Holy Thursday

Today Christians of many faith traditions gather to begin the solemn celebrations of Holy Week – sometimes referred to as the Triduum.  It is the celebration of the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ.  Many of us who take part in this extended sacred feast, have parts we like and other parts we find difficult to move through - and even that may change for us from year to year.

Of course, the liturgies of these days focus on the Scriptural texts which are both historical and theological and spiritual.  We probably all know the flow of the historical events as recounted in the Gospels of Matthew, Mark, Luke and John.  But these days are more than an historical remembering.  They have application and meaning today for each of us who try to understand how God is acting in us and in our world today. We need to understand that God’s action is still with us as we seek to respond to the woes and agonies of today.

“We need to understand that God’s action is still with us as we seek to respond to the woes and agonies of today.”

Today on Maundy Thursday many begin with a special supper, as Jesus and disciples did around the Seder supper.  I know that in my mind it is easy to slip into an “audience mentality” and watch the story unfold.  But much more is happening here.  I am being invited to see this story unfold with God’s eyes in my life and in our world today.  I am being invited to borrow God’s senses.  Therefore, this is not a forced experience, but a grace that is offered.  So God may offer us in some way, the capacity to see with God’s eyes, hear with God’s ears, and speak with God’s mouth, and love with God’s heart.

As we look around the world, and see the pain and suffering of so many, the deeper meaning is not to despair because of the pain and suffering and loss of so much, but to see it all with the eyes of love – the eyes of God.  This is a radical stance.  It is for me a grace and the invitation is to discover how God is inviting us to learn the meaning of hope.  As we remember together and ask to see this time with God’s eyes.

Sister Joan Atkinson, CSJ

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

Palm Sunday: Ancient Prophecy and Personal Remembrance

The Gospel of Matthew is chosen today by the Church to begin the Holy Week events leading to Jesus’ death and resurrection.  I have been reading about the juxtaposition of personal episodes that happened to Jesus as witnessed by the apostles and are rooted in the words of the Old Testament and its prophets concerning the Messiah who would appear.

In the Palm Sunday experience, Matthew explains that Jesus, heading to Jerusalem, reached Bethphage and called for a donkey and colt in the village ahead of them. As he rode through the town, the crowds spread palm branches on the road and hailed him “Son of David! Blessed is the one who comes in the name of the Lord!”

After Jesus’ death, the disciples remembered the amazing happening along the route and recalled the ancient Prophet saying, “Tell the daughter of Zion, ‘Look, your king is coming to you, humble, and mounted on a donkey and on a colt, the foal of a donkey.’”

During the reading of Palm Sunday’s Passion narrative, Matthew includes in his Gospel several other incidents that happened the day before Jesus’ crucifixion.  Later recalling them and realizing that these events were rooted in the prophets solidified forever that Jesus was indeed the promised Messiah.

Pointing to his disciples dispersing and hiding in fear after the Last Supper, Jesus spoke of a prophecy matching their behavior: “You will all become deserters because of me this night; for it is written, ‘I will strike the shepherd and the sheep of the flock will be scattered.’ But after I am raised up, I will go ahead of you to Galilee.’” No doubt due to fear, it was some time after the crucifixion that the disciples remembered the prophecy to which Jesus had referred.

After Judas betrayed Jesus with a kiss and thirty pieces of silver, Matthew writes that Judas repented but hanged himself.  After conferring, the chief priests used the money to buy the potter’s field as a place to bury foreigners. Then was fulfilled what had been spoken through the Prophet Jeremiah, “And they took the thirty pieces of silver… and gave them for the potter’s field.”

Gospel writers Mark, Luke and John also quoted Old Testament prophecies to validate that Jesus is indeed the Messiah.  The written word of the Gospel, eyewitness accounts, the prophetic word of the Old Testament prophets and the fulfillment of the prophetic word give authenticity to Jesus as Messiah.

-Sister Jean Moylan, CSJ

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Image: Unsplash/Brooke Lark

If You're Happy and You Know It...

“If You’re Happy and you Know it Clap Your Hands!”
World Happiness Day

Most of us are familiar with the children’s song that begins, “If you’re happy and you know it clap your hands”! International World Happiness Day – and there really is such a day - invites us to do just that, to celebrate happiness and to strive to create happiness across the world and locally where our own feet are!

International World Happiness Day, established by the United Nations in 2013, is celebrated each March 20th. The intent of the day is a reminder of the importance of happiness in the lives of people around the world. It is a day to highlight happiness as a universal human goal and is closely associated with the U.N. Sustainable Development Goals which seek to end human poverty, to reduce inequality and to protect the planet.

The past 3 years have been hard and discouraging for many. Yet, the World Happiness Report, 2022 reminds us that despite such dark times there are also many current examples of profound human kindness and increased social support on which we are invited to reflect .[1]

Attitudes also count in significant ways. It is no coincidence that with the release of the World Happiness Report each year, the Nordic countries surpass all others. “Why”? There are obvious factors such as the smallness of each of these nations but there is also more. Whether democracy, political rights, social networks, fair distribution of resources, gender equality, and other such factors are considered, the Nordic countries are always found at the top of the happiness lists!

In a business report, Fanny Aberg, of the executive company “Nordic Minds” says, in the Nordic countries, “family always comes first”. It is primarily a question of work/life balance. She continues “working hours are based on when you want to spend time with your family. It’s perfectly normal to turn off your computer at 4pm and pick up the children from daycare, spend the afternoon with them and eat dinner together.” Life in the workplace is marked by listening to all employees and informality and ambience matters in the workplace. Meetings include the Swedish tradition of “fika”; the sharing of coffee and pastries as friends.[2] Linked to this is the Scandinavian “Hygge (pronounced hooga) lifestyle. Hygge, is translated as “a quality of coziness and comfortable conviviality”.[3] Home life is enjoyed, dressed down in comfortable clothes, enjoying conversation and warmth together and eating comfort food. Perhaps we have much to learn from these countries! Happiness in Scandinavia is likely to be defined by a sense of simple contentment.

So, let’s celebrate this World Happiness Day – reflecting on our lifestyles, being grateful for and sharing our blessings with others. Let’s reach out to someone on this day to bring happiness to their life.

-Sister Mary Rowell, CSJ

[1] World Happiness Report, 2022 see: worldhappinessreport/ed/2022

[2] See:www.businessinsider.com/world-happiness-report-nordic-countries-why-work-culture-lifestyle;better-2022-4

[3] Merriam Webster Dictionary

St. Joseph's Day

Today the Sisters of St. Joseph mark another year to celebrate the feast of our patron, St. Joseph.  We don’t know much about him from Scripture and what we do know mostly centers around the Nativity stories as told in the Scripture.  We don’t know when he was born or when he died.  So what do we as Sisters of St. Joseph find so compelling about this quiet carpenter?  The image of pilgrim comes to mind.  Not a pilgrim that goes out to the desert to find God, but one who is open to find God where we are.  Joseph can teach us how to discover the presence of God within and around us.  

Growing into the life of God is not an exercise in spiritual gymnastics.  It is one long, day by day attempt to put on the mind of God wherever we are and whatever happens to us along the way. 

Growing into the life of God is not endless prayer taking us out of life’s challenges.  In fact, like Joseph, we are here to grow through everyone of those challenges and move day by day into a deeper communion with God.  If we do have special prayers or leave for some quiet time, these are little rests along the way meant to build our strength for the rest of journey ahead.

“like Joseph, we are here to grow through everyone of those challenges and move day by day into a deeper communion with God”

Joseph’s quiet and challenging life reminds us that we usually find God in the ordinary things we do day by day.  The many attempts we make to turn our attention towards God, in prayer, in service, in compassionate listening are simply signs that God is with us.  This is what Joseph’s life journey can show.  Joseph, an ordinary carpenter listened deeply and met the challenges of each day.  Joseph was not God, but a mentor for any of us who want to know how God is present in our daily lives.

Happy St. Joseph’s Day to all who have shared this journey and continue to seek God each day.

-Sister Joan Atkinson, CSJ

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Header Image: Unsplash/Saint John's Seminary