As promised, here's a photo of the altar at Blackfen, all dressed up for the Easter Sunday High Mass. Hilda, our Sacristan, worked incredibly hard over the Triduum to make sure that everything was as beautiful as it could be. It's at times like this that I feel sorry for evangelical Christians (and liberal Catholics) - they don't believe that the externals are necessary. However, we are body and soul, spirit and matter... and God became incarnate for us to communicate with us more fully... so the material must matter... which is why we strive to give only our very best for the worship of God: the most beautiful buildings, the most beautiful artwork to adorn those buildings, the most beautiful and precious materials for the sacred vessels and altar linens, and the most beautiful vestments...We are so lucky in Blackfen: after a gruelling Triduum culminating in a very late Easter Vigil, the choir were back on Sunday morning to sing. Our altar servers were also pretty amazing, and sacrificed the opportunity of a lazy Sunday morning (they had all fulfilled their Sunday obligation at the Vigil Mass) to come and serve Mass again. At the end, just after I had made my thanksgiving, I was nabbed by Father and the lads - though how they knew I'd have my phone camera to hand escapes me...
The Easter Vigil Mass at Blackfen was celebrated beautifully and very reverently. Thank you Fr Tim and the altar servers.
ReplyDeleteMy youngest son had brought his new girlfriend (they have just recently met each other at University) over to stay with our family for Easter - she is not a Catholic. She attended the Mass with our family and was specifically drawn to the readings and the reverence of the occassion. How humbled can you get when a 19-year old youngster actually thanks you for taking her to Holy Mass! Thank goodness Fr Tim is not the of the BBQ incense burners, liturgical dancers, people's altar and kum-ba-ya la-la-la school of Catholic Liturgy! Deo Gratias and Happy Easter to all.
Gosh, is it possible that they are aware that you are always armed with your camera phone!? You have a very nice camera phone. The photos on my phone are so poor that I never send them to anyone. The quality is just not there.
ReplyDeleteCathy... you might just have something there!
ReplyDeleteI certainly hate to be anywhere without my phone (even though it's usually on silent or even in "flight mode" for added security)
George - I have to disagree with you! I think, from the amount of charcoal the servers manage to get through, that Fr Tim must have a barbecue out back somewhere...
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