He is Risen, Alleluia!

Happy Easter everyone!

After a tiring but always uplifting Holy Week, we finally arrive at Easter, a fantastic celebration of Christ's power over death, and hope for us all.

Our Holy Week followed much the same pattern as it has always done for the past thirty years or so. That's not to say it's been 'boring' though I really don't like using that word in any context, and especially not in terms of Church or liturgy.

I love the way the week unfolds with a gradual building of expectation until we reach the climax of the Triduum at the Easter Vigil.

On Wednesday I was able to attend the Chrism Mass at Arundel Cathedral with our older son. That really is a marker for me; it really feels as if we are getting close by then . . .  It's very moving to see the long line of priests processing into the Cathedral at the beginning of Mass.  It really makes an impression seeing how many men have answered God's call to the sacred priesthood and is a reminder of how much we, the laity, owe to our priests. 

Maundy Thurday back in the parish, a hectic day in the office making sure all is ready; readers and EMOHC allocated, twelve people allocated for the Washing of the Feet etc.   Finally the beautiful Mass of the Lord's Supper itself.  There was a wonderful atmosphere in church, a deep reverent silence permeated the Mass.  The sight of our parish priest on his knees washing the feet of parishioners never fails to impress.

I love to join others watching at the Altar of Repose after Mass.  It's such a special time and a great privilege to be there with Our Lord.

Good Friday morning saw us once  again joining members of other churches locally to walk through the High Street in the Procession  of Witness.  We (I use the term loosely) carry a large wooden cross and pause at 'Stations' along the High Street for a brief mediation. We sing appropriate hymns between Stations.  It always makes me smile to see the description of the 'Stations' in the booklet.  Alongside the description of religious significance, you see things like ' Third Station, outside Marks and Spencer's'.  Try as I might I have never been able to find a booklet giving a meditation for the time Our Lord stopped outside Marks and Spencer's!

A brief break and then we return to church for the Liturgy of the Passion and Veneration of the Cross.  This is always the best attended of the liturgies of the Triduum and it's a great witness to see the seemingly endless procession of parishioners waiting to venerate the Cross.  The Church is far from dead!

We did manage to light the Paschal candle outside at the Easter Vigil despite the bitterly cold weather and the light dusting of snow on top of the cars.  Numbers seem to be reducing each year for the Vigil which is such a shame as it is such a magnificent liturgy and of course the highlight of our Easter celebrations and the Church's year.  I think many of our older parishioners don't like coming out in the evening and perhaps many of our younger ones have other things to do.

After Mass we joined others in the parish hall for the now-traditional glass of wine and simnel cake.  

Finally, I went back to the main morning Mass this morning with our son who was serving.  This Mass, as always, was absolutely packed with the gallery full and people standing at the back of the church - fantastic!

There was the usual scramble after Mass as the little ones rushed to claim their creme egg.  I managed to escape the scrum by doing a bit of tidying up in the church.

So, all in all, a wonderful Holy Week and Easter; beautiful liturgies and a truly joyful celebration.

He is truly Risen, Alleluia!

Palm Sunday . . .

I love this picture and the way we can see through the Palm to the Crucifixion.

The symbolism is obvious but it is still a very powerful picture, I think.

We have many examples in modern day history where we can see public opinion turn from a cheering crowd to a baying mob. The power of the group can be very frightening and it can change so quickly just as the cheering crowd which welcomed Our Lord into Jerusalem on Palm Sunday turned, in a matter of a few days, to a bloodthirsty mob demanding the death of that same Jesus.

We had a good crowd at Mass this morning. We managed to process outside around the church and the rain kept away. Our procession involves walking along the road in front of the church and despite the recent furore in the press we suffered no ill affects. In fact it was just like any other Palm Sunday. Cars drove past and totally ignored us.

In our parish we are given palms which are more or less in their natural state. In other words they are leaves not crosses.

As a youngster, we used to meet together a few days before Palm Sunday to fold the palm leaves into palm crosses. In my Anglican parish, I think as many bodies as possible were roped in to help with this - Mothers' groups, youth groups, Confirmation groups etc.

I looked through lots of videos to try and find one that explained clearly how to do this and this is the best I could find that showed the crosses as we used to make them. (There is no sound, it's not your speakers playing up!)

Man of Sorrows . . .

Man of sorrows, wrapt in grief,

Bow your ear to our relief;

You for us the path have trod

Of the dreadful wrath of God;

You the cup of fire have drained

Till its light alone remained.

Lamb of love our comfort be:

Hear our mournful litany.

By the garden filled with woe,

Where to rest you oft would go;

By your agony of prayer

In the desolation there;

By the dire and deep distress

More than human mind can guess,

Lord, our grief in mercy see:

Hear our fervent litany.

By that bitter cup of pain,

When your strength began to wane;

By those lips which once did pray

That it might but pass away;

By the heart that drank it dry

Lest the human race should die,

In your pity grant our plea,

Hear our solemn litany.

Man of sorrows, let your grief

Purchase for us our relief;

Lord of mercy, bow your ear,

Slow to anger, swift to hear:

By the cross's royal road,

Lead us to the throne of God,

There to sing triumphantly

Heaven's glorious litany.

(Matthew Bridges)

I love this hymn that we've just begun praying at Morning Prayer this week. Like many hymns, it can be used as a very good meditation. I just thought I'd share it with you.

Getting serious now . ..

We've started our preparation for Easter seriously now. Number 1 son and I went to the cathedral yesterday evening for the Chrism Mass. It's very moving to see so many of our clergy gathered together and renewing the promises they made at ordination before the bishop.

The blessing of oils too is very powerful and it really helps to be able to relate this to the use of the same oils in our own parish throughout the year.

Back home fairly late but very happy and feeling somehow even more 'tuned-in' to continue along the familiar journey of the last few days of Holy Week and participate in the Easter Triduum.

I had to dash to the shops after work as I realised I had forgotten to buy any eggs. We always have eggs in some form for a light meal on Good Friday evening.

Just a few hours now until we go to the Mass of the Lord's Supper with the Washing of Feet. Thank goodness the Paterfamilias arrived home safely this morning after being overseas all week. He's catching a few 'zzzzzzzzzz's' in preparation for tonight.

Praying the weather forecast of rain tomorrow will be wrong or we'll all get very wet on our Walk of Witness in the morning. We'll still go, some years we just get wet!