner but I did make this, this and had this for dessert

Key Lime Pie

Wordless Wednesday

Plans for St. Patrick ~

Menu Plans

We have a heavy hard heavy day ahead planned for tomorrow.  So I will do my best to make these plans happen...

Morning:  Irish Bread served with overeasy eggs, sausage and jam

Snack:  Sweet Shamrock Pretzels 

Dinner:  St. Patricks Beans or this Irish Beel and Guinnes Stew

Desert: Key Lime Pie or St. Patricks Peppermint shake...yum!

Since we'll be out for most of the day I have a few coloring sheets for the kids to do and several books to read while we travel to and fro.

~St. Patrick Pray for Us~

On the feast of St. Patrick ~

I bind unto myself today

The strong Name of the Trinity,

By invocation of the same,

The Three in One and One in Three.

I bind this day to me for ever.

By power of faith, Christ's incarnation;

His baptism in the Jordan river;

His death on Cross for my salvation;

His bursting from the spicèd tomb;

His riding up the heavenly way;

His coming at the day of doom;*

I bind unto myself today.

I bind unto myself the power

Of the great love of the cherubim;

The sweet 'well done' in judgment hour,

The service of the seraphim,

Confessors' faith, Apostles' word,

The Patriarchs' prayers, the Prophets' scrolls,

All good deeds done unto the Lord,

And purity of virgin souls.

I bind unto myself today

The virtues of the starlit heaven,

The glorious sun's life-giving ray,

The whiteness of the moon at even,

The flashing of the lightning free,

The whirling wind's tempestuous shocks,

The stable earth, the deep salt sea,

Around the old eternal rocks.

I bind unto myself today

The power of God to hold and lead,

His eye to watch, His might to stay,

His ear to hearken to my need.

The wisdom of my God to teach,

His hand to guide, His shield to ward,

The word of God to give me speech,

His heavenly host to be my guard.

Against the demon snares of sin,

The vice that gives temptation force,

The natural lusts that war within,

The hostile men that mar my course;

Or few or many, far or nigh,

In every place and in all hours,

Against their fierce hostility,

I bind to me these holy powers.

Against all Satan's spells and wiles,

Against false words of heresy,

Against the knowledge that defiles,

Against the heart's idolatry,

Against the wizard's evil craft,

Against the death wound and the burning,

The choking wave and the poisoned shaft,

Protect me, Christ, till Thy returning.

Christ be with me, Christ within me,

Christ behind me, Christ before me,

Christ beside me, Christ to win me,

Christ to comfort and restore me.

Christ beneath me, Christ above me,

Christ in quiet, Christ in danger,

Christ in hearts of all that love me,

Christ in mouth of friend and stranger.

I bind unto myself the Name,

The strong Name of the Trinity;

By invocation of the same.

The Three in One, and One in Three,

Of Whom all nature hath creation,

Eternal Father, Spirit, Word:

Praise to the Lord of my salvation,

Salvation is of Christ the Lord.

~"St. Patrick's Breastplate with its familiar words, "Christ behind me, Christ before me" has been an expression of Christian faith for many years..."

more found here

Little Flowers Meeting ~ Piety

I am posting a double feature of Little Flowers this month.  I needed to catch up.  Last Friday was our meeting and we went over the following virtue and saint.

~ Reading & Talk ~

Reading:  We moved on to learn about Bl. Jacinta.  Since this is a more recent saint the girls really connected with her story.  A young girl tending to her chores and gets to see our Blessed Mother...pretty cool.  Veronique read them a brief biography of Bl. Jacinta and spoke about the children's devotion to the rosary.

 

~ The Chat ~

The girls were given a simple definition of piety and what it means to be a pious person.  We used Jessica's idea of coloring in a rainbow with Fr. Lasance's "Color of Piety".  As the girls found their bright golds, celestial blues, and scarlet oranges we read from the page.  I proded and encouraged the girls to share their own pious actions and self-denial stories. 

This was one of the best talks...hands down a winner!

~ The Craft ~

We followed a suggested craft project from Little Flowers Craft Campanion guide and made sacred heart pocket necklaces.  We chose to use purple in observance of Lent and to further deepen this special time of prayer.  I used purple felt, a hand stitch around the hearts, gold puffy paint, ribbons and hot glue to attach the ribbons.  Each girl was given a piece of paper to write their prayer or offering and then place it inside their hearts.  They were long enough to wear as necklaces or if she prefered, she could place her heart somewhere in her room or prayer table. 

I don't know if you can see it in the picture but, the paper has an image of Jesus' Sacred Heart and the words "Jesus, Hear Our Prayer" on it.  On a personal note; one of the girls is holding a special prayer for my husband...and for that she has my gratitude.

~ snack time ~

Rainbow inspired cupcakes for the "Colors of Piety"

They enjoyed this little treat in middle of Lent

Almost half way through Lent...

Bl. Jacinta

Pray for each of our girls and us...their mommas

to grow more pious each day...especially now during this season of

Lent!

Little Flowers meeting ~ Love of Neighbor

I noticed...a little late...that I never posted our meeting from January.  A little late and not a whole lot of pictures either.  This was a loaded day with time consuming crafts.

Reading: St. Rose of Lima using parts of Holy Heros CD

Craft:  Church Birdhouses

Tea Craft:  Mosaic Flower Pots to serve as centerpieces for the LF Tea

~ Reading/Talk~

We always begin with prayers and the lighting of our LF candle.  Veronique read a story of St. Rose of Lima and then went into a brief talk on how St. Rose showed "love of neighbor" while she lived.  I then come in to further explain the virtue.  I don't really plan out what to say to the girls.  They are so little that having them sit close on the floor usually leads to some pretty great talks.  The main point is to make the virtue real for them.  I give examples of how they can grow in their virtue at home and with their very own family.

The prayer candle was made by Veronique and is lit prior to our opening prayer

~The Craft~

We move on to crafts right after our "talk".  This month we chose to use the Church Birdhouses we found at Oriental Trading Co.  The girls had an option to paint the completed birdhouses at home.  You can choose to paint or draw on them while at the meeting.  We just didn't have the time for it at ours.

~Tea Craft~

The tea craft was a really cute idea.  Last year Sarah and Kristi had the girls paints some pots to later serve as centerpieces at our tea.  The girls planted snapdragons into their pots...they looked cute.  This year we opted to do a mosaic project with the girls.  Finding the mosaic tiles took some time.  They aren't cheap and we had to be careful with the use of sharp glass pieces.  For 25 pots we used almost two bags of these.

But they turned out really cute!  Now I just need to grout them.

St. Rose of Lima

Pray for Us that we may show our Love of Neighbor

on a daily basis

St. Joseph Altar

St. Joseph Pray For Us!

(forgive the desparate look of my lilies...they are suffering)

Wordless Wednesday

*but not really...

Lent

O good and dearest Jesus, I kneel before your face. With all my heart I ask you to place in my heart more faith, hope and charity. Give me a true sorrow for my sins and a strong will to do better With great sorrow and grief I look upon your five wounds and think about them. Before my eyes are the words that the prophet David said of you, O good Jesus: "They have pierced my hands and feet They have numbered all my bones."

~ Holy Lent by Eileen O'Callaghan

O.K. 

I am renewed. 

Refocused. 

It is all on His feet that I lay my woes.  I look up at Him and release my fears and anxieties.  It isn't for me to carry the cross of others'.  It is for me to pray, to trust and to love...that's it. 

So I want to share some pictures around the house that remind me, daily, of the need to remain on the path of repentence.

With our Lenten Ark set out and a basket of books

Lenten Calendar

 ideas from Guiding your Catholic Preschooler & further inspired by Jessica

&

Alms Giving Jar

when surrounded with candles the message is beautiful!

He has a name~

Christopher

Overheard

Rose and Princess having a conversation:
P: "you know I'm going to be married to D"
R: "you can't marry D he is your cousin"
P:  "then who am I going to marry"
R:  "don't worry, he'll be a stranger to you, and then when you marry him you'll just get use to him being around"

Princess over the word Pocahontas:
"Oh I just love Pocamontes...she is so so beautiful...so so cute...yes I like that Poca...Poca...Pocasontes"

I found Princess in the kitchen right b4 lunch with two pieces of sandwich bread, a butter knife (plastic and kid friendly), and the jelly jar.
Me:  "what are you doing Princess (yes I used her right name)"
P:  "oh I'm making my sister a lunch."  "You know she just loves her sandwich and I'm going to give it to her"
She then gets down from the stool...walks over to me by the sink:
P:  "exooze me momma I need a plate"
With a plate in hand carrying a very nicely made jelly sandwich she rushes off to find sister (Rose).
P:  "Oh Rose (used her real name), I have your lunch for you...where are you sister here is your lunch...it's your favorite...jelly and bread"

Rose ate this sandwich made with love by her little sister and perhaps her biggest fan...it was so cute!