It seems like the Monday and Tuesday of Holy Week get the short end of the stick. Though some dioceses may schedule events on these days, like their Chrism Mass, there aren't really any specific devotions or services for them besides the daily Mass.
In our home, however, we didn't want to leave these days out as we prepare our souls for Easter during Holy Week. So, in addition to our Easter cleaning we came up with having a small simple Tea on Holy Monday to help us remember the day's gospel reading and the historical events that happened on the very first Holy Monday.
Holy Monday is sometimes referred to as Fig Monday because it was the day that Christ cursed the fig tree in Mark 11. It is also the day that he cast the money changers out of the temple.
"And the next day when they came out from Bethania, he was hungry. And when he had seen afar off a fig tree having leaves, he came if perhaps he might find any thing on it. And when he was come to it, he found nothing but leaves. For it was not the time for figs. And answering he said to it: May no man hereafter eat fruit of thee any more for ever. And his disciples heard it. And they came to Jerusalem. And when he was entered into the temple, he began to cast out them that sold and bought in the temple, and overthrew the tables of the moneychangers, and the chairs of them that sold doves. And he suffered not that any man should carry a vessel through the temple; and he taught, saying to them: Is it not written, My house shall be called the house of prayer to all nations? But you have made it a den of thieves. Which when the chief priests and the scribes had heard, they sought how they might destroy him. For they feared him, because the whole multitude was in admiration at his doctrine. And when evening was come, he went forth out of the city. And when they passed by in the morning they saw the fig tree dried up from the roots. And Peter remembering, said to him: Rabbi, behold the fig tree, which thou didst curse, is withered away. And Jesus answering, saith to them: Have the faith of God. Amen I say to you, that whosoever shall say to this mountain, Be thou removed and be cast into the sea, and shall not stagger in his heart, but believe, that whatsoever he saith shall be done; it shall be done unto him. Therefore I say unto you, all things, whatsoever you ask when ye pray, believe that you shall receive; and they shall come unto you. And when you shall stand to pray, forgive, if you have aught against any man; that your Father also, who is in heaven, may forgive you your sins."
Mark 11:12-25
Our family also calls this day "Clean Monday" as it is the day that begins our cleaning and the other physical preparations for Easter in our home. Eastern Catholics also have a "Clean Monday," but they are 40 times more on the ball than I am and have their day on the Monday before Ash Wednesday!
A Word on Boys & Tea Parties
Firstly, I want to dispel the misconception that a tea party is an activity only suitable for little girls. They can be appropriate for mixed company or a group of only boys as well. The cultivation of manners is for EVERYONE!
We have A LOT of little boys at our home. And I had borne 5 boys in a row before my first daughter arrived when my oldest son was 6 years old. And we believe that taking a periodic break from all the mud, shenanigans, and overall ruckus that accompanies a rascal of boy.
Our family tea parties originated from my love of tea and began out of gratitude for my sons. I didn't see the point in depriving my them by waiting to add something beloved to our family culture when there was no guarantee they would ever have a sister to "justify" it. Our first teas were for important Jane Austen dates and marian feast day.
I won't go into great detail about the different types of teas we put on in this specific post, but I will list them here briefly for those interested, with the intention of devoting another post to the subject in the future. Food puns are one of my love languages and this is illustrated by the names we have chosen for the types of tea parties we have in our home. As part of our family's liturgical living we enjoy having Solemni Teas, Celebra Teas, and Sancti Teas. The later being our focus today since it is Lent.
So What Is a Sancti Tea?
Sancti Teas were my way of making days of fasting, abstinence, and sacrifice more palatable and special for our sons. Our tea party food is usually what we already have and would be eating anyway for lunch or dinner, but presented more creatively so it is memorable for our little ones.
Even though egg salad sandwich are a frequent Friday staple at our house, they are so much more exciting to our children when the are cut in a different way or with a cookie cutter, then set on a 3-tiered server or any other unusual plate. We add fresh fruit and veggies to the sandwiches and then put a special drink like a decaffeinated fruit tea, juice, lemonade, or hot cocoa.
Because Sancti Teas are for penitential times, we do not include desserts. Those are saved for our Sancti Teas and sometimes our Celebra Teas. And they are not just for Holy week. They can be done any Friday, Ash Wednesday, or throughout the penitential seasons.
Our Fig Monday Sancti Tea
For Holy Monday's Sancti Tea we try to have something made with figs. In the past we've made fig scones, spread Grandmama's fig preserves on toast or biscuits, or bought fig newtons at the dollar store. This year it's a fig newton day.
The traditional gospel for this day is from John 12. It recounts Christ's visit with Lazarus, Martha, and Mary Magdalene after Lazarus had been raised from the dead. It is also when Mary washed His feet with the expensive ointment and her hair.
Jesus therefore, six days before the pasch, came to Bethania, where Lazarus had been dead, whom Jesus raised to life. And they made him a supper there: and Martha served: but Lazarus was one of them that were at table with him. Mary therefore took a pound of ointment of right spikenard, of great price, and anointed the feet of Jesus, and wiped his feet with her hair; and the house was filled with the odour of the ointment. Then one of his disciples, Judas Iscariot, he that was about to betray him, said: Why was not this ointment sold for three hundred pence, and given to the poor? Now he said this, not because he cared for the poor; but because he was a thief, and having the purse, carried the things that were put therein. Jesus therefore said: Let her alone, that she may keep it against the day of my burial. For the poor you have always with you; but me you have not always. A great multitude therefore of the Jews knew that he was there; and they came, not for Jesus’ sake only, but that they might see Lazarus, whom he had raised from the dead.
John 12:1-9
We tie in this gospel by having lavender lemonade as our special tea drink. As an oil Lavender is close to Spikenard and for our family lemonade is a reminder of God's power to turn the bitter lemons of our little sacrifices into the sweet lemonade of reparation for the salvation of souls. The lemon juice represents our sufferings and the water and sugar as Christ sacrifice & the treasury of merit including the Blessed Mother’s sorrows.
We put on our Lenten playlist quietly in the background and talk about the day's readings while we eat. Some times we read a couple Holy Week books too. And that is about all there is too it! Other foods can be added or substituted, it is really about setting aside the time for conversation and and opportunity to connect with and remember the gospels.
If your family would like to pray a Dry Mass as part of Holy Monday devotions, you can use this booklet that I made by reworking the one provided by www.Pre1955HolyWeek.com.
What fun traditions does your family have for Fig Monday? Please share them with us in the comments!
Pax,
Genie
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