Holy Week!

I am freaking out. In a good way. It's Holy Week! I can't believe it's actually here, Lent went on for. ever. this year and I failed in almost every way, except actual spiritual growth (thank you silent retreat and spiritual director). In that way, I kicked Lent's butt!! But I failed pretty spectacularly and consistently at everything I attempted to sacrifice. Ah well, we'll get 'em next year.
Soon begins the marathon that is Holy Week at the parish. It's constant movement for three or four days, lots of details to cover and pictures to take and prayers to pray and people to see. Last night we presented a reading of the entire Gospel of Mark, my favorite, to a small but appreciative crowd. It was really cool to hear it all at one sitting, in different voices (one lector per chapter). And it was especially fun to listen to it after having studied it this Lent. I wanted to trade knowing smiles with my fellow BS-ers at the fig tree story, when Peter heard that first cock crow... just a little bit of background on this Gospel gives a much deeper, more nuanced understanding of the story, the writer, and Jesus Himself. Very cool.
I'm not directly in charge of much this year, and with our pastor away, I think there will be lots of indian chiefs on duty, so I will be happy to do the behind-the-scenes work; making sure the Magnifikids are out and the lilies that get delivered to the rectory are all brought over to the church, and to be present to the people in ways that our priests can't be, while they're busy getting ready to try not to get the new translation wrong.
It's supposed to be pretty gloomy at church this week, but it's hard to focus on the bad news while behind the sanctuary, the flowers are being gathered, the decorations are being readied, the preparations for our Easter baptism are being made, and I'm planning the Easter Sunday menu for our day of rest and recovery. We'll be ready to collapse by Saturday night at 10, after having worked all day but hanging in there to clean the church one more time after the Vigil.
I love this week- Scott says it's the Super Bowl of the Church. But this week, we know how the story ends, we know the Good News, and we can't help but get ready to celebrate.

Triduum

Happy Holy Saturday, everyone! It's super-gloomy out, which I expect will change at around 8:00 when people start ringing their bell and singing Allelu... oops, can't say it yet!
We are on the backside of a marathon of work, which for Scott means the 24-hour (read: overnight on the parish hall floor) Food Fast for Catholic Relief Services, and for me means achy feet and bones from just running around constantly from Thursday to tonight. I don't host any big events but am involved somehow in everything that goes on at the parish during Triduum. Both jobs are exhausting and inspiring and exhilarating, and we both end up so pooped and happy by the end of it that we can't wait to wake up on Sunday morning so we can relax.
I find myself tearing up often over this weekend, wondering over and over why I am a blessed as I am... but that's another blog entry. (Really, I think I've written that one already, maybe I'll find it and link it later.) Teenagers laughing, watching my friends and fellow Christians returning from Communion, the Veneration of the Cross, middle schoolers awkwardly diving in at the Food Fast... for some reason, watching kids play Pull-Up gets me every time.
Meanwhile, I'm darting home to fix things so that tomorrow we can be primed and ready to do nothing but sit around in our Easter pajamas and feast. Here are two updated pics from my future garden, just to keep you grounded... yuk yuk yuk!

Happy Patriot's Day!

Or, Patriots' Day! I have been pondering the punctuation of that all day... and that's just about all I've done. It's weird to have a day off to start Holy Week, because this week is generally the Bataan Death March of lay ministry. (That's a really unfortunate analogy, and I wish to formally state my respect for all veterans.) Yesterday, Palm Sunday, the church was full and busy, and our parish's annual concert was a beautiful kickoff week. Tomorrow, after this weirdly-placed day of leisure, we resume the rolling of the ball.













There is a lot of preparation to do, and then when Thursday evening hits, we work pretty much straight through to Saturday night. Blessedly, I get to come home to bed all those nights, but Scott doesn't, as he leads a 24 hour food fast. But I'll be busy- although I'm not exactly (or even kind of like) a liturgist, I keep busy all Holy Week being as helpful as I can. We are a very busy parish, so there is just a TON to do, and I love it all.
By Sunday, we feel like we've run a marathon, and we take the day to revel in the peace and quiet and comfort and deliciousness of home. We reserve this day as the holiest of days for our marriage as well as our faith, and stay home to celebrate both. I can't wait for the Holy Week activities to start, and I can't wait for them to end.
Away we go!!!

We are Easter People

Ahhhhhh Easter. The best day of the year.

This Holy Week, as a person with no discernible job description, my role at the parish was to do... well, whatever. I spent the week carrying donated flowers from the rectory to the sacristy, cleaning out pews between Masses, making sure the Magnifikids were out for each liturgy, putting things in places and taking a lot of pictures. I am the de facto photographer for the parish, which is a really fun job. At the beginning of every event, the pastor says to me "are you going to take pictures for the bloggggg?" meaning the parish blog... and then I dart around trying to get artsy shots while remaining unobtrusive.

On Friday I had the job of moving the line along for the veneration of the cross. I stood opposite the deacon and tried to inspire people in two lines to take turns approaching the cross, in orderly fashion. I was in the position to witness beautiful expressions of reverence and love for the rough wooden cross that was held lovingly (and achingly! It's heavy!) in place by four teenage boys. Young people curtsied in front of the cross, adults reached out to touch it, but the elderly people- they struggled to kneel and to bend to kiss it, and then struggled to rise again. It was such a lovely and inspiring thing to witness. I am so fortunate.

Last night as people gathered around the fire in the back of the church, I crept out into the sanctuary in bare feet, to stand in the dark in front of the altar to take pictures. I alone got to witness the stunning beauty of the light being passed throughout the church, and the people moving slowly back to their seats with lit candles. It was such a special, secret blessing for me.

Now, today, the most beautiful day so far (it's in the 70's at 5:00!) we woke to have cinnamon rolls and iced coffee on the porch in the sun. Now after gorging on cheese and crackers Scott is snoozing on the porch and I am still in my pajamas, looking for great Roast Beef recipes. I found one that calls for bacon! Bonus!

Tomorrow the world starts up again but today, there is only pure joy and refreshing renewal, peace and happiness in our lovely lives and the Good News. Happy Easter!