Waiting.

John 19:38-42

"After this, Joseph of Arimathea,

secretly a disciple of Jesus for fear of the Jews,

asked Pilate if he could remove the body of Jesus.

And Pilate permitted it.

So he came and took his body.

Nicodemus, the one who had first come to him at night,

also came bringing a mixture of myrrh and aloes

weighing about one hundred pounds.

They took the body of Jesus

and bound it with burial cloths along with the spices,

according to the Jewish burial custom.

Now in the place where he had been crucified there was a garden,

and in the garden a new tomb, in which no one had yet been buried.

So they laid Jesus there because of the Jewish preparation day;

for the tomb was close by."


Today's lectionary is from the Easter Vigil mass, so I have included this passage from Friday's passion gospel. It's a great one to meditate on today as we wait for the resurrection. My favorite thing to do with the kids today is to prepare resurrection rolls. I take frozen roll dough and let it thaw and rise according to package directions. I then let the kids punch down and flatten each roll and fill with a large marshmallow which has been rolled in butter and then cinnamon sugar. Be sure to seal the dough around the marshmallow well or it will seep out while baking. I place each roll in a muffin tin, just in case the marshmallow does leak, then let the second rise happen in the fridge overnight. Pop them in the oven in the morning and bake according to package directions. When they are done, the rolls will be sweet and hollow on the inside. You can also use refrigerated crescent rolls and make them in the morning with no rising. I advise using two triangles per marshmallow and bake according to package directions. 


The marshmallow symbolizes Jesus and the cinnamon sugar the spices they used to prepare his body. The roll is the tomb. When the rolls are done, the hollow center represents his rising and the sweetness our new life in a resurrected Christ. 


Prayer: Lord Jesus, thank you for your rising. Help me to show my kids the joy of this new life in you. Amen.