Search this site

Maundy Thursday begins the sacred journey of the Easter Triduum (pronounced tree-do-um ), the “Three Days” that span from sundown on Maundy Thursday to sundown on Easter Sunday. These are the holiest and most solemn days of the Christian year, drawing us into the heart of our faith. On this night, we remember the Last Supper, the washing of the disciples’ feet, the institution of the Holy Eucharist, and Christ’s lonely vigil in the Garden of Gethsemane. It is a night filled with holy mystery, a quiet, reverent threshold into the power and sorrow of His Passion. Knowing his hour had come, Jesus spent his final evening in intimate fellowship with his disciples, breaking bread, bending low to serve, and pouring out his love in word, action, and prayer. The Scripture Story of Maundy Thursday On Maundy Thursday, the Church remembers the night Christ observed the Passover with his disciples right before his betrayal and arrest. The Passover Supper was pivotal in the lives of the Jewish people because it commemorated their deliverance from slavery in Egypt when God acted mightily on their behalf. It was on this night that God established the Old Covenant, choosing Israel as His people and sealing that covenant with the blood of a spotless lamb. “The blood shall be a sign for you on the houses where you are. And when I see the blood, I will pass over you.” —Exodus 12:13 On the night of the Passover, the Israelites were told to take a spotless lamb and prepare it for a meal. They were then to take the blood of the lamb and cover their lintel and doorposts. This was a sign for the angel of death to 'pass over' their homes during the tenth plague, sparing their firstborn from death.  Jesus, Our Sacrificial Lamb The New Testament draws direct parallels between the sacrificial lamb of Passover and Jesus' sacrifice. In the Gospel of John, John the Baptist, upon seeing Jesus walk up, refers to him as the Lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world (John 1:29). Jesus acknowledges this connection at the Last Supper when he takes bread and wine and says: “This is my body... this is my blood... Do this in remembrance of me.” He introduces the elements as his body and blood, foreshadowing his impending sacrifice and revealing that this Last Supper is the fulfillment of the Passover ritual. In that moment, time seemed to bend—reaching back to the blood of lambs smeared on ancient doorposts and forward to the blood that would soon stain a Roman cross. Just as the blood of the lamb in Exodus marked salvation for the Israelites, so the blood of Jesus, shed on the cross, became the means of salvation for all who place their trust in him. With these words, Jesus instituted the celebration of Holy Communion or Holy Eucharist, transforming the Passover meal into the New Covenant, sealed by his own blood. As the lamb’s blood once saved the Israelites, the blood of Christ would bring salvation to the whole world. “This cup is the new covenant in my blood. Do this, as often as you drink it, in remembrance of me.” —1 Corinthians 11:25 The Washing of Feet and the Mandatum After the meal, Jesus rose, removed his outer garments, and assumed the role of a servant. This is the great inversion - the Lord becomes the servant, the Master stoops. He washes the dust and filth from the feet of men who scarcely understood Him. One would betray, one would deny, all would abandon, and still He knelt. He poured water into a basin and began to wash his disciples’ feet, drying them with the towel wrapped around him. He said to them, “A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. By this, all men will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.” (John 13:34-35) This new command, from the Latin mandatum , is where Maundy Thursday takes its name. The Maundy Thursday Service The Church lives out this moment each year in the Maundy Thursday liturgy. Following Christ’s example, many churches include a foot-washing ceremony during the service. In some traditions, the priest washes the feet of several parishioners; in others, the congregation takes turns washing one another’s feet, reenacting that tender and surprising moment of Christ’s servanthood. After the foot washing, the liturgy moves to the celebration of the Holy Eucharist, just as Jesus shared bread and wine with his disciples at the Last Supper. This moment, so solemn and sacred, is the heart of the Maundy Thursday service, when we remember that Christ will give himself fully for our redemption. Following Communion, the Blessed Sacrament is set apart and reverently processed to a small side altar, called the Altar of Repose. This represents Christ going to the Garden of Gethsemane, where he asked his disciples to “watch and pray.” The Stripping of the Altar Then, one of the most somber moments occurs, the Stripping of the Altar. At the end of the service, all candles are removed, the altar is stripped bare, crosses and other reminders of Jesus are put away, and the Church is left empty and dark. After a short reading about the arrest in the Garden of Gethsemane, the congregation leaves the Church in total silence in preparation for the solemnity of the crucifixion of Jesus on Good Friday. The church doors are left open so that people may come and sit before the Altar of Repose. At the Altar of Repose, we remember Christ’s anguish in the Garden of Gethsemane, how he asked his disciples to watch and pray with him, and how they all fell asleep, leaving him to pray alone.  We remember his betrayal by Judas, his desertion by the disciples, his trial, and his denial by Peter.  And lastly, we remember how he was mocked and beaten and how He loved us to the end. Ways to Celebrate: Attend the Maundy Thursday service at your church.  Sign up for a time to bring your family to the Altar of Repose. This is such a touching thing to do with your family!  We don’t want Christ to be alone on this night, so we go to the altar and “watch and pray” with him just as he asked his disciples that night. If going to the Altar of Repose would be too much to expect from your children, hold a vigil in your home upon returning from the Maundy Thursday service. Light a candle, sit quietly in a darkened room for a few minutes, and then Read Matthew 26:17-29 or Luke 22:7-38 with your family.  Have a foot-washing ceremony with your family.  Eat a meal reminiscent of the meal Jesus and his disciples ate. Remind your children that this meal is different from the Jewish Passover Meal because we are not awaiting the Messiah, Jesus already died and saved us. Because of this, Christians are not obligated to celebrate the Passover meal. Jesus has given us a new obligation, to celebrate the Eucharist in remembrance of Him. We are merely remembering, through food, what it must have been like for Jesus and his disciples. Suggested foods: Bitter Herbs: Dip a bunch of parsley in salt water and taste it. Haroset: Applesauce with cinnamon. Unleavened bread: Crackers, store-bought matzo or pita bread will all work. Wine: red wine or grape juice for the children. Lamb: You could make a dish made with lamb or a roast.

Today is Holy Wednesday or Spy Wednesday. Spy Wednesday is the Wednesday before Easter Sunday, commemorating the day that Judas Iscariot made a deal with the chief priests to betray Jesus for thirty pieces of silver. It is called "Spy" Wednesday because Judas acted as a spy, secretly plotting to turn Jesus over to his enemies. Spy Wednesday is a difficult day. How might one of Jesus’ companions turn against and betray him? Someone who has witnessed the love and power of God through Jesus approaches the religious leaders and asks them what they would give him for Jesus. What drove him to this? We are told in scripture that he has secretly been stealing money from Jesus but there also seems to be more going on. Was he hoping that the arrest of Jesus would be the spark that launched a Jewish rebellion against the Romans? Was he fed up with Jesus’ upside-down teachings? We can only guess his motives. But we can look at our own hearts and motives. Reflecting on Judas’ betrayal is also difficult because it is a powerful reminder of our capacity for betrayal. We have to ask ourselves what powerful forces drive us to steal from Jesus and betray him. Ways to celebrate : Read John 12:1-11 and Matthew 26:1-25 as a family. Discuss: Why do you think Judas was bothered by what Mary did? Why do you think Judas decided to betray Jesus? What is the difference between Mary’s response to Jesus and Judas’ What must it have been like for Jesus to be betrayed by one of his closest friends? Make Jidáše, a Czech Sweet Bread. Jidáše are shaped to look as if they were made from a rope on which the apostle Judas hanged himself after he had betrayed Jesus. And that’s where the Czech pastry Jidáš (Judas) got its name from! Jidáše Ingredients 4 cups all-purpose flour 1.1/4 cups whole milk lukewarm 2 teaspoons active dry yeast ⅔ stick butter unsalted melted and a bit cooled 2 egg yolks ⅓ cup granulated sugar pinch of salt 1 whole egg for egg wash 2 Teaspoons honey to glaze Jidáše after baking Instructions Put the flour into a bowl and make a well in the middle. Pour in two-thirds of the lukewarm milk. Add ½ teaspoon of sugar and the yeast. Take a fork and stir the flour in from the sides, until a small puddle of semiliquid batter forms in the middle. Dust its surface slightly with flour and let it rise for 30 minutes. Meanwhile, heat the butter. It shouldn’t be hot, just warm. Add the melted butter to the bowl with activated yeast, add yolks, a pinch of salt, and the rest of the lukewarm milk and sugar. Stir everything together with a wooden spoon, then knead the mixture until it turns smooth and stiff and it doesn’t stick—or it´s sticky only a little bit. I knead and fold the dough with my hands on a dusted kitchen worktop for 10 minutes. Don't underestimate this step. Let the dough rise for a further 30 minutes. Divide the raised dough into pieces of about 2 1/2 oz each. Roll each piece into a string about 10 inches (25 cm) long and 2/3 inch thick, then form a spiral. Flatten the end of the string and tuck it under the spiral so that the Jidáše doesn't roll up on itself during baking. Transfer the finished Jidáše to a tray lined with baking paper, cover them with a clean towel, and let them rise for 45 minutes. Heat the oven to 350 °F. Whisk the egg in a separate bowl to make egg wash, and brush the Jidáše with it. Bake Jidáše for 15 minutes until they turn golden brown. Melt the honey so it gets liquid, and glaze Jidáše right after taking them out of the oven. Notes Makes about 10–15 pieces of Jidáše pastry, depending on their size. Jidáše glazed with honey is sticky, but it should be that way; it is honey after all. The sooner you glaze them, the less sticky their surface will be. Like all yeast dough pastries, Jidáše taste best on the day they are baked.

Today is Holy Tuesday, also known as Fig Tuesday, which is marked by a series of poignant teachings and parables from Jesus, as well as one curious act that speaks volumes, the cursing of the fig tree. In the Gospel of Matthew (21:18-22) and Mark (11:12-14, 20-25), Jesus approaches a fig tree in hunger. Finding no figs, He curses it, and by the next day, it has withered. It’s a dramatic moment, not about produce but about fidelity. The fig tree becomes a living parable: a warning against empty religiosity and a call to bear the fruit of genuine faith. On this day, Jesus also engages in confrontations with the authorities in Jerusalem, delivering some of his most memorable parables and teachings, including the Parable of the Two Sons (Matthew 21:28-32), the Parable of the Tenants (Matthew 21:33-46), and the Parable of the Wedding Banquet (Matthew 22:1-14). Each one presses us to examine not just our words, but our response, do we have this kind of faith? Holy Tuesday doesn’t ask for fanfare. It asks for faith. Ways to Celebrate Read Matthew 21:18-22. Continue your spring cleaning. Eat something with figs in it like fig preserves or fig newtons!

It’s Monday of Holy Week! According to the gospel of Matthew (Matthew 21:12-17), right after Jesus enters Jerusalem, he immediately goes to the temple. He drives out the money changers so it seems appropriate that the Monday and Tuesday of Holy Week are set aside for spring cleaning! Traditionally, Monday and Tuesday of Holy Week have been used for accomplishing the bulk of the work for Easter day. Easter Sunday is the most important feast day and is a time for joyous celebration so as little work as possible was supposed to be done on that special day. Monday and Tuesday of Holy Week were set aside to get the bulk of the work out of the way. The cleaning, cooking, and ironing were done by Wednesday so that the rest of Holy Week and Easter could be enjoyed with no distractions. I love this Holy Monday tradition, especially for us moms, where it seems like Easter brings more work and stress than normal. Years ago, I started trying to clean and prep at the beginning of the week and it did seem to help. We don't get everything done that was on my list and it still ends up being stressful but I like to think that we are getting enough of it done so that we can more fully participate in Holy Week. Ways to celebrate: Read Matthew 21:12-12 as a family. Have you ever seen Jesus act like this before? Why do you think he is so frustrated? What do you think the temple should have been like? Spring clean! Assign chores to each family member, put on some good worship music, and clean your house! If you have some things that you can make in advance for Easter, go ahead and make them. I make casseroles during these days and put them in the freezer. I set them out to thaw on Holy Saturday and simply pop them in the oven to make on Easter Day.

On Maundy Thursday, the Church remembers the night Christ observed the Passover with his disciples right before his betrayal and arrest. The Passover Supper was pivotal in the lives of the Jewish people because it commemorated their deliverance from slavery in Egypt when God acted mightily on their behalf. It also meant that God chose them and made them his special people. God established the Old Covenant with the Jewish people at the Passover and promised to be their God. On the night of the Passover, the Israelites were told to take a spotless lamb and prepare it for a meal. They were then to take the blood of the lamb and cover their lintel and doorposts. This was a sign for the angel of death to 'pass over' their homes during the tenth plague, sparing their firstborn from death.  The New Testament draws direct parallels between the sacrificial lamb of Passover and Jesus' sacrifice. In the Gospel of John, John the Baptist, upon seeing Jesus walk up, refers to him as the Lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world. Jesus acknowledges this connection at the Last Supper when he breaks bread and shares wine with his disciples. He introduces the elements as his body and blood, foreshadowing his impending sacrifice and showing that his Last Supper is the fulfillment of the Passover ritual. Just as the blood of the lamb in Exodus was a means of salvation for the Israelites, the blood of Jesus shed on the cross was the means of salvation for all who put their trust in him. During this Passover meal, the celebration of Holy Communion, or Holy Eucharist, was instituted by Christ. In I Corinthians 1:25-26, we read, “In the same way also he took the cup, after supper, saying, “This cup is the new covenant in my blood. Do this, as often as you drink it, in remembrance of me.” Amidst the celebration of the Old Covenant, Christ announces the beginning of the New Covenant, which is sealed by his blood. After the meal, Jesus rose, removed his outer garments, and assumed the role of a servant. He poured water into a basin and began to wash his disciples’ feet, drying them with the towel wrapped around him. He said to them, “A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. By this, all men will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.” (John 13:34-35) This new command, from the Latin mandatum, is where Maundy Thursday takes its name. This is why many churches have a foot washing service on Maundy Thursday. Following Jesus’ example, the priests wash the feet of those in the congregation or are the first to wash the feet of those in the congregation, who then take turns washing each other’s feet.  After everyone has received the Bread and Wine of Holy Communion, the Blessed Sacrament is set apart and processed to a small altar called the Altar of Repose, where the faithful are asked to “watch and pray” throughout the night.  Then, one of the most somber moments occurs—the Stripping of the Altar. At the end of the service, all candles are removed, the altar is stripped bare, crosses and other reminders of Jesus are put away, and the Church is left empty and dark. After a short reading about the arrest in the Garden of Gethsemane, the congregation leaves the Church in total silence in preparation for the solemnity of the crucifixion of Jesus on Good Friday. The church doors are left open so that people may come and sit before the Altar of Repose. At the Altar of Repose, we remember Christ’s anguish in the Garden of Gethsemane, how he asked his disciples to watch and pray with him, and how they all fell asleep, leaving him to pray alone.  We remember his betrayal by Judas, his desertion by the disciples, his trial, and his denial by Peter.  And lastly, we remember how he was mocked and beaten and how He loved us to the end. Ways to Celebrate: Attend the Maundy Thursday service at your church. If your church does not have one, find one in your area that does. Read Matthew 26:17-29 or Luke 22:7-38 with your family. Discuss - What do you think it means when Jesus says that the bread is his body and the wine is his blood? Do you think the disciples were confused? Do you recognize some of the words that Jesus used? Read John 13:1-17 Discuss - What does it mean that Jesus washed his disciples’ feet? Who normally washed feet during Jesus’ times? What does Jesus tell his disciples to do after he washes their feet? Have a foot-washing ceremony with your family. Eat a meal reminiscent of the meal Jesus and his disciples ate. Remind your children that this meal is different than the Jewish Passover Meal because we are not awaiting the Messiah, Jesus already died and saved us. Because of this, Christians are not obligated to celebrate the Passover meal. Jesus has given us a new obligation, to celebrate the Eucharist in remembrance of Him. We are merely remembering, through food, what it must have been like for Jesus and his disciples. Suggested foods: Bitter Herbs: Dip a bunch of parsley in salt water and taste it. Haroset: Applesauce with cinnamon. Unleavened bread: Crackers, store-bought matzohs or pita bread will all work. Wine: red wine or grape juice for the children. Lamb: You could make a dish made with lamb or a roast. May you and your family have a blessed Maundy Thursday!

Palm Sunday marks the beginning of Holy Week, the holiest week of the liturgical year. During Holy Week, we walk with Jesus through his final days before his crucifixion. The tone of this week begins with joy as we remember his triumphal entry into Jerusalem. Like the people in the Bible, we wave palm branches and shout “Hosanna,” proclaiming Jesus to be the “King of Kings.” We remember his ultimate victory over death. We also pray that we who bear these palm branches will “ever hail him as our King and follow him in the way that leads to eternal life” (Book of Common Prayer). However, the day intertwines our joy with impending sorrow. The jubilation of Jesus’s arrival foreshadows the path to his crucifixion. We grow painfully aware of our fickle human nature, for the same voices that welcomed him at his coming would cry out for his crucifixion just a few days later. But we are also reminded of Jesus’s humility. He chose a path of peace and servitude over power and dominion, inviting us to reflect on the nature of true kingship and the kingdom of God. The Scripture Story of Palm Sunday All four Gospels tell the story of Jesus’s Triumphal Entry into Jerusalem. The Gospel of Luke tells us that Jesus set his face toward Jerusalem (Luke 9:51), knowing that it would mean the end of his earthly life. As he moved toward his final destination, he continued healing, teaching, and preaching about God’s kingdom.  As Jesus and his disciples neared Jerusalem, arriving at Bethphage on the Mount of Olives, Jesus sent two disciples ahead with a specific task: to find a donkey and her colt, untie them, and bring them to him. The disciples did as Jesus commanded. They brought the donkey and the colt to Jesus, laying their cloaks on them as makeshift saddles. As Jesus rode towards Jerusalem, a crowd gathered, waving palms and spreading their cloaks and palms on the road. The multitude shouted praises, “Hosanna to the Son of David! Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord! Hosanna in the highest heaven!”  The Pharisees were furious over this response to Jesus. They cried out to him and told him to rebuke his disciples. But Jesus replied that if his disciples kept quiet, the very stones would cry out (Luke 19:39-40).  When Jesus drew near to Jerusalem and saw the city, he wept over it. His tears were for their inability to recognize the time at hand, for the peace that could have been theirs had they opened their hearts to his message. He foresaw the dire consequences of their rejection, knowing that the time was coming when the Romans would besiege the city, trapping them with no escape.  The Symbols of Palm Sunday Palms During the Roman Empire, palms were a symbol of triumph and victory. It was customary to wave them when someone of the highest honor was passing by and to lay them down in their path. Later, with the Early Church, they became associated with Christian martyrs and their spiritual victory or triumph over death. They are also mentioned in Revelation 7:9, where a great multitude that no one could count, from every nation, tribe, people, and language, stood before the throne and before the Lamb. They were wearing white robes and were holding palm branches in their hands.  Riding a Donkey Jesus entering Jerusalem riding on a donkey fulfilled the prophecy of Zechariah 9:9,  Rejoice greatly, Daughter Zion!    Shout, Daughter Jerusalem!See, your king comes to you,    righteous and victorious,lowly and riding on a donkey,    on a colt, the foal of a donkey. The choice of a donkey instead of a horse symbolized peace, as kings rode horses when they went to war but rode donkeys in times of peace. Jesus’s entry on a donkey was a declaration of His kingdom of peace, starkly contrasting with the expectations of a military messiah who would overthrow Roman rule. The Palm Sunday Service The Palm Sunday service typically begins with the Liturgy of the Palms. The congregation often gathers outside the church building for this part of the service, where they receive blessed palm branches. The priest leads the people in prayers and reads the Gospel account of Jesus’s entry into Jerusalem. This leads to the “Procession of the Palms,” where the congregation processes into the church holding the palm branches aloft, reenacting Jesus’s journey. The congregation sings hymns such as “All Glory, Laud, and Honor” as they process, echoing the Hosannas of the biblical narrative. A reading of the Passion of Christ (the time from his arrest to his death) plays a central role in the service. Churches often do this as a dramatic reading, with different voices representing characters in the story, such as Jesus, Pilate, and the crowd. This immersive reading helps congregants engage more deeply with the story of Jesus’s suffering and death and sets the tone for the solemn observances of the coming Holy Week. The vestments for the day are deep scarlet red, the color of blood, indicating the supreme redemptive sacrifice Christ was entering the city to make. Palm Sunday Traditions Around the World In India, during the Gospel reading, the crowd repeats “Hosanna! Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord God” three times, followed by a congregation shout of “Hosanna!” Marigolds are then strewn about the sanctuary. In many northern areas, people will use pussy willow and other twigs instead of palms. In Latvia, Palm Sunday is known as “Pussy Willow Sunday,” where the twigs are blessed and distributed, sometimes used for ritualistic swats to awaken children. Hoegaarden, Belgium, hosts a large Palm Sunday procession. Men dressed as the Twelve Apostles carry a wooden statue of Christ around town. Children also go door to door offering palms for coins. In the Coptic and Ethiopian Orthodox Church, where they call the day “Hosanna,” palm leaves are blessed, distributed, and crafted into crucifixes and ornaments. In the Philippines, the people process a statue of Christ on a donkey to the church in the morning. Congregants line the route, waving intricately woven palm branches. In certain English regions, Pax Cakes (Latin for “Peace”) are given by the priest to the congregation. Dating back to 1570, a frustrated landowner funded cakes and ale to foster peace and reconciliation among parishioners before Easter Communion. Today, Pax Cakes are distributed with the blessing of “Peace and good neighborhood.” Ways to Observe Palm Sunday Read Matthew 21:1-11.  Attend the Palm Sunday service at a church. Holy Week is one of the most important times in the Christian year, and traditionally, every effort is made to attend every Holy Week service.  Do something special with your palms. Since a priest has blessed the palms, they should not be thrown away. Traditionally, palm fronds or crosses are brought home, hung over doorways or next to crosses, or pressed in bibles to be saved until Shrove Tuesday , when they are brought to the church, placed in a collection basket, and burned to make the ashes for Ash Wednesday . Intensify your Lenten fast. You may have let some of your commitments slide during the previous weeks. If so, recommit yourself to follow your Lenten discipline this final week before Easter.  Make a Palm Sunday Wreath : a simple wreath of palm branches and a red ribbon. Don’t worry if you don’t have palms! You can use any branches or greenery from your yard. Make a Palm Sunday Mobile : decorate your home with this sweet Palm Sunday Mobile that you can easily make with your children. All you need are simple supplies that you already have in your home and yard. Make Pax Cakes : round shortbreads stamped with the image of the Easter lamb and flag or the Chi Rho (the insignia for Christ’s name).

Here’s a fun and easy Palm Sunday food for your family! Pax Cakes! On Palm Sunday, we remember Jesus’ triumphal entry into Jerusalem. He was going to celebrate the Jewish festival of Passover and also to meet his death. Because of this, Palm Sunday also marks the beginning of Holy Week. According to the Gospels, Jesus rode a donkey into Jerusalem amidst great crowds of people who laid down their cloaks in front of him and also laid down palm branches. Christians around the world celebrate this special day by attending the Palm Sunday service at their church where they wave palms and read the story from the bible. In certain areas of England, after the Palm Sunday church service, Pax Cakes (Pax is “Peace” in Latin) are given out by the priest to the congregants. This tradition goes back to 1570 when a local landowner grew frustrated with the parishioners in her church. It seems they were not getting along with each other and she had had enough! She gave her priest five shillings to buy cakes and ninepence to buy ale to be distributed and consumed in church on Palm Sunday. Ha! The landowner hoped that the cakes and ale would ensure peace and reconciliation between the neighbors before they took their Easter Communion the following Sunday. The custom fell away from use for a time but was revived in the 1800s, although when it was revived, it was only for the cakes and not the ale. Pax Cakes are round shortbreads, stamped with the image of the Easter lamb and flag or the Chi Rho (the insignia for Christ's name). The cakes are handed out and a blessing of “Peace and Good Neighbourhood” is spoken by the priest with each cake given (hence the name of Pax Cakes since “pax” is the Latin word for “peace”). In honor of this funny tradition, make Pax Cakes for Palm Sunday! These shortbread cookies require very few ingredients and are so easy to make. Plus, they are made of shortbread and shortbread is absolutely amazing! For an added flair, to your cookies, pipe a Chi Rho insignia on them made from a simple confectioner’s sugar icing. Pax Cakes 3/4 pound unsalted butter, at room temperature 1 cup sugar 1 teaspoon vanilla 3 1/2 cups all-purpose flour 1/4 teaspoon salt 1 cup powdered sugar 1 to 2 Tablespoons milk Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, mix together the butter and 1 cup of sugar. Add the vanilla salt. Add flour and mix on low speed until the dough starts to come together. Dump onto a surface dusted with flour and shape into a flat disk. Wrap in plastic and chill for 30 minutes. Roll the dough 1/2-inch thick and cut with a round cookie cutter or a clean jelly jar. Place the cookies on an ungreased baking sheet. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes, until the edges begin to brown. Allow to cool to room temperature. When the cookies are cool, place them on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Blen the powdered sugar with enough milk to form a thin icing. Put icing in a sandwich baggie and clip a corner of the baggie to use to pipe the icing. Draw the Chi Rho insignia on each cookie.

Palm Sunday is this Sunday! Palm Sunday marks the beginning of Holy Week, the holiest week of the Church year. We begin this day with joy as we remember Jesus’ triumphal entry into Jerusalem. We wave palm branches and shout “Hosannas”, proclaiming him the “King of Kings”. We remember his ultimate victory over death and we corporately pray that we who bear these branches will “ever hail him, as our King, and follow him in the way that leads to eternal life”. Book of Common Prayer p.271 Celebrate this day in your home with a simple wreath made of palm branches and red ribbon. We switch from purple to red on this day because red symbolizes the passion or suffering of Christ. Don't worry if you don't have palms! Palms are only available in very specific geographic zones and I just happen to live in one! Just use any branches of greenery that you can get from your yard. Palm Sunday Wreath Gather four palms or four small branches of greenery. Stack the greenery so that two palms or branches are facing down and two palms or branches are facing up. Push them towards each other until all you see is greenery meeting greenery. Cut two 12-inch pieces of ribbon. Gather them together and tie them around the joining of the stems in a simple knot. Place a thin wire through the back of the knot and hang the wreath on a contact hook on your front door or a prominent place in your home. Have a blessed Palm Sunday!

Holy Week is one of the most beautiful and solemn weeks of the entire Church year. It’s a time to enter in slowly and intentionally, to enter into the final days of Jesus’ earthly life, and to allow the rhythm of the Church and its liturgy to shape our homes, our habits, and our hearts. After the long path of Lent, Holy Week invites us to walk with Christ through His Passion, death, and resurrection, not just by remembering what happened long ago, but by participating in it now, in real time. The Church gives us this week as a gift: not to rush through, but to dwell in. Below is a brief overview of each day, giving you a sense of the movement and meaning of the week. You’ll find links to more detailed reflections and family ideas for each day so you can prepare ahead and walk this journey well. An Overview of the Week April 13th - Palm Sunday April 14th - Holy Monday April 15th - Fig Tuesday April 16th - Spy Wednesday The Triduum April 17th - Mandy Thursday April 18th - Good Friday April 19th - Holy Saturday till sundown April 19th - The Great Easter Vigil begins at sundown April 20th - Easter! Palm Sunday Holy Week begins with Jesus’ triumphal entry into Jerusalem. We join the crowds in welcoming Jesus into Jerusalem with palms and hosannas but we know that by week’s end, those cheers turn to jeers. There’s such a stark contrast in this day, the joy of His welcome, and the shadow of the cross already beginning to fall. Read more about Palm Sunday here . Holy Monday After entering Jerusalem, Jesus goes to the Temple and drives out the money changers. It’s a day of cleansing and confrontation, He is making space for true worship. In the Church’s tradition, Holy Monday also became a day for practical preparation, as households began their cleaning and cooking for Easter. Read more about Holy Monday here . Fig Tuesday Jesus teaches boldly on this day. He curses the fig tree and speaks in parables, confronting hypocrisy and calling His followers to bear fruit. Known in some places as Fig Tuesday , this day invites reflection on the state of our hearts: are we living lives rooted in real faith? Read more about Holy Tuesday here . Spy Wednesday This day marks Judas’ betrayal, his secret agreement with the chief priests to hand Jesus over for thirty pieces of silver. It’s a hard, sobering day, one that invites us to reflect on the ways we, too, can turn from Christ in small or subtle ways. Read more about Spy Wednesday here . Entering the Triduum The Triduum (pronounced TRIH-doo-um ) means the Three Days and is the sacred three day journey at the heart of Holy Week. It begins at sundown on Maundy Thursday , continues through Good Friday and Holy Saturday , and culminates in the joyful celebration of the Easter Vigil . These days are not separate events, but one continuous liturgy that invites us to walk with Jesus through His Passion, death, and resurrection. These last Three Days, more than any other days during the year, we take special care to remember all Christ has done for us and what it means to be called his friends. Maundy Thursday Maundy Thursday draws us into the Upper Room. Jesus washes His disciples’ feet, shares the Last Supper, and gives us the gift of the Eucharist. The name “Maundy” comes from the Latin mandatum , meaning commandment, “A new command I give you: love one another.” The night ends in sorrow, as Jesus is arrested in Gethsemane. Read more about Maundy Thursday here . Good Friday The most solemn day of the Church year. We remember Christ’s Passion, His trial, crucifixion, death, and burial. The Church is stripped bare. The altar is empty. We meditate on the cross and the price of our redemption. And yet, even here, we call it “Good,” because through the cross, salvation has come. Read more about Good Friday here . Holy Saturday A day of waiting and quiet. Jesus lies in the tomb. The disciples are scattered, grieving. And yet, even now, God is at work. Christ descends to the dead, and the world holds its breath. This is the in-between space, before the resurrection, after the cross. Read more about Holy Saturday here . The Great Easter Vigil As night falls on Holy Saturday, we move into the liturgy of the Great Vigil of Easter, the most glorious and meaningful liturgy of the entire Church year. Celebrated after sunset on Holy Saturday, it begins in darkness, reminding us of the stillness of the tomb. Then, a flame is kindled, the Paschal candle is lit, and the light of Christ spreads through the Church. Through Scripture, we journey from creation to resurrection, hearing the great story of salvation unfold. The Alleluia returns, bells ring out, and we proclaim that Christ is risen, He is risen indeed! This service moves from silence to song, from darkness to blazing light, from mourning to joy. It is the Church’s great turning point, the moment when everything changes and Easter truly begins. Read more about The Great Easter Vigil here . Easter Sunday Easter Sunday is the most joyful and triumphant day of the Christian year. Christ is risen, He is risen indeed! After the sorrow of the cross and the silence of the tomb, we rejoice in the victory of the resurrection. Death has been defeated, and new life has begun. The Church is filled with light, flowers, and song. The Alleluia returns, and we proclaim the Good News: Jesus lives, and because of Him, we have the hope of eternal life. Easter is not just a day, it’s the beginning of a new season. For fifty days, the Church celebrates the resurrection, remembering that the story doesn’t end at the empty tomb. It continues in us, as we live as people of the risen King. Read more about Easter Sunday here . Let the Sacred Shape Your Days This is the week when everything changes. When we let ourselves slow down, enter in, and walk each day with Jesus, we find that Holy Week isn’t just something to observe, it’s something to live. Whether you’re able to participate in every service or you’re guiding your family through it at home, trust that the Lord will meet you there. Let the days unfold with reverence. Let your home be shaped by the sacred. And prepare your heart, because Easter is coming!

As night falls on Holy Saturday, we move into the liturgy of the Great Vigil of Easter.  The Great Vigil was already well established by the 4th century AD. Traditionally, the service began late in the evening and lasted until after midnight so that the new day (Easter) could be met with the celebration of the Easter Eucharist.  On this most holy night, our Lord Jesus passed over from death to life.  As the Church throughout the world, we gather in vigil and prayer to remember the Passover of the Lord.   For in hearing his holy Word and celebrating his Sacraments, we share in his victory over death. Through the Vigil, the mystery of Easter becomes alive, and we are incorporated into the saving acts of Christ. The Easter Vigil begins with the Service of Light. A fire is lit outside the church, and we are reminded that Christ is the Light of the World as the Paschal candle is lit from the fire. The church, which has been stripped bare, is gradually filled with the light of Christ as each person’s candle is lit from the fire of the Paschal candle as it is processed into the church. As a congregation, we listen in wonder as the Exsultet, the traditional Great Easter Proclamation, is sung. We rejoice in “the victory of our mighty King” for “darkness has been vanquished,” and we pray for “the grace to sing the worthy praise of this great light!” (Book of Common Prayer [1979] p. 286). From the Service of Light, we move to the Service of Lessons, in which the whole history of salvation is proclaimed through the reading of Holy Scripture.  We begin with the creation story in Genesis and move through the Old Testament, concluding with the regathering of God’s people in the book of Zephaniah. Traditionally, it was customary for converts to the faith to prepare for Holy Baptism throughout Lent. With their preparation complete, they would experience the joy of Holy Baptism at the Great Vigil and receive for the very first time the sanctified Bread and Wine, the blessed Body and Blood of our Lord, in the first Holy Eucharist of Easter. It was a wondrous and joyous time. Today, we still baptize people at the Great Vigil, and everyone in the congregation joins with them in renewing their commitment to follow Jesus as Lord and Savior. After the baptisms, the celebrant faces the people and proclaims the Great Alleluia three times in jubilation, “Alleluia! Christ is Risen!”  To which the people respond three times in jubilation, “The Lord is Risen Indeed! Alleluia!” The Alleluias are back for the first time since Lent began over 40 days before. With this triumphant exchange, the candles at the altar are lit with the light of the Paschal candle, the lights in the church are thrown on, all in the congregation who brought bells begin ringing them, and the altar is vested with all the glory of Easter. Christ is Risen from the dead! The Eastern Orthodox Church traditionally reads St. John Chrysostom’s incomparable Paschal Sermon. This homily has been read faithfully for centuries at the Great Vigil of Easter.  This breathtakingly beautiful sermon proclaims that “the Lord gives generously. The Lord accepts the offering of every work. The Lord honors every deed and commends every intention... You who have kept the fast, and you who have not, rejoice this day, for the Table is richly spread! Feast royally upon it, for He has prepared the fatted calf. Let no one go away hungry. Partake, all of you, of the banquet of faith. Come and enjoy the bounty of the Lord’s goodness!” The final and ultimate part of the Vigil is the celebration of the Easter Eucharist. Christ has become our Passover Lamb. He has won for us salvation. And as we partake of this most holy Sacrament, the Eucharist, we “celebrate the memorial of our redemption” and offer thanks to God that we have been “graciously accepted as living members of his Son our Savior Jesus Christ.” Because of his great love for us, we have passed from death to life.  Because of his death and triumphant resurrection, we have been redeemed and brought back to our true home! Alleluia! Christ is risen! The Lord is risen indeed! Alleluia!

One Easter symbol that often goes overlooked is the lamb. When I would see little stuffed lambs in the Easter section of our local store, I tended to think the symbol was about spring and new life. That’s partly true, but the lamb represents so much more. The lamb represents Jesus, the lamb of God and our passover lamb, whose sacrifice takes away the sins of the world and reconciles us to God. So when we eat lamb on Easter, we are pointing to Christ and rejoicing in his gift to us! The First Passover Lamb Lamb symbolism is rooted in the Old Testament. In the book of Exodus, as God was preparing to deliver the Israelites from slavery, he instructed his people to sacrifice a lamb, to spread the blood of the lamb over the doorposts, and to eat the lamb: Then they shall take some of the blood and put it on the two doorposts and the lintel of the houses in which they eat it. They shall eat the flesh that night, roasted on the fire; with unleavened bread and bitter herbs they shall eat it. (Exodus 12:7-8). This event became known as Passover because the angel of death saw the blood of the lamb and passed over the house, sparing the people inside. And after delivering the Israelites from Egypt, God instructed his people to remember this Passover every year by eating the Passover meal. While they ate the meal they were to recount the story of how God faithfully delivered his people from the hands of the Egyptians and made the Israelites a people set apart for himself: And when your children say to you, ‘What do you mean by this service?’ you shall say, ‘It is the sacrifice of the Lord‘s Passover, for he passed over the houses of the people of Israel in Egypt, when he struck the Egyptians but spared our houses (Exodus 12:26-27). Faithful Jews celebrated Passover every year. They gathered together in Jerusalem and ate the Passover Seder Meal, a meal of remembrance where the story of their salvation was told and foods that symbolized their journey were eaten. Jesus Our Passover Lamb With the Hebrew Passover as our backdrop, the Christian understanding of the importance of the sacrificial Lamb begins to gain new significance. We are first given a hint of a deeper meaning in John 1 when John the Baptist says of Jesus: “Behold the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world” (John 1:29). This declaration is significant because it ties Jesus’ sacrifice to the Old Testament tradition of sacrificing lambs as offerings to God. Our understanding of Jesus as the Lamb of God grows even more during the Last Supper. Jesus is in Jerusalem, celebrating the Passover Seder with his disciples. He gives the Passover meal a new meaning when he stands up before the disciples and identifies the bread as his body, soon to be sacrificed, and the wine as his blood soon to be shed. Jesus is our passover lamb, giving his body for us to eat, and shedding his blood for our salvation. Just as the Israelites were rescued from slavery, we will be rescued from the bondage of sin and death. The Passover meal becomes the Eucharist instituted by Christ himself. Paul draws on these ideas in his letter to the Corinthians: Christ, our Passover lamb, has been sacrificed.Let us therefore celebrate the festival (1 Corinthians 5:7-8). Pascha & The Resurrected Lamb In much of the Christian world, “Pascha” or some other variation of “Passover” is the name used for Easter. This name points to the fact that Easter is a continued celebration of Passover, with Jesus as the Lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world. By thinking of Easter as “Pascha,” we are also reminded of Jesus as the resurrected lamb, as seen especially in the book of Revelation. There, Jesus is depicted as the living lamb that had been slain: And between the throne and the four living creatures and among the elders I saw a Lamb standing, as though it had been slain (Revelation 5:6). The image of the resurrected lamb is often used in Christian art, music, and liturgy to represent the sacrifice of Jesus and his victory over sin and death. Jesus as the Lamb of God is often depicted with a cross-emblazoned banner, known as the Resurrection Banner which symbolizes the victory of the resurrection. The Lamb in the Christian Home Traditionally, in the Christian home, the lamb is the prominent Easter symbol. Lamb is eaten as the main course for the Easter meal, the butter is pressed into the shape of a lamb and placed on the dining table, lambs made of chocolate or sugar are in Easter baskets, sweet stuffed lambs are given as gifts in Easter baskets, and the central dessert is a beautiful Easter cake made in the shape of a lamb and the recipe for my favorite Easter Lamb Cake is found below. Here are some of my favorite ways to bring the symbol of the lamb into your home: For the home - this beautiful 8X10 Lamb Scripture Print from one of my favorite artists, Emily Lex. I place mine on a pretty brass stand in the kitchen so everyone can see it. For the kitchen - this lamb mold is so easy to use and can be used for butter, chocolate or sugar lambs and this lamb cake mold is the one I always use and it works like a charm! I also love making lamb sugar cookies with this lamb cookie cutter . For the Easter basket - I love this sweet little lamb plushie , these milk chocolate lambs , and this precious Easter magnetic play set . As we celebrate Easter, let us remember the significance of the lamb and what it represents for Christians. The lamb is a powerful symbol of sacrifice, but it also represents hope and redemption. Just as the Israelites were saved from slavery in Egypt by the blood of the lamb, we are saved from sin and death through the blood of Jesus Christ. Jesus is our Passover Lamb, slain before the foundation of the world. May the symbol of the lamb remind us of Christ’s ultimate sacrifice and the hope that we have through his resurrection. He won for us victory over sin and death and he will reign as King forever! the recipe -

One Easter symbol that often goes overlooked is the lamb. When I would see little stuffed lambs in the Easter section of our local store, I tended to think the symbol was about spring and new life. That’s partly true, but the lamb represents so much more. The lamb represents Jesus, the lamb of God and our passover lamb, whose sacrifice takes away the sins of the world and reconciles us to God. So when we eat lamb on Easter, we are pointing to Christ and rejoicing in his gift to us! The First Passover Lamb Lamb symbolism is rooted in the Old Testament. In the book of Exodus, as God was preparing to deliver the Israelites from slavery, he instructed his people to sacrifice a lamb, to spread the blood of the lamb over the doorposts, and to eat the lamb: Then they shall take some of the blood and put it on the two doorposts and the lintel of the houses in which they eat it. They shall eat the flesh that night, roasted on the fire; with unleavened bread and bitter herbs they shall eat it. (Exodus 12:7-8). This event became known as Passover because the angel of death saw the blood of the lamb and passed over the house, sparing the people inside. And after delivering the Israelites from Egypt, God instructed his people to remember this Passover every year by eating the Passover meal. While they ate the meal they were to recount the story of how God faithfully delivered his people from the hands of the Egyptians and made the Israelites a people set apart for himself: And when your children say to you, ‘What do you mean by this service?’ you shall say, ‘It is the sacrifice of the Lord‘s Passover, for he passed over the houses of the people of Israel in Egypt, when he struck the Egyptians but spared our houses (Exodus 12:26-27). Faithful Jews celebrated Passover every year. They gathered together in Jerusalem and ate the Passover Seder Meal, a meal of remembrance where the story of their salvation was told and foods that symbolized their journey were eaten. Jesus Our Passover Lamb With the Hebrew Passover as our backdrop, the Christian understanding of the importance of the sacrificial Lamb begins to gain new significance. We are first given a hint of a deeper meaning in John 1 when John the Baptist says of Jesus: “Behold the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world” (John 1:29). This declaration is significant because it ties Jesus’ sacrifice to the Old Testament tradition of sacrificing lambs as offerings to God.  Our understanding of Jesus as the Lamb of God grows even more during the Last Supper. Jesus is in Jerusalem, celebrating the Passover Seder with his disciples. He gives the Passover meal a new meaning when he stands up before the disciples and identifies the bread as his body, soon to be sacrificed, and the wine as his blood soon to be shed. Jesus is our passover lamb, giving his body for us to eat, and shedding his blood for our salvation. Just as the Israelites were rescued from slavery, we will be rescued from the bondage of sin and death. The Passover meal becomes the Eucharist instituted by Christ himself. Paul draws on these ideas in his letter to the Corinthians: Christ, our Passover lamb, has been sacrificed.Let us therefore celebrate the festival (1 Corinthians 5:7-8). Pascha & The Resurrected Lamb In much of the Christian world, “Pascha” or some other variation of “Passover” is the name used for Easter. This name points to the fact that Easter is a continued celebration of Passover, with Jesus as the Lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world. By thinking of Easter as “Pascha,” we are also reminded of Jesus as the resurrected lamb, as seen especially in the book of Revelation. There, Jesus is depicted as the living lamb that had been slain: And between the throne and the four living creatures and among the elders I saw a Lamb standing, as though it had been slain (Revelation 5:6). The image of the resurrected lamb is often used in Christian art, music, and liturgy to represent the sacrifice of Jesus and his victory over sin and death. Jesus as the Lamb of God is often depicted with a cross-emblazoned banner, known as the Resurrection Banner which symbolizes the victory of the resurrection. The Lamb in the Christian Home Traditionally, in the Christian home, the lamb is the prominent Easter symbol. Lamb is eaten as the main course for the Easter meal, the butter is pressed into the shape of a lamb and placed on the dining table, lambs made of chocolate or sugar are in Easter baskets, and the central dessert in a beautiful Easter cake made in the shape of a lamb. As we celebrate Easter, let us remember the significance of the lamb and what it represents for Christians. The lamb is a powerful symbol of sacrifice, but it also represents hope and redemption. Just as the Israelites were saved from slavery in Egypt by the blood of the lamb, we are saved from sin and death through the blood of Jesus Christ. Jesus is our Passover Lamb, slain before the foundation of the world. May the symbol of the lamb remind us of Christ’s ultimate sacrifice and the hope that we have through his resurrection. He won for us victory over sin and death and he will reign as King forever!