Lenten Prayer and PRETZELS!

The story of the transfiguration has forever intrigued me.  I have always wondered what in the world kept Peter, James, and John from running down the mountain path yelling in fear at the top of their lungs.  That’s definitely what I would have done if it had been Danny, James, and John hanging out with Jesus!!

Fr. Neville challenged me tonight in his homily to sit down and schedule out times to connect with God especially during the Retreat Week (3/24 - 3/28) at SJCC.  I’m sure we’ll attend most of the talks that will be held each night in the evening at church, but here’s something you can do with your family during SJCC Retreat Week…make some Lenten Pretzels!!  We made these with our Confirmation Disciple Group this past week.  Here is some interesting information about Lent and pretzels:

A traditional means of reminding the family that it is the holy season of Lent is the Lenten foods which are served only this time of the year. Thus parents and children realize, even at their meals, that prayer and penance should be practiced during these days.

The pretzel has a deep spiritual meaning for Lent. In fact, it was the ancient Christian Lenten bread as far back as the fourth century. In the old Roman Empire, the faithful kept a very strict fast all through Lent: no milk, no butter, no cheese, no eggs, no cream and no meat. They made small breads of water, flour and salt, to remind themselves that Lent was a time of prayer. They shaped these breads in the form of crossed arms for in those days they crossed their arms over the breast while praying. Therefore they called the breads "little arms" (bracellae). From this Latin word, the Germanic people later coined the term "pretzel."

 

Thus the pretzel is the most appropriate food symbol in Lent. It still shows the form of arms crossed in prayer, reminding us that Lent is a time of prayer. It consists only of water and flour, thus proclaiming Lent as a time of fasting. The earliest picture and description of a pretzel (from the fifth century) may be found in a document in the Vatican Library.

That many people eat pretzels today all through the year, and eat them together with beer in taverns and restaurants, is only an accidental habit. In many places of Europe, pretzels are served only from Ash Wednesday to Easter, thus keeping the ancient symbolism alive.

There seems to be no reason why our Christian families should not return to this beautiful custom of our ancient Roman fellow-Christians, especially since we still have these breads everywhere. The children will be delighted and greatly impressed when they hear the true story of the pretzel!

 

From The Year of the Lord in the Christian Home by Rev. Francis X. Weiser, S.J. (Collegeville, Minnesota, The Liturgical Press, ©1964) p. 89, pp. 93-94.

Here’s a prayer to say before eating the pretzels:

We beg you, O Lord, to bless these breads which are to remind us that Lent is a sacred season of penance and prayer. For this very reason, the early Christians started the custom of making these breads in the form of arms crossed in prayer. Thus they kept the holy purpose of Lent alive in their hearts from day to day, and increased in their souls the love of Christ, even unto death, if necessary.

Grant us, we pray, that we too, may be reminded by the daily sight of these pretzels to observe the holy season of Lent with true devotion and great spiritual fruit. We ask this through Christ our Lord. Amen.

 

You can find the pretzel recipe that we used here.  (Recipe works great in a breadmaker, too!)

It’s fun, prayerful, and tastes great!!!  Enjoy!!!

Danny G