Well, it is Holy Saturday. It is odd to be in this job during Holy Week. I guess...I guess it has always been easy to be spontaneous with a flexible schedule, so I never really had to plan things in advance. Holy Weeks in the past consisted of wanting to go to mass as much as possible (preferably Thursday-Saturday night) and then hitching a ride suddenly when I found others doing what I wanted to do. That is no longer possible. This week I have been trying my darndest just to go to mass, and have not been altogether successful. I got to go to mass on Thursday at the church near my house because it started at 7 and as long as I watched the time I could swing it, possibly having to pull a Judas. It turned out I didn't have to; church ended 7:50. Perfect. But then last night the only nearby church I could find that had a mass in my allotted 5-8 was the basilica. I love the basilica... so I went a little before 7. That was a mistake. Cars lined the streets and filled the under-overpass parking lots. Every spot that is normally taken during farmer's markets in the summer was taken. I didn't get to go to Good Friday mass.
And it reminded of the other mass that I am missing. This year is the first year (since I professed my love for this mass and decided to go to it every year...3 years ago) that I have been unable to go the Basilica's Saturday night Easter Vigil. I love that mass. The in-house composer has made the most beautiful and riveting and... almost magical arrangements for the choir and musicians. And when that building is dark and then slowly filled with the lights from the little candles, it is just so visible what the light of Christ is like...I mean alone we light two feet, but as a body, we light this entire edifice! I just like it. Oh, and it has all 7 readings. I love that walk through salvation history. love it. But I can't go this year; and actually it's the Lord that I couldn't get it off. I realized after asking for it off that if I had I wouldn't be able to go to the Easter meeting Sunday night, so I am so glad of it. I still have to decide where to go to Easter Sunday mass. At this point I have the choice of going to the Basilica at 12 [beautiful :), alone :( ], the church down the street at 10:30 [earlier :), alone :( ], or St John's in Savage at 11 [with Alicia's family :)]. I think I just made my decision. Alicia's family it is!
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