Yesterday was (of course) Palm Sunday.
Fr. Court mentioned in the homily (directly after the narrative reading of the Passion) that the scheduling of the week had changed somewhat since he had been in the ministry...that previously, this Sunday was all about palms and hosannas and donkeys.
Now, he said, we (TEC) use the week to telescope all of Holy Week into one service. I guess that's just in case some people can't be bothered to attend Holy Week services; but I must say that going from "Prepare the way of the Lord" to "Crucify Him" in less than 30 minutes is damn hard to stomach. It makes me feel so betrayed. Suppose that's the point.
We have a guest singer in the choir for Holy Week; a woman from the local temple where some of our musicians have helped out vocally during the High Holy Days in the past. I glanced at her during the reading of the Passion and wondered what that was like for her and what she was thinking about it. She is from the Boston area, so I'm sure this was not her first experience of Christian theology & worship. I didn't get to ask her; I had to get to a meeting after the service was over.
I hope I do get to ask her, if she's willing to talk about it.
OH! Remember when I wished, last week, that I could spend all of Holy Week lying prostrate in front of a cross? You can read it here. Well, guess what: Since I whiplashed my neck on Tuesday, I am seeing the chiropractor 3 times a week for a few weeks. Before each adjustment, I lie face down on a table and have electro-stimulo therapy on my neck and back for 15 minutes. The music playing is sort of woo-woo massage therapist relaxation music, and it all works very well for me to imagine that there's a big ole cross on the wall in front of me. Good praying time.
So, watch what you ask for.
