Holy Week: into the maelstrom

Sunday evening and Monday – In the last month or so, I have moved my “Sabbath” from Thursday to Monday. It gets it closer to the actual Day, and at times Sunday evening can then be part of it. I work late, but I can finally lock the door, brew some tea, and perhaps listen to some music. And so it was: the opening chorus of the Johannespassion. I would say that this is the most incredible manner of beginning any extended musical composition that could possibly be imagined – were it not for the St. Matthew Passion with its triple chorus.

Outside, it is a spring night with the moon waxing toward full. Passiontide is here.

On Monday, I slept late (8 am!) and spent much of the day at the county park, my first visit since November. "In seedtime and harvest," the Book says - Holy Week is pretty much a church employee's equivalent, the week when one absolutely cannot afford a day off. But He says "Do it anyway." It is a question of trust -- can we trust God enough to be obedient, or are we going to try and get it all done ourselves? The Sabbath is one of the very greatest gifts of the God who is merciful and compassionate, who knows our human frame, who Himself has walked this earth and been weary and perplexed.

Tuesday – Into the maelstrom. This day is the critical one for Holy Week, in my experience – if I do not make it to the Bench, I am sunk. Thanks to a delay in staff meeting, I do: almost an hour all told, working on the Pièce d'Orgue for the postlude at the Great Vigil.

Staff meeting is followed by a meeting with the clergy where we go through the Three Days' liturgies. That runs me right up to 12:15 – Stations of the Cross, for which I am Officiant. I see how late I am and almost run into the church, to find five persons sitting quietly in meditation. I feel awful for thinking so lightly of this service that I almost missed it.

Towards the end, a familiar person slips in the back: it is K, a person who has gotten a lot of money from the parish and from me. He has been absent for a long while (since we pretty much banned him from the building). As I learn, this is partly because he has been in jail for several months. But he is out again and needs help. I listen to him for about a half hour. What can I do? I have just walked the Path with Our Lord; I cannot brush off one of His Children.

From there, I try to sort through the many loose ends from the morning's meeting, meanwhile dealing with incoming e-mails. My friend and co-worker N. is ill; I try to pick up a few pieces for her, with mixed results. At least C. (the secretary) and I get the 32-page large format Triduum Service Booklet underway; 110 copies, over 800 sheets of 11x17 paper, and all told about six hours of editing. I am very happy to get this printed; whether it is correct or not, it is done.

And so is the day: I must catch the bus.