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.