Divine Mercy Sunday with Sundaes, April 19, 2020

Today is Divine Mercy Sunday. Our Lord appeared to Sister Faustina, a Polish religious who lived from 1905 - 1938 with His message of merciful love for sinners. He asked Sister Faustina to propagate His merciful love  in these ways: by having an image of Him painted, the recitation of the Divine Mercy Chaplet, praying the Divine Mercy Novena from Good Friday to the Saturday in the Octave of Easter, a Divine Mercy Holy Hour, and requesting that the Sunday after Easter be designated Divine Mercy Sunday. All these requests of Our Lord have been fulfilled over a period of time. In the year 2000, Pope John Paul II instituted the Feast of Divine Mercy on the Universal Calendar of the Catholic Church. This fulfilled the final request.


You will find on this blog what some creative Moms did with their children to teach them about Divine Mercy Sunday and to celebrate in a way that kids (and grown-ups, too) can appreciate - ending the afternoon with a Divine Mercy Sundae!

Our pictures show children coloring pages from a Divine Mercy Coloring Book. If you go to holyheroes.com and search Saint Faustina, you will find a great coloring book. Pinterest.com has a large selection of Divine Mercy coloring pages. You just type in Divine Mercy coloring pages in the search bar and viola!

While the younger children were coloring pages, the Moms and Dads with older siblings prayed the Divine Mercy Chaplet. You can find the prayer here, thedivinemercychaplet.org/message/devotions/pray-the- chaplet. After praying the chaplet, the families got together and made Divine Mercy Sundaes! I can't think of a better way for family and friends to honor Our Lord's request by praying the Divine Mercy Chaplet and then ending the afternoon by enjoying  sundaes.

Amazing Moms

Holy Saturday, April 11, Easter Craft, Resurrection Cookies and Lamb Cupcakes

Craft courtesy of Nikki Mahn

One more day until Easter! The kiddos are getting very excited. This craft is fun and will keep them focused on Jesus, the Lamb of God.  It is simple and easy to make. Chances are you already have the supplies you need on hand. Here is what you need:

Materials:
Construction paper
Crayons, markers, paint
Glue
Cotton balls
Clothespins
Scissors

Cut out:
1 heart
1 circle
1 lamb head w/ears & eyes
1 “Lamb of God” sign
Directions:

1) Glue the circle to the heart.
2. Draw the lamb's head and cut it out. Glue it to the center of the circle.
3. Glue cotton balls around the lambs head.
4. Cut out the Lamb of God sign and write Lamb of God. Edge its border with markers like stitching a hem.
5. Stitch around the border of the heart like a hem.
6. Glue the googlie eyes and glue or tape on the clothespins for legs.
    Viola! Your own Easter lamb.

 Resurrection Cookies

I love this cookie! I do like meringues, but that is not what I love about the cookie. It is the story that goes with the cookie. I hope you and your children or grandchildren will find it as wonderful as I do.

Ingredients                                                                           1 zip lock bag
1 cup whole pecans                                                               wooden spoon
3 egg whites                                                                          tape
pinch of salt                                                                          Bible
1 cup of sugar
1 teaspoon vinegar

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 300 degrees. Place pecans in zip lock bag and let children beat them with the wooden spoon to break into small pieces. Explain that after Jesus was arrested he was beaten by the Roman soldiers. Read John 19: 1 - 3.

2. Let each child smell the vinegar. Put 1 teaspoon vinegar into the mixing bowl. Explain that when Jesus was thirsty on the cross He was given vinegar to drink. Read John 19:28-30.

3. Add egg whites to the vinegar. Eggs represent life. Explain that Jesus gave His life to give us eternal life. Read John 10:10-11.

4. Sprinkle a little salt into each child's hand. Let them taste it and brush the rest into the bowl. Explain that this represents the salty tears shed by Jesus' followers and the bitterness of our own sins. Read Luke 23:27.

5. So far the ingredients are not very appetizing. Add 1 cup sugar. Explain that the sweetest part of the story is that Jesus died because He loves us. He wants us to know and belong to Him. Read Psalm 34:8 and John 3:16.

6. Beat with a mixer on high speed for 12 to 15 minutes until stiff peaks form. Explain that the color white represents the purity in God's eyes for those whose sins have been forgiven by Jesus. Read Isaiah 1:18 and John 3: 1 - 3.

7. Fold in broken pecans. Drop by teaspoons onto a parchment covered cookie sheet. Explain that each mound represents the rocky tomb where Jesus's body was laid. Read Matthew 27:57-60.

8. Put the cookie sheet in the oven. Close the door and turn the oven OFF! Give each child a piece of tape and seal the oven door. Explain that Jesus' tomb was sealed. Read Matthew 27:65-66.

9. GO TO BED! Explain that they may feel sad to leave the cookies in the oven overnight. Jesus' followers were in despair when the tomb was sealed. Read John 16:20 and 22.

10. On Easter morning open the oven and give everyone a cookie. Notice the cracked surface and take a bite. The cookies are hollow! On the first Easter Jesus' followers were amazed to find the tomb open and empty. Read Matthew 28:1-9. HE HAS RISEN!

                                                             Lamb Cupcakes

These little lamb cupcakes are fun and easy. Kids love to help mix the batter and, of course, there is always a little finger licking! I always tell them that we can lick our fingers after we fill the cupcake pans and have the cupcakes safely in the oven! Remember to remind the children to wash their hands before we begin baking!

Ingredients

1 cake mix, yellow or chocolate                                 2  cupcake pans, 12 each
2 cans of white frosting                                                24 cupcake liners
pink food coloring, jell or liquid
1 bag miniature marshmallows
brown and red M& Ms
baking spray

Directions

1. Follow directions on the cake mix box. Prepare batter as directed
2. Spray cupcake pans lightly.
3. Place cupcake liners in pans.
4. Fill each liner 3/4 full with batter.
5. Bake at temperature as directed on box.
6. Remove from oven and let cool.
7. When cooled. Frost the entire top of cupcake with white frosting.
8. Using picture above add marshmallows around the top edge of the cupcake. Then add more inside the circle, saving room for the candy eyes, pink face and nose and tiny smiling lip.
8. Color about 1 cup of frosting pink. Add a small dollop of pink frosting to each cupcake. Swirl it around to make a neat circle for the face. Add the candy eyes, nose and with a small plastic knife carve in a smile. There is your little Easter edible lamb! Makes 24 cupcake lambs.

Divine Mercy Novena and Sundae Party

The Divine Mercy Novena begins today, Good Friday, April 10. If you have not started it, you can begin tomorrow. Below is a link where you can find the prayers for the novena. A few years ago, I attended a Divine Mercy party held on Divine Mercy Sunday. It was a party for children who had been saying the novena with their parents. There were some very clever Moms who came up with the idea of having sundaes on Divine Mercy Sunday! The party was a big hit with the children and their parents who attended. Besides the delicious sundaes, the Moms had coloring pages about Sister Faustina, the religious sister, that Our Lord appeared to and asked her to propagate the Divine Mercy Chaplet and Novena. Perhaps you and your children or grandchildren would like to pray the novena and have a party to celebrate at the end. I will post some ideas and resources on this blog early next week.

Here is the link to the novena   https://www.thedivinemercy.org/message/devotions/novena 
You will find a short explanation of the Divine Mercy Novena on this website and then to your right you will see in red the nine days listed. Click on day one for prayer number one. Each day you will click on the prayer intentions for that day. and pray the Divine Mercy Chaplet. Our Lord wishes us to pray this novena to honor His most merciful heart and obtain graces for ourselves and others.  Pray the novena and then have a Divine Mercy Sundae Party!

Good Friday, April 10, Bread Dough Crucifix

This post is one you can do with your children or grandchildren today, Good Friday. It involves the bread dough recipe which I used for the Crown of Thorns devotional activity on Monday of Holy Week. It is simple: flour, water, and salt. The recipe and pictures of crucifixes are given for you to follow. The activity works well with children ages eight and older. The focus is not on perfectly formed crucifixes but encouraging a childlike understanding of how much Jesus loves us. He loves us so much that He suffered and died on the Cross for us.

Fr. Jude Winkler, OFM, Cap. has written many books for children. Among them is The Way of the Cross for Children. Reading  it aloud together as a family or grandparent with child is a helpful way to introduce children to the elements of Christ's Passion and Death on a level they can understand. There are many good children's bibles available, too, which you can read to familiarize your children with the story of Jesus' passion and death. After you have finished reading you can introduce the bread dough crucifix craft as a way of loving and honoring Jesus in a special way on Good Friday. Here is the recipe.

Bread Dough Recipe

PREP: 20 minutes                                                   

 BAKE: 325 1 hour or until hard and dry

INGREDIENTS                                                            

4 cups of flour                 

1 ½ cups of warm water                          

1 cup of salt 

Toothpicks, round head is preferable

EQUIPMENT

Large mixing bowl,

Floured board

Baking Sheet

Large mixing spoon

DIRECTIONS: YIELD: 6 - 8 Crucifixes

1. Combine flour and salt in bowl. Mix thoroughly. 

2. Make a well in center of flour/salt mixture.

3. Pour 1 cup water into flour mixture and stir.

4. Add more water until flour is moist but not wet.* Continue mixing. May use hands.

5. Knead dough 5 minutes on floured board or in bowl until smooth.

6. Turn oven on to 325 degrees.

7. Using the examples of Jesus on the Cross that we have pictured on this post, form your own crucifix. You may have a large one or a number of smaller ones. Use tooth picks for the crown of thorns and to place the marks for his wounds, hands and feet,  and where the sword pierced his heart. You can slightly moisten the bread dough to have the various arms, etc., adhere to the cross, or you may use a bit of glue or egg white. Do not make it wet, just enough to make them stick!

8. Place on an ungreased baking sheet. 

9. Bake for 1 hour or until very hard. Let cool thoroughly before painting.

*Be careful not to use too much water or bread dough will not harden but instead puff out!

Below is an example of  three crucifixes that you may find useful as patterns.

We use acrylic paints to paint our Bread Dough Crucifixes. With children I always make sure they wear an old shirt or apron when using acrylic paints since they do not wash out. You may seal it with a clear, spray or acrylic sealer if you wish. Washable paints can be used if you prefer. The Crucifixes will store well after Good Friday. You can save it and use it next year for a Holy Week Devotional.

The following is a beautiful, traditional prayer to say before your crucifix. You can also encourage the children to write their own prayers. I know Jesus would love their prayers very much.

 PRAYER BEFORE A CRUCIFIX

Look down upon me, good and gentle Jesus

while before Your face I humbly kneel and,

with burning soul,

pray and beseech You

to fix deep in my heart lively sentiments

of faith, hope, and charity;

true contrition for my sins,

and a firm purpose of amendment.

While I contemplate,

with great love and tender pity,

Your five most precious wounds,

pondering over them within me

and calling to mind the words which David,

Your prophet, said to You, my Jesus:

"They have pierced My hands and My feet,

they have numbered all My bones."

Holy Week, April 9, Hot Cross Buns for Good Friday

 Hot Cross Buns are a traditional end of Lent beginning of Easter breakfast/brunch food. Often they are made and first eaten on Good Friday. The cross cut in the bun and then iced in the design reminds us that the Savior died for us on Good Friday. The spices signify His burial. The bun itself is so tasty with flavorful spices bursting in each mouthful that it is an excellent companion with your Easter spread for breakfast or brunch.

I am linking to a bread machine recipe for Hot Cross Buns. The recipe with supervision allows younger children to help out. One child at a time can drop into the bread machine the measured and prepared ingredient. I personally love baking. I love the whole physical process of feeling the ingredients, smelling them, and handling them from start to finish. With a bread machine the process is a bit quicker, but it still involves organizing and preparing the ingredients, putting them in the machine and then taking them out when the dough is ready to be shaped into buns and allowed to rise. The wonderful smell from baking your own buns and the delicious taste and texture of the buns can't be duplicate by a store-bought bun. Here is the link to a bread machine recipe. https://www.food.com/recipe/hot-cross-buns-bread-machine-86866

A Little Rhyme
" Hot Cross Buns, Hot Cross Buns, one a penny, two a penny Hot Cross Buns. If you have no daughters give them to your sons. One a penny, two a penny, Hot Cross Buns."
                             Old English Nursery Rhyme 
Wishing you and your family a grace-filled Good Friday.

April 8, An Easter Bag for Your Peeps!

Today we are going off schedule. A friend of mine from St. Louis, MO, Nikki Mahn, sent this darling Easter bag craft. The bag is a clear one with some yummy peeps inside. It is tied with a colorful ribbon and inside is a printed message which says

He is Risen!

Tell all your "Peeps"!

This is something fun you can do with even the youngest members in your family. On April 9 I will return to our scheduled recipe: Hot Cross Buns. See you then.

April 7, Dessert Pretzels for Easter

Dessert Pretzels

 During Holy Week we will be making some devotional crafts and some traditional foods. Today we are making dessert pretzels. A few days ago we made regular pretzels and learned a little about the history of the pretzel and the significance of its shape. (See Saturday, April 4).

 There are many recipes for traditional pretzels just as there are for dessert pretzels. The recipe we are using today is a very easy one using store-bought pretzels, candy melts, chocolate chips and candy sprinkles. Today I am using pink candy melts, light chocolate candy melts and Nestles Chocolate Chips. Before Easter Sunday, I plan to make another batch using yellow, light green and turquoise candy melts for added Spring colors. Below you will find the recipe with directions. I do recommend using larger pretzels for younger children than the ones pictured here. Little fingers need the largest pretzels you can find! Be sure to have an apron or old shirt for your little ones. This can get a bit messy, but it is lots of fun. And of course, have extra pretzels on hand for everyone to munch on!

Don't forget to tie in the relationship between the shape of the pretzel and the importance of talking to Jesus (prayer). Holy Week offers us the opportunity to talk to Jesus often, especially Holy Week 2020 when we do not have any Church services to observe Christ's Passion and Death.

Close-up of chocolate-covered Easter Pretzel

Easter Pretzels and Pretzel Rods

Recipe for Chocolate Covered Easter Pretzels

Ingredients

25 pretzel twists or more - you chose the size 

6 ounces chocolate chips or candy melts, Spring colors

1/2 cup of sprinkles

1 teaspoon shortening or more for chocolate chips, not for candy melts

Aluminium foil to covered a large cookie sheet for dipped pretzels

Directions

1. Place the chocolate or candy melts in a microwave bowl. Add shortening if you are using chocolate chips. Do not add shortening to candy melts.

2. Microwave in 30 second increments or until chocolate has melted and is smooth. Remove from microwave.

3. Place the pretzels one at a time into the bowl of melted chocolate. Coat on one side, then with a plastic spoon or toothpick turn and coat on the other side. Using the plastic spoon, lift the chocolate covered pretzel out of the coating and let the excess chocolate drip back into the bowl. Place the pretzel on an aluminium foil covered cookie sheet. 

4. Top each pretzel with colored sprinkles. 

5. Repeat the process. 

6. Let the pretzels sit until the coating has harden. Place in an airtight container and serve on Easter. Pretzels remain good in an airtight container for up to two weeks.

Enjoy!

April 6, Bread Dough Crown of Thorns Devotional: Recipe and Song

Today is Monday of Holy Week. You can make this Crown of Thorns with your children or grandchildren and display it through the rest of the week until Holy Saturday. There are different ways of making a Crown of Thorns with children. This one involves flour, water, and salt. The recipe and steps for fashioning the wreath are given below. Some Crown of Thorn activities involve making thorns that can be removed by the children after they do a good deed. The thorns in this crown are permanent and cannot be removed without damaging the crown. That is why this activity is called a Lenten devotional. It shows us what Jesus suffered out of love for us and reminds us to show him deeds of love in return. The finished crown may be placed in some visible spot in your home to remind the family of the great love of Jesus for us. At the end of this post there is the song composed by St. Bernard of Clairvoux, O Sacred Head Surrounded and a picture of Jesus crowned with thorns.

 Bread Dough Crown of Thorns Recipe 

PREP: 20 minutes                                                   

 BAKE: 325 1 hour or until hard and dry

INGREDIENTS                                                            

4 cups of flour                 

1 ½ cups of warm water                          

1 cup of salt 

Toothpicks, round head is preferable

EQUIPMENT

Large mixing bowl,

Floured board

Baking Sheet

Large mixing spoon

DIRECTIONS: YIELD: 1 large or 4 mini-Crowns of Thorns

1. Combine flour and salt in bowl. Mix thoroughly. 

2. Make a well in center of flour/salt mixture.

3. Pour 1 cup water into flour mixture and stir.

4. Add more water until flour is moist but not wet.* Continue mixing. May use hands.

5. Knead dough 5 minutes on floured board or in bowl until smooth.

6. Turn oven on to 325 degrees.

7. Take the lump of kneaded dough and roll between hands making a rope of about 18 inches in length and 1 inch in width. Repeat.  Attach ends to one another making a fairly smooth seam by using a small amount of water to work dough together. (For smaller crowns divide the dough into four or six lumps. Follow preceding directions. Rope will be shorter.) I always get my rope too wide, so for a more authentic looking Crown of Thorns a narrower width is better. Place toothpicks in to look like sharp thorns.

8. Place on an ungreased baking sheet. 

9. Bake for 1 hour or until very hard. Let cool thoroughly before painting.

*Be careful not to use too much water or bread dough will not harden but instead puff out!

Below is an example of a Crown of Thorns that you may find useful as a pattern.

http://cliparts.co/crown-of-thorns-clipart

We use acrylic paints to paint our Crown of Thorns. With children I always make sure they wear an old shirt or apron when using acrylic paints since they do not wash out. You may seal it with a clear, spray or acrylic sealer if you wish. Washable paints can be used if you prefer. The Crown of Thorns will store well after the Lenten season, You can store it in a plastic gallon bag in a cool, dry place. It will last for years.

O Sacred Head Surrounded

Credits: Latin, attributed to St. Bernard of Clairvoux, 1091-1153, translated by

 Henry Williams Baker, 1821-1877

O Sacred Head Surrounded by crown of piercing thorn!

O Bleeding Head, so wounded, Reviled and put to scorn!

Death's pallid hue comes o'er thee, The glow of life decays,

Yet angel hosts adore thee, And tremble as they gaze.

I see thy strength and vigor All fading in the strife,

And death with cruel rigor Bereaving thee of life:

O agony and dying! O love to sinners free!

Jesus, all grace supplying, O turn thy face on me

In this, thy bitter Passion, Good Shepherd, think of me,

With thy most sweet compassion, Unworthy though I be;

Beneath thy Cross abiding For ever would I rest,

In thy dear love confiding, And with thy presence blest.

Crafts, Baking with Prayers for Holy Week, April 6 - 11, 2020

April 6, Bread Dough Crown of Thorns with song,
O Sacred Head Surrounded

April 9,  Hot Cross Buns
Bake on Thursday for Good Friday

April 7
Dessert Pretzels save
for Easter Sunday

April 8 Bread Dough Crucifix
With Prayer

April 11, Resurrection Dessert Cookies for Easter

April 11, Lamb Cupcakes for Easter

Stations of the Cross for Children, Holy Week 2020

Unfortunately, most of us will not be able to attend the Stations of the Cross in our churches during Holy Week. But that is no reason not to pray the Stations of the Cross and teach our children how to pray them. Perhaps you have a copy of this book, The Stations of the Cross for Children or another version for children. If you don't have one, I have a link here that you can use to print off all fourteen stations. Your children can color the stations and you can add a simple caption indicating what is happening to Jesus. See below. Post the stations on cardboard and display them around a room in your home where you can pray the Stations of the Cross during Holy Week with your family..A simple format is offered below for praying the Stations with young children.

Here is the link https://www.sjtb.org/releducolor.html Once you reach the site, you will have to scroll down to find the Stations of the Cross. You will see there are many beautiful coloring pages for children (and adults!) on this website. The pages may not be used for commercial purposes, only educational. Please respect these guidelines.

Stations of the Cross

1. Opening Prayer: Dear Jesus, Thank you for loving me. Help me to love you in return. 
2. 1st Station: Jesus is condemned to death. We adore you Oh Christ and we praise you. Because by your Holy Cross you have redeemed the world.  (Repeat this prayer for every station after announcing it. Pray one Hail Mary at the end of each station. (Repeat the Hail Mary after every station.)
3. 2nd Station: Jesus carries His cross
4. 3rd Station: Jesus falls the first time
5. 4th Station: Jesus meets his mother
6. 5th Station: Simon of Cyrene helps Jesus to carry his cross
7. 6th Station: Veronica wipes the face of Jesus
8. 7th Station: Jesus falls the second time
9. 8th Station: Jesus meets the women of Jerusalem
10. 9th Station: Jesus falls a third time
11. 10th Station: Jesus clothes are taken away
12. 11th Station: Jesus is nailed to the cross
13. 12th Station: Jesus dies on the cross
14. 13th Station: The body of Jesus is taken down from the cross
15. 14th Station: Jesus is laid in the tomb.
16. Closing Prayer: Jesus you love me and died for me on the Cross. Help me to love you and follow you all my life.

To learn more about the Stations of the Cross go here, https://www.ourcatholicprayers.com/stations-of-the-cross.html

May God bless your family and give you every grace of this Holy Week. 

Saturday, April 4, The Pretzel

The pretzel is a favorite Lenten snack which is easy to make and helps to keep active children occupied as they await Easter. Did you know that the pretzel has a long history? It goes all the way back to the fifth century Romans. After the legalization of Christianity in 313 A.D. with the conversion of Constantine, Lent became a regular practice. Prayer, fasting and alms giving were the norm. Roman bakers concocted bread in the shape of arms crossed in prayer. It was made from flour, salt, and water, a simple bread for a sacrificial season. They named the bread "little arms."Viva the pretzel! The shape was a reminder to the Romans and to us that Lent is a season of prayer and simple foods. When the corona virus lifts, and things get back to normal, take a trip to the Vatican Library to see a picture of the oldest known pretzel dating from the fifth century!

EASY RECIPE FOR PRETZELS

Shape refrigerated bread stick dough to form the shape of the praying arms. Mix an egg yolk and 1 1/2 tablespoon of milk. Blend well and brush each pretzel with it. Sprinkle coarse salt on the top of each pretzel and bake according to the directions on the package. Viola! You have an easy, tasty treat and the children can learn a little bit about the history of Lenten practices sixteen hundred years ago and the creativity of Roman bakers.