Hello friends! A blessed Holy Saturday to you. On this day in the holiest time of the year, we wait in silence and prayer outside the tomb of Our Lord. It is a most sombre day, but like our Mother Mary, we are also hopeful because we know that the death of Christ is not the end. Today we prepare our hearts for the Christ's triumph.
When I was a child, we found this cookie recipe to be made Holy Saturday night in anticipation of Easter morning. They are absolutely delicious and have a great story to go with them. Even though I'm no longer a child, I still love making and eating these cookies and I really like contemplating Our Lord's Passion, Death, and Resurrection while assembling them. This is a very straightforward recipe (unlike the Laetare Sunday Simnel Cake I made last year) so I know anyone will enjoy making them!
The recipe wants you to look up scripture and calls for a Bible in the list of ingredients. This was like a fun treasure hunt for scripture when I was a child but I have included the Bible verses here from the Douay-Rheims Bible for your reading convenience.
Resurrection Cookies
To be made the evening before Easter:
Ingredients:
Preheat oven to 300 degrees Fahrenheit.
“Then therefore, Pilate took Jesus, and scourged him. And the soldiers platting a crown of thorns, put it upon his head; and they put on him a purple garment. And they came to him, and said: Hail, king of the Jews; and they gave him blows.” -John 19:1-3
“Afterwards, Jesus knowing that all things were now accomplished, that the scripture might be fulfilled, said: I thirst. Now there was a vessel set there full of vinegar. And they, putting a sponge full of vinegar and hyssop, put it to his mouth. Jesus therefore, when he had taken the vinegar, said: It is consummated. And bowing his head, he gave up the ghost.” -John 19:28-30
“The thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy. I am come that they may have life, and may have it more abundantly. I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd giveth his life for his sheep.” -John 10:10-11
“And there followed him a great multitude of people, and of women, who bewailed and lamented him.” -Luke 23:27
Add the sugar. Sugar is added to show that the sweetest part of the story is that Jesus died because He wants us to know and belong to Him.
“O taste, and see that the Lord is sweet: blessed is the man that hopeth in him.” -Psalm 34:8
“For God so loved the world, as to give his only begotten Son; that whosoever believeth in him, may not perish, but may have life everlasting.” -John 3:16
“And then come, and accuse me, saith the Lord: if your sins be as scarlet, they shall be made as white as snow: and if they be red as crimson, they shall be white as wool.” -Isaiah 1:18
"And there was a man of the Pharisees, named Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jews. This man came to Jesus by night, and said to him: Rabbi, we know that thou art come a teacher from God; for no man can do these signs which thou dost, unless God be with him. Jesus answered, and said to him: Amen, amen I say to thee, unless a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God." -John 3:1-3
Fold in broken nuts. Drop by teaspoons onto wax paper covered cookie sheet. Each mound represents the rocky tomb where Jesus' body was laid.
"And when it was evening, there came a certain rich man of Arimathea, named Joseph, who also himself was a disciple of Jesus. He went to Pilate, and asked the body of Jesus. Then Pilate commanded that the body should be delivered. And Joseph taking the body, wrapped it up in a clean linen cloth. And laid it in his own new monument, which he had hewed out in a rock. And he rolled a great stone to the door of the monument, and went his way." -Matthew 27:57-60
Put the cookie sheet in the oven, close the door and turn the oven OFF. Use a piece of tape to seal the oven door just as Jesus' tomb was sealed.
"Pilate saith to them: You have a guard; go, guard it as you know. And they departing, made the sepulchre sure, sealing the stone, and setting guards." -Matthew 27:65-66
Go to bed! We may be sad to leave the cookies in the oven overnight. Jesus' followers were in despair when the tomb was sealed.
"Amen, amen I say to you, that you shall lament and weep, but the world shall rejoice; and you shall be made sorrowful, but your sorrow shall be turned into joy. ... So also you now indeed have sorrow; but I will see you again, and your heart shall rejoice; and your joy no man shall take from you." -John 16:20,22
On Easter morning, open up the oven and look at the cookies. Notice the cracked surface and take a bite. The cookies are hollow inside! On Easter, Jesus' followers were amazed to find the tomb open and empty.
"And in the end of the sabbath, when it began to dawn towards the first day of the week, came Mary Magdalen and the other Mary, to see the sepulchre. And behold there was a great earthquake. For an angel of the Lord descended from heaven, and coming, rolled back the stone, and sat upon it. And his countenance was as lightning, and his raiment as snow. And for fear of him, the guards were struck with terror, and became as dead men. And the angel answering, said to the women: Fear not you; for I know that you seek Jesus who was crucified. He is not here, for he is risen, as he said. Come, and see the place where the Lord was laid. And going quickly, tell ye his disciples that he is risen: and behold he will go before you into Galilee; there you shall see him. Lo, I have foretold it to you.
And they went out quickly from the sepulchre with fear and great joy, running to tell his disciples. And behold Jesus met them, saying: All hail. But they came up and took hold of his feet, and adored him." -Matthew 29:1-9
Resurrexit, sicut dixit! He has risen, as He said!
Credit for our copy of the recipe goes to catholicmom.com (which no longer has the recipe that I can find. We printed it out in 2006! XD) Photos are my own. Have you seen or made this recipe before? Aren't they just delicious? If you haven't made them, I highly suggest doing so tonight! (Or anytime, really.) I hope you enjoy! Let me know what you think!
Ooh, I love how the recipe incorporates scripture! So clever! I have allergies, so I wouldn't be able to eat these, but maybe someday I'd like to make them with other people...they seem like they'd be fun to make even if I couldn't eat them. :)
ReplyDeleteAw, yes, it certainly would be a fun recipe to use with children, younger siblings, a youth group, etc.
Delete