As a child Easter was all about Easter Eggs, my favorite was the Humpty Dumpty Easter Egg filled with smarties, or a Cadbury sock filled with chocolates. One really is never too old for an Easter Egg and a mocha hot cross bun.
As time has passed Easter now has a new meaning for me. Sitting at Sesto Sorelline Easter table will be surrounded by family and friends who mean the world to me. My thoughts will be with family and friends who are no longer earth side, not forgotten they will be honored with their favorite dish on Easter Sunday dinner and their names will be spoken with much love and pride.
Easter celebrations in our family always start with Psalm Sunday. Blessed olive branches are hung on the front door and the baking begins. A week of baking and cooking, fish eaten during Lent on a Wednesday and Friday leading up to Easter with a final crescendo on Easter Sunday when there is always a pasta, meat and a fish dish followed by my sister’s famous pavlova for dessert. It’s not a Sesto Shoreline family celebration without pavlova covered in whipped cream and lemon curd.
Sitting in mass today I was moved by the theme Palm Sunday, the Passion of the Lord 50:4-7
The Lord has given me a disciple’s tongue so that I may know how to reply to the wearied.
He provides me with speech. Each morning he wakes me to hear. To listen like a disciple. The Lord has opened my ear for my part, I made no resistance neither did I turn away.
I offered my back to those who struck me, my cheeks to those who tore my beard. I did not cover my face against insult and spittle. The Lord comes to my help so that I am untouched by the insults. So, too I set my face like flint. I know that I shall not be shamed.
The first reading resonated with me. For when Jesus was being questioned by Pontious Pilot he was silent, his silence was deafening. Sometimes it is ok to say nothing, to stay silent, for your silence in itself is louder than words.