It's Holy Week. Here at the convent we've held our last Lenten book discussion, and our Triduum preparations are in full swing. Penny, our golden retriever, has been overseeing the making of the bulletins (Photo credit: Sr. Kristina Frances, who has also assisted Penny in the making of the aforementioned bulletins).
Much consultation has been happening around the procedure for Maundy Thursday foot-washing in the chapel here, so different from our chapel in Boston. I'm celebrating, but have been thoroughly out of touch with all that; however, I finally finished my Easter sermon (OK, the rough draft for the Easter sermon), so I'm ready to hop in tomorrow.
Holy Week guests have begun arriving. Grocery shopping for the next few days as well as for Easter dinner. Sacristy preparations. Flowers bought and stashed somewhere out of sight; I saw a picture of them on Twitter, so I know they're around here somewhere!
Penny, of course, supervises us closely. She's just banged on my door to be let in to do just that.
We go into silence tonight until Easter morning other than for absolute essentials. A 98-year-old sister has just spent her birthday and is about to spend the Triduum and part of Eastertide in rehab for a broken arm; no fun at all. I'll be breaking silence to take her communion tomorrow. How can you not have communion on Maundy Thursday? I was glad to be asked to do it.
Much scurrying, but it's a peaceful sort of scurry, if such a thing is possible. Walking with Jesus and the disciples through the events of Holy Week is powerful; it certainly puts the rest of the busyness in context. And threaded through the sorrow of the Passion is that thread of joy, an infallible sign of the presence of God.
Even doing dishes can be different in that light. As, truly, it should be every day; but this is a good way to live more into that.
Through all this, of course, is prayer. Scripture. The Daily Office, our regular round of worship services each day. All nourished by the extra silence. Such a gift to us to have this in what can be a crazy-making week for clergy, church musicians, and others deeply involved in the church. Those of you who are running without stopping this week, I'll be putting in some extra prayer for you, I hope. Thank you for all you do.
And of course, thanks be to God.
Blessings, all, during these most holy days.
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