Maureen Meloche

Baking tells the Easter Story

Looking for a creative culinary activity that will teach children and others about the true meaning of EASTER?    

THE EMPTY TOMB ROLLS (also known as “Resurrection Rolls”) will not only dazzle and excite little hands but will make a lasting impact, and they taste good, too! The experience of creating these little delectables will more than fulfill your expectations. 

All you will need is:

  • 1 (10 ounce) package jumbo refrigerated crescent rolls 

  • ¼ cup sugar 

  • 1 tablespoon ground cinnamon 

  • 8 large marshmallows 

  • ¼ cup butter (melted) 

INSTRUCTIONS: 

  1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees.  Prepare a jumbo muffin pan with non-stick cooking spray. 

  2. Separate crescent rolls into 8 triangles and set aside.  Combine sugar and cinnamon in a small bowl. 

  3. Dip each marshmallow into butter, then roll in cinnamon sugar and place on a triangle dough.  Pinch dough around marshmallow, sealing all edges. MAKE SURE TO SEAL WELL OR THE MARSHMALLOW WILL ESCAPE. 

  4. Dip tops of dough into the remaining butter and then into the cinnamon-sugar.  Place roll with the sugar side up into the muffin cups. 

  5. Bake at 375 degrees for 13 – 15 minutes.  Eat warm.

  6. Open to reveal the empty tomb!

  7. Read the Easter story from the Bible found in Matthew 27-28, Mark 15-16, Luke 23-24 or in John 19-20. 

If you are not familiar with the Bible the same story is recounted by these four men, Matthew, Mark, Luke or John. The story is virtually the same but is found in these four places in the Bible.  How the rolls represent the Easter Story:

Jesus —marshmallow
After Jesus died on the cross he was wrapped in linen— roll in butter and cinnamon
Jesus put into tomb — crescent roll dough
3rd day Jesus has risen & no longer in tomb — open cooked roll to find NO marshmallow/“empty tomb”

Christ has risen. He has risen indeed!

-Sister Maureen Meloche, CSJ

ADVENT - A Time to Say YES

At dinnertime one evening just after Thanksgiving a few of us commented on how quickly the month of October was slipping away and I casually remarked that ADVENT would soon be on our doorstep and how much I loved the Season!  To my amazement, everyone chimed in “I love it too”!  Little did I know that I would receive a phone call the next day from one of our Sisters asking me to write a little reflection on “ WHAT ADVENT MEANS IN MY LIFE”.  Nothing happens by chance…our God is always at work!

ADVENT…a time to say “YES” to my life.  Maranatha, come Lord Jesus, come! Both of these prayers or mantras are implicit in Mary’s Magnificat.  I’m sure that after Gabriel’s visit, Mary was awed and humbled in remembering what God had done for her. Her response, immortalized in the Magnificat, also sings and resonates in my heart.  My soul celebrates Yahweh my God, and I rejoice constantly in LOVE, for all the great blessings my God has given me, one of no renown and nothing to offer nor attract the world, yet greater ones have not received as much. 

Image: Kenny Eliason/Unsplash

As I pondered these words, I was drawn last Advent to participate in a four week circle of friends united in contemplative reflections on our own stories and memories of the faith journeys we have been living.  Modeled on the four weeks of Advent and on the four mysteries of Mary’s life, we reflected on MARY as a LISTENING  WOMAN at the ANNUNCIATION, a WAITING WOMAN at her VISITATION WITH ELIZABETH, a DISCERNING WOMAN at the WEDDING FEAST OF CANA and a PROCLAIMING WOMAN at PENTECOST.  In these four roles, I saw Mary at PRAYER at both the Annunciation and at Pentecost and in ACTIVE SERVICE at the Visitation and at Cana.  Isn’t this the full CONTEMPLATIVE LIFE…PRAYER AND SERVICE? Both are DISCIPLESHIP and faith-filled experiences of her life and ours also.  As I recalled and celebrated my own stories, I realized just how much I too, have been touched and graced by such a merciful Saviour who has prepared great things for me and “called me by name”.

Praised be my God who fulfills all!   

-Sister Maureen Meloche, csj