Saints, Feast, Family
- Traditions passed down with Cooking, Crafting, & Caring -
The feast of Divine Mercy, as recorded in the diary of
Saint Faustina, receives from Jesus himself the biggest promises of grace related to the Devotion of Divine Mercy. In specific, Jesus reputedly said that a person who goes to sacramental confession (the confession may take place some days before) and receives holy communion on that day, shall obtain the total forgiveness of all sins and punishment. That means each person would go immediately after death to heaven without suffering in purgatory (or hell). Additionally, the Roman Catholic Church grants a plenary indulgence (observing the usual rules) with the recitation of some simple prayers.
https://www.saintscriptshop.com/products/chaplet-of-divine-mercy-folded-prayer-card
Prayer:
Visit:
El Salvador City, Misamis Oriental, Philippines
The Shrine is said to be the largest statue of Jesus Christ in the Philippines. At 50 ft and located in a hill 500 ft above sea level, it seems to watch over the beautiful sea and the nearby municipalities as well. Two rays, red and white, radiate from the center of the statue, symbolizing the blood and water that flowed from Jesus during his crucifixion. The rays hide the staircases that allow the pilgrims to climb to the top. Around the shrine are a church, retreat centers and sites for future buildings. http://www.baktincorporation.com/2012/08/divine-mercy-archdiocesan-shrine-e/
*Pictured below
Sanktuarium Bożego Miłosierdzia (Shrine of Divine Mercy)
Siostry Faustyny 3, 30-420 Kraków, Poland
*The remains of Saint Faustina rest within the chapel at this convent. They are placed within a white urn located under an image of Divine Mercy just to the left of the main sanctuary.
Finding Shalom
In the old testament, one will find the Hebrew word shalom and in the new testament one will find the Greek word eirene. What do these words mean? They mean Peace. Shalom is a really interesting word. When you say the word Shalom you are also saying a prayer: Please destroy my chaos. The word shalom, in the picture form of Hebrew, is four letters: שלום: 1) Shim: ש which means destroy; 2) Lamed ל which means authority; 3) Van: ו which means connected (with); 4) Mem: ם which means chaos or confusion. So, what does the picture form of Shalom mean? Shalom or peace only comes when the authority connecting chaos or confusion is destroyed! Shalom also means harmony, complete, and it is also the place of wholeness within oneself. In the bible, this is shown metaphorically many times. In life when something is out of balance it will be in need of an alignment and need to be restored. Life too, is complex, people are in need of Shalom or a place of wholeness and on this very special day, the 2nd Sunday of Easter we celebrate the Divine Mercy which is a time to ask God for his grace of forgiveness which will bring one a since of completeness. Like the word Shalom, Catholics believe true peace requires taking what was broken and restoring it to whole, whether it’s in our lives, in our relationships, or in the world. The way one can find balance with one’s soul is through the act of confession. All will be forgiven and the soul will be placed back in balance. The vision of the Divine Mercy was recorded in the diary of Saint Faustina (feast day is October 5). Saint Faustina also states that Jesus appeared to her and the image she shares with us is of Jesus raising his right hand in blessing, and pointing with his left hand on his chest from which flow forth two rays: one red and one white (translucent). The depictions often contain the message “Jesus, I trust in You!” The rays streaming out have symbolic meaning: red for the blood of Jesus (which is the Life of Souls), and white or blue for water (which justify souls). The whole image is symbolic of charity, forgiveness and love of God. God is the bearer of mercy on this most amazing day. He wants all to have balance and peace so that all of Christ’s followers may also be bearers of mercy. Peace be with you my friend!
Recipe
On this day, enjoy talking about candy cane (Chioggia) beets and the image of the Divine Mercy.
God has given us this amazing vegetable which could help tell his story of Grace, Forgiveness, and Love!
Beet and Turnip Gratin
Ingredients
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9 tablespoons unsalted butter, divided (1 for the skillet, 8 for the sauce)
*use Olive Oil for a vegan friendly recipe instead of the butter -
4 1/2 pounds mixed beets and turnips
(red, gold and chioggia beets, peeled and sliced thin) -
3/4 cup finely chopped shallots
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2 teaspoons minced garlic
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2 teaspoons chopped fresh thyme
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Kosher salt, To Taste
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Freshly ground black pepper
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3/4 cup chicken stock, preferably homemade
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1 tablespoon chopped fresh chives
Directions
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Preheat the oven to 400°F. Grease a 12-inch cast iron skillet with 1 tablespoon of butter.
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Working from the outside in, tile sliced beets and turnips in a rosette pattern. Start with red beets on the outer edge, then gold, turnips, and chioggia.
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Warm 3 tablespoons of butter in a small skillet set over medium heat. Add shallots and cook until soft, stirring frequently (about 4 minutes). Add the garlic and thyme and cook, stirring constantly, for 1 minute more. Take the pan off the heat, and stir in the remaining 5 tablespoons of butter. Once the butter has melted and incorporated, season to taste with kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper.
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Pour the butter-garlic mixture evenly over the prepared beets and turnips, then pour over the chicken stock. Cover the skillet tightly with foil, then bake in the oven for 45 minutes. Remove the foil and cook until the top of the gratin is just starting to brown and get crispy (about 30 minutes). Let the gratin cool for 30 minutes. Sprinkle with chopped chive just before serving.
