Painting an Easter Calendar

Have you seen this gorgeous 2020 Easter Calendar (affiliate link) from Clear Creek Family?!? 

I printed it out for my children to color this Easter, but have actually been enjoying painting it myself a little bit at a time each day! I've been wanting to spend some time painting with water colors for years and finally have had the opportunity... in about 10 minute increments! I'm loving it. 

(Note: It's based on the Traditional/Extraordinary Form Calendar.) 

2020 Easter Calendar • Pocket Box of Water Color Paints • Water Brush

Go download it now over on Etsy! 

{affiliate link} 

Happy Easter! Alleluia! 

Good Friday Lenten Dinner for Children

Every year our children look forward to our Lenten Dinners which were originally inspired Alice's Lenten Teas. Here is the link to this year's Holy Thursday Lenten Dinner.

For a number of years, when we are all able to go to Stations and the Veneration of the Cross, I would move this particular dinner to either Passion Sunday or Holy Saturday and just serve soup and Hot Cross Buns on Good Friday.  Last year we had it on Holy Saturday (which also happened to be our daughter's birthday, before heading to the beautiful, and very long, Easter Vigil Mass as a whole family for the first time!) This year, due to the pandemic and stay-home order I had the time to pull this simple and symbolic dinner together once again on Good Friday as our one family meal for the day.

My Book of the Church's Year

Even though there are a number of menu items, it basically just includes the ingredients to assemble your own burrito along with a hard boiled egg, a fruit leather and a Hot Cross Bun.  While the Hot Cross Buns were rising, we spent the afternoon praying along with our parish's live stream of Stations of the Cross and Good Friday Service.

~ The Water Bowl ~

Glasses of Water to drink and a bowl of water for washing hands...

"Pilate took water and washed his hands before the crowd saying, "I am innocent of this righteous man's blood." Matthew 27: 24

~ The King's Crown ~

A Small Bean, Cheese and Chip Crown... We use it to make burritos. 

"And Pilate asked Him, 'Are you the King of the Jews?' And He answered him, 'You have said so.'" Mark 15: 2

~ Out of Envy ~

Avocado slices, also for the burritos, which are green for "envy"

"[H]e perceived that it was out of envy that the chief priests had delivered Him up." Mark 15: 10

~ The Purple Cloak ~

As usual, Grape Fruit Leather was served for the Purple Cloak. I remembered to pick up a box during my last big Costco haul a couple weeks ago... 

"And they clothed Him in a purple cloak . . . ." Mark 15: 17

~ The Crown of Thorns ~

Usually we make Crown of Thorns with Ritz Crackers, Peanut Butter, and Pretzels.... I finally managed to get peanut butter from Costco, but we don't have the crackers or pretzels so I ended up just going with our centerpiece for this menu item this year.   

On Easter Sunday the thorns in our Crown of Thorns centerpiece are replaced with flowers and the purple candle with our Paschal Candle. 

". . . and, plaiting a crown of thorns they put it on him." Mark 15: 17

~ Golgotha Eggs ~

Thanks to our hens, and the beautiful spring weather that is finally starting to arrive, we have lots of eggs! Our 16 year old drew skulls on the Golgotha Egg this year using Food Decorating Pens. I really love how easy it is to prepare our eggs with our countertop egg cooker. They are so much easier to peel too! 

"And they brought Him to the place called Golgotha (which means the place of the skull)" Mark 15: 22

~ The Seamless Garment ~

Using my kitchen scissors, I quickly cut the tortillas to look like a seamless garment and cubes of cheese for the dice used to cast lots.

"But the tunic was without seam, woven from top to bottom; so they said to one another, 'Let us not tear it, but cast lots for it to see whose it shall be.'" John 19: 23-24

~ The Two Robbers ~

Last month I picked up a basil plant at the store and pulled some leaves off to serve with our Good Friday dinner. The two fresh sprigs of Basil (each) are used to represent the two robbers. Legend has it that the Basil plant grew around the site of Christ's crucifixion. Basil is also symbolic of both hatred and best wishes. The taunting thief and the good thief come to mind.

And with Him they crucified two robbers, one on His right and one on His left." Mark 15: 27

~ Vinegar to Drink ~

"And one ran and, filling a sponge full of vinegar, put it on a reed and gave it to him to drink, saying 'Wait, let us see whether Elijah will come to take Him down.'" Mark 15: 36

~ The Temple Curtain ~

Tearing Temple Curtains (aka Napkins) in half... After dinner Bud went to grab the copy of The Picture Bible to show me the pages he had recently read.  

The Picture Bible - Highly recommend this picture bible for young children!

"And the curtain of the temple was torn in two, from top to bottom." Mark 15: 38

~ The Roman Centurion ~

100 Cherry Tomatoes represent the 100 Roman Centurion.

"And when the centurion, who stood facing Him, saw that He thus breathed His last, he said, 'Truly this man was the Son of God.'" Mark 15: 39

~ Laid in the Tomb ~

Hot Cross Buns were included for this menu item this year. 

"And he brought a linen shroud, and taking Him down, wrapped him in the linen shroud, and laid Him in a tomb which had been hewn out of the rock; and he rolled a stone against the door of the tomb."

The Wonder Offering

You can find the pictures from our 2009, 2010, 2011, and 2015 Good Friday dinners in the archives for Good Friday. You can also download and print our small card stock signs here.

Next we'll start baking our Paska and molding butter for Easter Sunday! 

Holy Thursday Lenten Dinner

My Holy Week Missal • The Wonder Offering

Back in 2009 we had our first Lenten Tea on Holy Thursday which eventually evolved into an annual Lenten Dinner on either Holy Thursday or Palm Sunday, depending on the year. We have a second on wither Good Friday or Passion Sunday as well. These have definitely become a favorite Lenten tradition in our home. I wasn't expecting to have everyone home this Holy Week and Easter, so that is definitely an unexpected blessing that has come out of this whole quarantine and stay-home orders. I'm treasuring this extra time with our whole family all together.

Holy Thursday Tenebrae - Watched on our parish's Live Stream

~ Palm on the Road ~

I picked up a can of Hearts of Palm from Trader Joe's to slice and serve...
 along with some avocado slices to garnish the soup.

"And many spread their garments on the road, and others spread leafy branches which they had cut from the fields." Mk. 11:8

~ Costly Oil ~

Balsamic vinegar and some "costly oil" dipping sauce for the bread. 

"And truly, I say to you, wherever the gospel is preached in the whole world, what she has done will be told in memory of her." Mk. 14:9

~ Thirty Pieces of Silver ~

We rounded up thirty pieces of "silver" to donate. 

The Holy Gospels of St. Luke and St. John

"Then one of the twelve, who was called Judas Iscariot, went to the chief priests and said, 'What will you give me if I deliver him to you?' And they paid him thirty pieces of silver." Mt. 25: 14-15

~ Unleavened Bread ~

 Technically Naan is a leavened bread… but I had picked up a couple packages on my last shopping trip and  package it's perfect to serve along with the Chicken Curry Soup. 

"And on the first day of Unleavened Bread, when they sacrificed the passover lamb, his disciples said to Him, 'Where will you have us go and prepare for you to eat the passover?'" Mk. 14:12

~ The Mount of Olives ~

This year's Mount of Olives was a couple cans of Black Olives.

"And when they had sung a hymn, they went out to the Mount of Olives." Mk. 14:26

~ The Cock Crows Twice ~

I had homemade chicken broth in the fridge and used it along with chicken thighs to make Chicken Curry soup. I hadn't made this particular recipe since 2014 and everyone loved it. 

 
Picture book in right picture: The Wonder Offering

"And Jesus said to him, 'Truly, I say to you, this very night, before the cock crows twice, you will deny me three times.'" Mk. 14:30

~ Gethsemane Figs ~

A box of Fig Newton's that I had purchased for St. Joseph's Day, but never did use, was an easy addition for the Gethsemane Figs. 

"And they went to a place which was called Gethsemane; and he said to his disciples, 'Sit here, while I pray.'" Mk. 14:32

~ Judas' Kiss ~

One Hershey Kiss each to represent Judas' Kiss. 

"And when he came, he went up to him at once, and said, 'Master!' And he kissed him." Mk. 14:45

~ The Clouds of Heaven ~

I didn't have any Greek yogurt to serve on top of the soup, so I opted for sour cream.  

"And Jesus said, 'I am; and you will see the Son of man seated at the right hand of Power, and coming with the clouds of heaven.'" Mk. 14:62

~ Peter's Tears ~

… salted almonds. 

St. Peter from Almond Rod Toys

"And immediately the cock crowed a second time. And Peter remembered how Jesus had said to him, 'Before the cock crows twice, you will deny me three times.' And he broke down and wept." Mk. 14:72

**Our college boys haven't had their hair cut since Christmas break... 

It needs to happen one way or another before Easter!

 (You can download my document for our card stock signs with Bible verses over at Dropbox.) 

You can scroll through all our past Holy Thursday Lenten Dinners here. 

After dinner we prayed along with our parish's live steam of the Pre-1955 Mass of the Last Supper. 

For more past Lent and Easter posts:
The Lenten Season In Our Catholic Home
Easter - Pentecost :: From the Archives

Holy Thursday 2019

I never did get around to sharing these pictures last year... As I was working on this year's post I decided to dig them up and add them to the blog too. Every year it ends up being a little different depending on the groceries I have on hand and how busy we are outside the home as well... This (2019) was our first Lenten Dinner in our new home before heading to the Pre-1955 Mass of the Last Supper at our parish... Our three high schoolers were at golf practice and met us at the church, our toddler was sleeping when I took pictures, and baby wasn't born yet!

 (You can download my document for the printable Bible verse signs over at Dropbox.)  

~ Palm on the Road ~

I had forgotten to pick up Hearts of Palm, so we just pulled out the Holy Week blocks! 

"And many spread their garments on the road, and others spread leafy branches which they had cut from the fields." Mk. 11:8

~ Costly Oil ~

Olive Oil and Salad

"And truly, I say to you, wherever the gospel is preached in the whole world, what she has done will be told in memory of her." Mk. 14:9

~ Thirty Pieces of Silver ~

We rounded up thirty pieces of "silver" to donate. 

"Then one of the twelve, who was called Judas Iscariot, went to the chief priests and said, 'What will you give me if I deliver him to you?' And they paid him thirty pieces of silver." Mt. 25: 14-15

~ Unleavened Bread ~

 Technically Naan is a leavened bread… but the kids all love it and it's a special "treat" for this meal.

"And on the first day of Unleavened Bread, when they sacrificed the passover lamb, his disciples said to Him, 'Where will you have us go and prepare for you to eat the passover?'" Mk. 14:12

~ The Mount of Olives ~

This year's Mount of Olives was a can of Black Olives.

"And when they had sung a hymn, they went out to the Mount of Olives." Mk. 14:26

~ The Cock Crows Twice ~

This time it was just a Costco Rotisserie Chicken...

"And Jesus said to him, 'Truly, I say to you, this very night, before the cock crows twice, you will deny me three times.'" Mk. 14:30

~ Gethsemane Figs ~

"And they went to a place which was called Gethsemane; and he said to his disciples, 'Sit here, while I pray.'" Mk. 14:32

~ Sleepy Apostles ~ 

Hot Cocoa for those who don't love "Sleepy Time Tea"... Hoping it'd be enough to keep them awake through the long Mass. It was! 

 

"And he came and found them sleeping, and he said to Peter, "Simon, are you asleep? Could you not watch one hour?" Mk. 14:37

~ Judas' Kiss ~

One Hershey Kiss each to represent Judas' Kiss. 

"And when he came, he went up to him at once, and said, 'Master!' And he kissed him." Mk. 14:45

~ The Clouds of Heaven ~

This year our "clouds" were mashed potatoes! 

"And Jesus said, 'I am; and you will see the Son of man seated at the right hand of Power, and coming with the clouds of heaven.'" Mk. 14:62

~ Peter's Tears ~

… salted almonds. 

"And immediately the cock crowed a second time. And Peter remembered how Jesus had said to him, 'Before the cock crows twice, you will deny me three times.' And he broke down and wept." Mk. 14:72

For more past Lent and Easter posts:
The Lenten Season In Our Catholic Home
Easter - Pentecost :: From the Archives