Easter Dinner Thoughts

I've been tossing around what to make for Easter Dinner. I like ham but since my husband and I were diagnosed with high blood pressure, that won't be happening this year. And turkey seems so Christmas and Thanksgiving. 

Available on Etsy

For a couple of years, our family would cook out on Easter but this year it's been so cold I don't want to chance it. So this year I'm planning to get back to my roots so to speak.

Available on Etsy

 I'm 2nd generation Italian American and I was thinking perhaps I'd do an Italian Theme this year.  So I'm thinking antipasto, manicotti with spaghetti on the side, Italian mild sausage, salad, garlic bread. 

So what are your plans for Easter Dinner? 

Happy Easter

He Is Risen! May you have a Blessed Easter!

On Holy Saturday, He Opens the Gates of Heaven

The crucifixion is over and Jesus is in the tomb.....as Catholics we believe that on Holy Saturday Christ descended into Hell to open the gates of Heaven to those gone before. Tomorrow he rises from the dead, Hallelujah 

From the Catechism of the Catholic Church:  

Paragraph 1. Christ Descended into Hell

632 The frequent New Testament affirmations that Jesus was "raised from the dead" presuppose that the crucified one sojourned in the realm of the dead prior to his resurrection.⁴⁷⁸ This was the first meaning given in the apostolic preaching to Christ's descent into hell: that Jesus, like all men, experienced death and in his soul joined the others in the realm of the dead. But he descended there as Savior, proclaiming the Good News to the spirits imprisoned there.⁴⁷⁹

633 Scripture calls the abode of the dead, to which the dead Christ went down, "hell" - Sheol in Hebrew or Hades in Greek - because those who are there are deprived of the vision of God.⁴⁸⁰ Such is the case for all the dead, whether evil or righteous, while they await the Redeemer: which does not mean that their lot is identical, as Jesus shows through the parable of the poor man Lazarus who was received into "Abraham's bosom":⁴⁸¹ "It is precisely these holy souls, who awaited their Savior in Abraham's bosom, whom Christ the Lord delivered when he descended into hell."⁴⁸² Jesus did not descend into hell to deliver the damned, nor to destroy the hell of damnation, but to free the just who had gone before him.⁴⁸³

634 "The gospel was preached even to the dead."⁴⁸⁴ The descent into hell brings the Gospel message of salvation to complete fulfilment. This is the last phase of Jesus' messianic mission, a phase which is condensed in time but vast in its real significance: the spread of Christ's redemptive work to all men of all times and all places, for all who are saved have been made sharers in the redemption.

635 Christ went down into the depths of death so that "the dead will hear the voice of the Son of God, and those who hear will live."⁴⁸⁵ Jesus, "the Author of life", by dying destroyed "him who has the power of death, that is, the devil, and [delivered] all those who through fear of death were subject to lifelong bondage."⁴⁸⁶ Henceforth the risen Christ holds "the keys of Death and Hades", so that "at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth."⁴⁸⁷

Today a great silence reigns on earth, a great silence and a great stillness. A great silence because the King is asleep. The earth trembled and is still because God has fallen asleep in the flesh and he has raised up all who have slept ever since the world began. . . He has gone to search for Adam, our first father, as for a lost sheep. Greatly desiring to visit those who live in darkness and in the shadow of death, he has gone to free from sorrow Adam in his bonds and Eve, captive with him - He who is both their God and the son of Eve. . . "I am your God, who for your sake have become your son. . . I order you, O sleeper, to awake. I did not create you to be a prisoner in hell. Rise from the dead, for I am the life of the dead."⁴⁸⁸

IN BRIEF

636 By the expression "He descended into hell", the Apostles' Creed confesses that Jesus did really die and through his death for us conquered death and the devil "who has the power of death" (Heb 2:14).

637 In his human soul united to his divine person, the dead Christ went down to the realm of the dead. He opened heaven's gates for the just who had gone before him.

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476 Eph 4:9-10.

Agnus Dei

Today is Holy Thursday and tonight we Catholics commemorate the Lord's  Last Supper. The celebration of the first Eucharist in that upper room. Mass of the Last Supper is held after sundown.

 The priest washes the feet of 12 as Jesus washed the feet of the disciples.

This special Mass commemorates the institution of Holy Communion through Jesus's words "this is my body" and "this is my blood"  & direction to "do this in memory of me". At the end of Mass the hosts (which we believe is the consecrated Body of Christ) is removed from the tabernacle and carried in a procession to the lower church where it is placed in the other tabernacle.

After the procession the altar is stripped bare and bells of the church go silent until the "Gloria" at the Easter Vigil on Holy Saturday.

Mass will not be held on Good Friday. The Communion for that day will come from these already consecrated hosts that were moved from the church on Holy Thursday. That day is reserved for Stations of the Cross at 3 pm, the hour Jesus died and for readings that account the Passion of Christ. It is very solemn.

Easter time is my favorite time of the church year. It's rich with symbolism and tradition. Tradition that my parents, grandparents, great grandparents.....my family all the way back to the early church, shared in. This tradition makes me what and who I am.

Tonight I will be joining my daughter at the Shrine of St. Anthony for the Mass of the Last Supper.

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 Agnus Dei, 

quitollis peccata mundi: miserere nobis. 

Agnus Dei, 

quitollis peccata mundi: miserere nobis. 

Agnus Dei, 

quitollis peccata mundi: dona nobis pacem.

Translation:

Lamb of God

who takes away the sins of the world, have mercy on us.

Lamb of God

who takes away the sins of the world, have mercy on us

Lamb of God

who takes away the sins of the world, grant us peace.

.

Ramblings of Spring & Strange Dreams

Hand Painted Porcelain Tray

Spring is on it's way and so is Easter. Things that come to mind resurrection and new life, flowers, green, warm rays of the sun.

I was thinking the other day we had a mild winter and I was hoping for that early Spring that the Groundhog said we'd get but wait, the weather man says we are having a snow storm tomorrow....well that puts a crimp in things

Speaking of new life and resurrection  I had this dream the other night. I was at some painting seminar and was going to bed. We had bunks (for some strange reason) in the hotel. I climbed in the bottom bunk and I saw my Mom's face (she passed away on Dec 28, 2012).

She was saying that she could see her Mother (my Grandmother) and she was surrounded by colorful radiant light. That doesn't surprise me because Busha was faithful to the Lord. Well anyway, I remember saying to Mom, "Mom, I REALLY don't want to see dead people." and I up and left the bunk bed...strange dream. Hope if she was coming to me in the dream that I didn't hurt her feelings. I wonder if you get hurt feelings in the afterlife?
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The piece of porcelain above is available in my Etsy shop. Here is the link: http://www.etsy.com/listing/102662783/china-painted-dogwood-and-cross-dresser?

Tomorrow is Good Friday and....

I wanted to share this beautiful prayer with you.

O Jesus, Who by reason of Thy burning love for us
hast willed to be crucified
and to shed Thy Most Precious Blood
for the redemption and salvation of our souls,
look down upon us here gathered together
in remembrance of Thy most sorrowful Passion and Death,
fully trusting in Thy mercy;
cleanse us from sin by Thy grace,
sanctify our toil,
give unto us and unto all those who are dear to us our
daily bread,
sweeten our sufferings,
bless our families,
and to the nations so sorely afflicted,
grant Thy peace,
which is the only true peace,
so that by obeying Thy commandments
we may come at last to the glory of heaven.

Amen. (http://catholic.org)

Easter Memories

So I was looking for a recipe for something and I came across this recipe and photo....boy did it bring back memories of Easter's gone by. I can remember going to my Father's Mother's house in Little Italy, Baltimore at Easter and seeing a bread similar to this one on my grandmother's kitchen table.

There would also be a lamb shaped cake as well. I used to love going to her house. The smells were incredible in that kitchen where her and my Aunt Nat would make the most wonderful meals. I can almost smell that spaghetti gravy (as we called sauce) which would cook for almost the entire day to make it that wonderful thick consistency. There was no Ragu in those days.  Anyway, I hope you all have a wonderful Easter.  Here's the recipe just in case someone wants to make this bread. It's from AllRecipes website. Click Here

It's funny I should come across this today. Today is the clean up of an abandoned cemetery, St. Vincent's in Baltimore. There was a number of descrecrations to the point the tombstones were bulldozed to hide the dead and then the place was left to grow up into a jungle. I'm in a group trying to restore that cemetery were two children of my Grandmom, Beatrice Iori lie buried as babies, Angelo and Giovanni Iori, one died at 6 weeks and one died at birth. I guess Grandmom is letting me know she'll be there today with us. Pray for us and our work....here's a website about the cemetery that I put together for the group:
http://stvincentcemetery.tripod.com

Paint Party Friday

Well Dad is out of the hospital. He seems to be better but his breathing is a little irregular. I guess it will take time to get back to normal.  He had his follow up doctor's appointment today and came out with flying colors. Now he goes to the heart specialist in 3 weeks for a follow up too.  Just thought I'd update everyone but enough about that....now to painting.

Here is a little Spring Lamb.....it's a watercolor ACEO. Easter's coming when the Lamb of God gave His life to save us. Hallelujah!!!!

The ACEO is available in my Etsy shop CLICK HERE

Check out some awesome Paint Party Friday art visit this link: http://paintpartyfriday.blogspot.com

Don't Like the Weather? Wait a Minute.

I was thinking yesterday that Easter is right around the corner. I need to get up into the attic today and pull out those Easter decorations. 

But this morning the weather lady said there is 60% chance of snow on Sunday. How can that be? Wasn't it just 80 degrees last week? Well you know what they say about Maryland weather? "Don't like it? Wait a minute it will change."  So maybe by Sunday the chance of snow will go away. I sure hope so.

There are daffodils all over my front yard! I would hate to see them covered in snow. They are so pretty, the other day I picked one for my grandson. He was so tickled when I gave it to him. He loves flowers because they have green on them. It's his favorite color. He is the President of the Green Club. I'm in the club of course. Not that I'm a big green fan but he thinks I am! LOL
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Easter Egg Salt & Pepper Shakers pictured above are in my Etsy shop. Here's the link: http://www.etsy.com/listing/70391626/easter-egg-salt-pepper-shakers-hand

Coming Soon!

What you wonder? Lent!  Advent & Christmas it seems was just yesterday and now it's time to prepare for Easter.  Easter is more than Easter baskets and chocolate bunnies! It's the day our Savior rose from the dead! It takes preparation!

Three weeks from now comes Ash Wednesday and that's the start of Lent. As a Roman Catholic  it will be forty days of fasting from meat on Friday's, prayer, penance, almsgiving and giving up something in preparation for Easter!


So three weeks to decide my "Lenten Plan".  Hmmm....

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The 4 porcelain fish sauce dishes are available in my Etsy shop:  http://www.etsy.com/listing/68055121/handpainted-porcelain-set-of-4-fish

Easter Trivia on a Rainy Day....

....it's raining, I'm bored. That means I'm on the computer surfing so here' some interesting Easter Trivia I came across...

• The name Easter owes its origin from Eastre, the Anglo-Saxon goddess who symbolizes hare and egg.


• Easter always falls between March 22 and April 25.


• Pysanka is a specific term used for the practice of Easter egg painting.


• From the very early times, egg has been considered to be the most important symbol of rebirth.


• The initial baskets of Easter were given the appearance of bird's nests.


• The maiden chocolate eggs recipes were made in Europe in the nineteenth century.


• Each year witnesses the making of nearly 90 million chocolate bunnies.


• Next to Halloween, Easter holiday paves way for confectionary business to boom.


• When it comes to eating of chocolate bunnies, it is the ears that are preferred to be eaten first by as many as 76% of people.


• In the catalogue of kids' favorite Easter foodstuff, Red jellybeans occupy top most position.

This is one of the new pieces of porcelain that I've finished and put up in my Bonanzle store.  I've been painting up a storm with special orders, gifts, and new items for my two shops.  Here's the link for this if you are interested..Mother's Day is coming up!!!!!http://www.bonanzle.com/booths/EclecticSpirit/items/Handpainted_China_Cake_Knife

Happy Easter!

I hope all of you are having a Blessed Easter. My plan is to go to Mass this morning early (hence the reason I'm on line at 6:30 in the morning!)

So today's feature is a china painted porcelain mug with a very whimsy Easter Bunny holding a painted egg. She's so foofoo that I imagine that she painted her egg after painting her nails. :) The mug is 3 1/2 inches high and 3 inches in diameter. Dishwasher & microwave safe.

She is available in my Etsy shop for $5.99

http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=10183145

Holy Thursday Post

Today begins the Tridium for the Catholic Church-the three holiest days of the year leading up to Easter Sunday. Holy Thursday commemorates the start of it - the remembrance of the final meal Jesus ate with his friends. Good Friday, the day Christ died on the cross to save us from sin. And Holy Saturday when Christ rested in the grave.

Today's Feature will be an ACEO "Lamb of God"in recognition of the start of the tridium. Painted in Watercolors, this ACEO is available on Etsy in my shop:

http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=10182697