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March 25, 2025Just as Spring seems to finally be winning in its grapple with Winter, the church looks ahead to Easter joy. We celebrate this fourth Sunday of Lent as Laetare Sunday, “Rejoice” Sunday. Historically, this has been a day of celebration within Catholic cultures all over the world, especially refreshing after the weeks of fasting and other penitential practices.
In Cooking for Christ: The Liturgical Year in the Kitchen, Florence Berger notes that we will know “how welcome that refreshment can be” when we have really fasted. She encourages us to now “[C]atch the joy of living. God made this spring for our pleasure, so enjoy it and thank Him for His blessings.” This wonderful book was first published in 1946 and is now available in an updated version. See https://catholicrurallife.org/store/.
Pray:
At Sunday’s meal, or anytime during this week, ask members of the family to share the joyful things they are grateful for. You might especially consider spiritual consolations or insights gained through Lenten practices. Offer a simple prayer of gratitude to God for these gifts!
Eat:
In the middle ages, this Lenten Sunday was celebrated in England as “Mothering Sunday.” Girls and young women who worked were traditionally given this Sunday off to visit their mothers, and they would always arrive with the gift of a special cake called a “simnel cake,” made of almond meal or marzipan, dried fruits, and spices. Here is a special recipe for an authentic, but fussy, version: https://www.bbcgoodfood.com/recipes/easter-simnel-cake
We’ve found that everyone enjoys this simple almond flavored sheet cake, and it serves a crowd. It would be a fine substitute for a simnel cake—for Mother and everyone in the family.
Almond Sheet Cake
Cake ingredients:
One cup butter
one cup water
2 cups flour
2 cups sugar
Two eggs, beaten
½ cup sour cream or plain yogurt
1 teaspoon almond extract
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking soda
Frosting ingredients:
1/4 cup milk
1/2 cup butter
4 1/2 cups confectioners sugar
1 teaspoon almond extract
1 cup chopped almonds or pecans, optional
In a large saucepan, bring butter and water to boil. Remove from heat; stir in flour, sugar, eggs, sour cream, almond extract, salt and baking soda smooth. Pour into a greased 10 x 15 x 1" baking pan. Bake at 350 for 18 to 20 minutes or until cake is golden brown and test done cool for 20 minutes. For frosting, combine butter and milk in a sauce pan. Cook until butter is melted. Remove add sugar and almond extract and mix well. String nuts, if desired, and spread over cake. Yields 16 to 23.
Do:
Gather some friends or family and celebrate Laetare Sunday!
Also, look ahead to the Men's Club Fish Fries, on March 28 and April 11. Consider inviting others to join your family. Is there a child in your Catechesis of the Good Shepherd class whose family you’d like to meet? A Nativity School family? A neighbor new or old? Make plans to bring them to our parish fish fry and enjoy some time with our Nativity community.