HOLY WEEK: THE MIRACLES OF CHRIST

[note: I'm saying good-by to the blogopshere for about a week. If you are a Catholic or Protestant Christian, I realize you'll be observing Good Friday tomorrow, but in the Eastern Orthodox Church, Holy Week is just ahead of us.  Our Easter - Pascha - is April 15th this year.]  

Holy Week is the perfect time to focus on the miracles of Christ. The last Saturday of Lent (just preceding Passion Week - or Holy Week) is focused on Jesus' miracle of the Raising of Lazarus.  Of course, Holy Week itself, our journey with Christ to Pascha, ends with the ultimate miracle of the Resurrection, as Jesus frees the dead from Hades.

In my home, I display an Easter Egg Tree every year.  I made my own last year with pussy willow branches stuck into florist foam, which I nestled down into a pretty tin. (In Europe, pussy willow branches are used in place of palm branches on Palm Sunday, since palms are not available in that region.) When our children were young, during Holy Week they looked forward to hanging beautifully decorated eggs on our Easter Egg Tree each day.  By Easter - Pascha - the tree would be full.

This year I thought I would do it a little bit differently, decorating the tree for Holy Week with icon cards of "The Miracles of Christ" hung from the branches, and eventually adding in my Easter Egg collection for Pascha.. 

Pack of 18 cards. I got them here.

To all my readers:  I'll be back after next week. Blessed Pascha (Happy Easter)!

PYSANKA: A UKRAINIAN CELEBRATION OF LIFE

Have you ever read Rechenka's Eggs by Patricia Palacco?  It's a heart-warming story featuring a goose and some beautiful Ukrainian "Pysanky" eggs.  

I've got some other picture book recommendations that feature these special eggs, but first I thought I'd share some information about the symbolism and history behind this art.

I learned a lot about it last weekend when I attended a Lenten Pysanka workshop. The instructor, Adriana, brought a whole basket of her little masterpieces to show us.  It was hard to believe we were about to attempt to paint some ourselves!  Here's what we learned...

"At one time, the egg was associated with pagan rituals and superstitions, symbolizing the release of the earth from the shackles of winter into spring; with its promise of new hope, new life, health and prosperity. 

In 988 AD when Ukraine accepted Christianity, the decorating of eggs took on a deep religious meaning. The PYSANKA commemorated the Resurrection of Christ, and a promise of eternal life. The pagan superstitions were replaced by religious beliefs and legends."

The geometric motifs are the same as found in many forms of primitive art, but their use in PYSANKY gives them specific names and symbolic meanings. Ribbons and belts that encircle the egg with no beginning or end symbolize eternity. Triangles symbolize trios, such as the circle of life of birth, life, death; the Holy Trinity, and the natural elements of fire, air, and water. Stars once symbolized the pagan gods, and now stand for life, growth and good fortune. The cross appears in many forms and symbolizes the four corners of the world, and Christianity."

[Go to Adriana's website for more information here.]

You can watch this video of the whole Pysanka egg painting process that Adriana did for our local news program below:

Here's a photo of my egg, just after it's been plunged down into the blue dye.  The next step will be to expose the egg to a heat source and rub off the wax...

...and here's the finished product!

MY BOOK RECOMMENDATIONS:
Easter Eggs for Anya, by Virginia Kroll, illustrations by Sally Wern Comport.  This sweet story follows Anya as she prays for her family's farm, which is struggling since her father is away at war. She is upset after a fox attacks a goose that has been guarding its nest, as suddenly the nest of goose eggs is left abandoned and cold.  But then she realizes that she will at least have some eggs to decorate as Pysanky for Easter.  You'll be surprised when she wakes up on Easter morning to some new beginnings! (ages 4-8)

Click on the thumbnail photo to see details about each of the books below:
Rechenka's Eggs, written and illustrated by Patricia Polacco.

The Birds' Gift: A Ukrainian Easter Story, by Eric A. Kimmel. Pictures by Katya Krenina

Nina's Treasures, by Stefan Czernecki, illustrated by Timothy Rhodes.

I'VE GOT SUNSHINE, NOT A CLOUDY DAY...

Wherever you go, no matter what the weather, always bring your own sunshine. ~Anthony J. D'Angelo 

source

Admittedly, I am often spoiled by the weather we enjoy here in Southern California: even though it's late February, on my morning walk yesterday I was enjoying clear skies, sunshine, temperatures in the high 70's, along with the sounds of dogs barking, church bells chiming (in my neighborhood, yes, this is true!) and lots of birds chirping in the trees to keep me company.

I suppose I should blog about books that are relative to the season most of you are experiencing right now, but once home from my sun-kissed walk, I just couldn't bring myself to recommend picture books about cold, winter, or snow (although you're welcome to read about some of my favorites here).

I've got Lent on my mind and I really wanted to write about springtime!  Lent is a time for gladness, not despondency...even if you still see snow on the ground, the church fathers talk of the Fast as a spiritual springtime:

The lenten spring shines forth,

the flower of repentance!

Let us cleanse ourselves from all evil,

crying out to the Giver of Light:

Glory to You, O Lover of man!

-from Cheesefare Wednesday Vespers

Well, I've arrived at a happy medium: I've decided to stick with the topic of weather in general, along with some Lenten food for thought thrown in...

Sunshine is delicious, rain is refreshing, wind braces us up, snow is exhilarating; there is really no such thing as bad weather, only different kinds of good weather. ~John Ruskin  

Whether you've got rain, snow, sun, or cold in your part of the world, I think this book covers just about everything!  (And it's guaranteed to have you and your kids laughing)  First published in 1978, it's CLOUDY WITH A CHANCE OF MEATBALLS, by Judi Barrett, with illustrations by Ron Barrett.

Grandpa tells a bedtime story about the town of Chewandswallow, where instead of snow, wind, or rain, the citizens get a different kind of weather that falls from the sky three times a day: breakfast, lunch, and dinner. You'll find helicopters attempting to lift a giant pancake off of a school and enormous slices of pizza draping the houses and streets...while a storm of hamburgers blows in.

And no one is too worried about the weather, until it takes a turn for the worse — the portions of food (such as donuts) get larger and larger and fall faster and faster, until everyone in the town fears for their lives. They all need to think of a plan, and they need one fast! With teamwork, smarts, and some extra-large bagels, Chewandswallow residents are able to save themselves from the torrential weather.

A cheerful approach to gearing up for a science lesson about weather, or just a fun read aloud, this book is perfect for ages 5-8.

And with Lent is starting, this book might also start a discussion about whether too much of a good thing is always the best thing!  Dr. Philip Mamalakis says, "Lent is a time that we are invited to change our lifestyle in preparation for Easter...a time for families to reorient themselves toward God".  This can be helped through choices from a "Lenten buffet" that will nourish our souls: fasting, prayer, reading Scripture and the lives of the Saints, helping others (almsgiving), and attending church more.  So turn off your television and enjoy God's creation!

On cable TV they have a weather channel - 24 hours of weather. We had something like that where I grew up. We called it a window. ~Dan Spencer

Good Lenten Reading:
FOR KIDS:
The Tale of Three Trees, by Angela Elwell Hunt


The Book of Jonah, by Niko Chocheli


The Life of St. Brigid, by Jane Meyer


Saint Patrick, Enlightener of the Irish, by Zachary Lynch


The Blackbird's Nest, St. Kevin of Ireland, by Jenny Schroedel

Song of the Swallows, by Leo Politi


Saints: Lives and Illuminations by Ruth Sanderson


FOR PARENTS/ADULTS:
Great Lent: Journey to Pascha by Alexander Schmemann

The Lenten Spring by Thomas Hopko

LEARNING TO WAIT WITH LITTLE CHICK

This is the time, during Mid-Lent, that I always learn about waiting and patience: for the fast to be over.  For our continued contemplation and participation in the mystery of the Cross.  For the hope of the Resurrection on Easter and the Joy that it brings.

Fr. Alexander Schmemann, in his book GREAT LENT, writes in Chapter 4, The Lenten Journey: "We are in Mid-Lent.  On the one hand, the physical and spiritual effort, if it is serious and consistent, begins to be felt...we need help and encouragement.  On the other hand, having endured this fatigue, having climbed the mountain up to this point, we begin to see the end of our pilgrimage, and the rays of Easter grow in their intensity."

I can't pass up this chance to tell you about a sweet children's book that teaches some wonderful lessons about waiting.  It's LITTLE CHICK, written by Amy Hest and illustrated by Anita Jeram.  I think your child will love meeting Little Chick and Old Auntie, the big red hen.  From School Library Journal:

"...three short adventures that brim with childlike concerns and solutions.  Little Chick impatiently waits for her carrot to grow and then finally pulls it, finds a way to make her kite fly, and accepts that she cannot catch her favorite star and put it in her pocket. The protagonist, like many youngsters, wants what she wants immediately, but her understanding and wise Old-Auntie is always there to ease life's disappointments. The text is gentle, affectionate, and child-centered with some lovely turns of phrase and on-target dialogue....Jeram's pencil-and-watercolor illustrations shine. Little Chick is so perfectly childlike—lying on her back holding her toes when she has to wait, leaning on Old-Auntie when things get too hard, or hanging her head dejectedly when her kite won't fly...Old-Auntie is large and comforting." (ages 4-8)