published 2011
Left alone in the church, Father Diamond rehearsed the day. It was almost one o’clock. He could have a break for a couple of hours. Perhaps he ought to get himself some lunch? Technically, Lent was over; he could have some cheese or a ham sandwich…No, he wasn’t that hungry. All he seemed to want these days were thin things, sharp things: black coffee, lime juice, Marmite, olives.
The Easter vigil was at eight o’clock. He ran through it in his mind. The high point of the year, the great celebratory Easter Eucharist, source and summit of life, validation of the cross and triumph over death, the victory of light. Thine be the glory, risen, conquering Son. It was a complex service. The blessing of the fire, the service of light, the lighting of the paschal candle, the blessing of water, the renewal of baptismal promises, the Easter Proclamation, the nine Scripture readings, the Gloria, the bells. Christ the morning star, who came back from the dead. Genesis, Exodus, Isaiah, Ezekiel; the Creation, the parting of the sea, Abraham and Isaac.
A HAPPY EASTER TO ALL BLOG READERS
observations: The priest above is actually thinking these thoughts on Easter Saturday ie yesterday, before celebrating the Easter vigil in the evening, which will take his congregation into Easter Sunday and the resurrection.
Translation of the Bones is a very beautiful book describing life in an RC parish in London, and a possible miracle. It takes a serious look at everyday moral choices, and at faith and belief. But it is also entertaining, and funny, and compelling, and touching.
Previous Easter Sunday entries here and here and here.
The picture of the Resurrection is by the Italian artist Andrea di Bartolo, and comes courtesy of the Walters Art Museum in Baltimore.
Moira, a fitting choice for Easter Sunday. Happy Easter to you and your family!
ReplyDeleteThanks, Prashant, and a happy Easter to you and yours.
DeleteHappy Easter to you too, Moira! And it's interesting how those everyday choices that we make can also be used to talk about morality and about the lives we make for ourselves. It sounds like a fine read.
ReplyDeleteThanks Margot, and yes, it's a book with something to say. Happy Easter to you and your family.
DeleteMoira: Sharon, Michael, Kaja and I went to Easter Vigil yesterday evening. In our parish it now starts at 7:00. About 15 years ago it began at 10:00. I wish it would have stayed with the later time. It had a greater meaning with the service late into the night.
ReplyDeleteBill: I too have fond memories of late night Easter vigils - in our church now it starts at 8pm. In a friend's church it starts at something like 3am, working towards daybreak! I always felt it would be nice to do that once anyway....
DeleteThe book more you than me I think, as is the vigil thing, I'm afraid.
ReplyDeleteA happy Easter anyway, and I hope you got lots of chocolate!
DeleteAndrea di Bartolo. Christ looks reanimated, rather than alive, looking straight into the camera lens, and creeping past the soldiers, so gracefully and naturally asleep. Amazing.
ReplyDeleteThanks Lucy - yes, nice reading of it.
DeleteThis book does sound interesting. I like to read novels with a "religious" setting. The only denomination I know much about is Methodist, in the South.
ReplyDeleteI love reading about other religious denominations via books, it always intrigues me. It's one of the reasons I like Jane Haddam books - she often has a church of one kind or another involved.
DeleteThat is true, Moira, and probably why I enjoy her books... which I need to get back to. A lot of the books feature Catholic nuns, but I forgot about the fact that the Armenian Orthodox religion features in just about all of them because of Father Tibor and the neighborhood that Gregor Demarkian lives in.
DeleteYes, and I think there are other churches in some of them, though couldn't tell you which ones! I love the way she creates a whole world.
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