Holy week

I write this in the stillness of Holy Saturday. I always find the void of Holy Saturday inspiring. It reminds me of how much I desire the living God in my life.

Our Holy Week has been quiet and reflective. We have simplified somewhat our liturgies to account for the smaller number of participants. But the Triduum still powerfully walks us through the story of our liberation.

Signs of the Easter celebrations to come are found throughout the monastery. The flower arrangements are exiled on the sacristy porch until after we complete the daily office tonight. This year, our local garden plant business (where we order Easter lilies and Christmas poinsetias) didn't chance to stock white lilies for churches and the like. Instead we took some of their garden varieties Japanese lilies. It will be more colorful.

A dozen chairs make a circle in the middle of our deserted Pilgrim Hall where we will do the readings from salvation history. Our Easter celebrations will be intimate; but at least, we have our community to be with. We will pray for all those who observe Easter physically alone.

Alternative blossoms. From left, clockwise; Japanese lilies from a local vendor lurk behind the thurible, awaiting their preparation for the big day; sprigs of forsythia from our garderns complement the lilies now ready for their close-up.

Pandemic or no pandemic, Mother Earth has decided to not cancel spring. Thanks be to God! An associate of ours thoughtfully sent us a seasonal bouquet for Holy Week. Another sent a donation for attention of our local Belgian to source chocolates for Easter... Lilies, tulips, chocolates. We will still miss our guests but Easter will happen too. Thanks be to God!

So this morning, I made a no-sewing face mask (thanks to a Good Housekeeping helpful video). And then I headed for our local supermarket for an in-and-out mission to find suitable chocolates. There were no Belgian chockies in sight but Russell Stover and a few jelly bellies will have to do. People mostly respected social distancing and about half the clients wore face masks. I said a little prayer for my cashier as she tallied my bounty.

From left, clockwise: irises and tulips to brighten the coffee corner near the refectory; our "Weeder in Chief," Br. Aidan surveying the progress of tulips I helped him plant last fall; what color should a face mask be? GREEN  of course (I made two with a recycled pillow case); my cashier wore a protective face screen; dark chocolate covered nuts (Yum! The Easter Bunny will approve)..

And I leave you with my Easter goodie (see link at the bottom of this post). An Irish blessing by way of Belgium: "Until we meet again, may God hold you in the palm of his hand."

This choral rendition of the blessing is directed by my childhood friend, Bruno Crabbé, who is choirmaster of two choirs in Brussels. They sing here together by the wonders of the internet despite "shelter in place" confinement which is also the rule in my native Belgium.

The choirs are the Cagile and Kairos choirs (the latter incidentally named like our own artist-in-residence choir at the monastery).

Stay home, stay safe. Thank you for saving lives.

(click here) Happy Easter!