Holy Week

More and more lately this blog is becoming about my faith. But then...I'm kind of coming home to faith after an extended absence. And Holy Week this year...meant more than it has in a long, long time.

Where to start....Well I guess I'll back up to a week ago, Palm Sunday. Actually...the Saturday before. I went to see Curt. It was a tough visit. It was an anniversary of sorts for us. One year down, seven more before he is in my arms again. Oof. It was hard. Add to that a kind of...odd conversation about regrets and what some of ours are and aren't. (no, if I haven't told you in person...you don't get to know! Some things are best left unwritten. ;) And regrets are one of them!) So I left with tears in my eyes and a sorrowful heart. But a couple of friends that night, at church and at dinner really helped me through. :) Which was about the only reason I had enough strength and energy for Palm Sunday singing.

Palm Sunday at my church starts outside. The church is located on a fairly major road, so we are really visible with our palm branches out there! We invite the preschool and younger grade school kids to join us (choir and priest and deacon) while we read the story of Jesus' Entry to Jerusalem. Then we walk to the church, singing hosanna and waving our palms. :) It was really neat.

Then the last of my church small group meetings until May. :) I have come to love this group of people. I think some of them have become a bit cynical and maybe a bit....burnt out as far as church goes. But they are still trying, still fighting the good fight. And I am glad to see it and maybe be a part of the healing process for them. It was a nice last time for talks on evangelization. In May...we'll talk about the beatitudes.

Tuesday was choir practice. Good time. I love my choir. Supportive. Helpful. Loving. Sarcastic. Funny. Sweet. In other words...My kind of people. :P

Wednesday was the night off. Whew. Glad it was in the middle of the week!

Thursday was a really good service. Choir sang for it. Foot washing. (didn't participate...I have some....issues with my feet. ) And my small group leader was the person passing out Eucharist to the choir. :) It was really neat to see her and take the host from her hands. And for this week, the hosts were replaced with pieces of an actual loaf of bread. Made by a parish member. Who unexpectedly passed away in her sleep that morning. Somehow it made it all the more touching and real. I can't explain it better than that.

Friday was a kind of odd day for me. I was a bit tired, starting to come down with something, and the weather was kind of...odd. Bad in places and better in others. Decided not to risk staying too far from home (home and work/church are about an hour drive apart.) So I went to my parents church's Easter musical. Cute. Story focuses around Andrew and Peter and two angels in the weather department of heaven. Peter being the older brother who looks a bit like Red from the Red/Green show. :P And like Red, can't count past 10. So things like 12 tribes, 12 apostles...really bug him. And Andrew...well, he can count.....but is a bit lacking in the tact and poise. (Red/Green fans...think of the nephew here) The story starts at the wedding at Cana and goes through the resurrection. Good music, cute story sections....but somehow...I just couldn't compare it to the night before. It seemed...shallow.

Saturday was a day of rest....and an evening to remember. :) Easter Vigil is always a good service....Always. But to be able to sing at it, sponsor a friend in joining the church, and celebrate the hope we have as Christians.....was wonderful. The "bells and smells" as a friend puts it...were so well planned and so beautiful. So able to put one into the spirit and remind us of all we believe. :) Tradition and pageantry. Yep...Catholics do that pretty well.



Easter Sunday...was...restful. And as I am writing this several weeks later....was perhaps the last good day I had with my parents. :( But I am glad it was a good day for us. Gives me something to look back on with hope for a better future, when some distance allows us to better relate to each other without making each other crazy.

Holy Week was.....Holy, happy, and satisfying to my soul. :)