Report on Easter and Holy Week

I find it hard to blog about significant worship experiences. They're usually so profound that they're difficult to put effectively into words. But I will try.

Holy Week and Easter were great. They were not without stress for me, certainly: this is my first Holy Week as a priest, and believe me, all my perfectionist tendencies came out in full force! However, by Friday night, I had pretty much spent all my stress. I plumb ran out of anxiety, like an empty gumball machine.

Maundy Thursday was quiet and lovely. (Although at times, I thought it was a little slow. But I probably have A.D.D. -- others have told me it was great.)

Good Friday was contemplative and haunting. (Lots of amazing silence, and I did a sermon of images and scripture via a digital projector which I hope to get up here or on the St. Benedict's website sometime soon.)

Holy Saturday was pretty relaxed (since my anxiety was all spent). I worked. I did a quiet, spoken liturgy with the lovely folks who fill our sanctuary with flowers. I took a long walk. I wrote my Easter sermon.

Easter was joyous. We had incense, sprinkling with holy water ("asperging" in Episcopalese), champagne at Eucharist, the heady small of all those flowers, fantabulous music, and it was the first year St. B's had an Easter Brunch -- and it was packed! The energy of PEOPLE is the most important ingredient of good worship... and it was full and strong on Sunday.

Hallelujah!

(Those photos were taken by one of my parishioners, Bob Ostravecky. Thanks, Bob!)