Evensong and Ecology
It had been dawning on me gradually, all week, that perhaps, The Cathedral would be the place to be today.
Peter and Richard were scheduled to be in the AIDS Walk. Paradise had mentioned something about participating "so long as it didn't rain."
This morning's rather baleful clouds should have put aside any doubts that Paradisse would be sitting in his usual pew.
I thought about skipping Mass altogether today and going to Mommyland instead. But, something told me to go to Mommyland *yesterday*, after grocery shopping, a laundry and quick once-over of the john.
But, that visit brought its own attendant problems as I woke up this morning with one big body ache from planting half a crate of impatiens in the backyard. I was all ready to roll over and sleep another hour when I remebered today was an ushering day.
It's funny how the prospect of knotting a tie around your neck gathers the attention at eight o'clock in the morning. By the time the Cross Team had made its way to the Altar, I realized that today would been an excellent day to sit next to someone entirely new. The main sanctuary seemed strangely listing towards the Choir Epistle Side. There were rows of empty space on the Altar Side and yet there was Paradise, bringing up the rear guard in his usual roost, two pews from The Angry Two (they're back!)
I vowed to mention something about it to him, next week.
I probably stayed at Coffee Hour too long. I kept meaning to make amends with Clifton about that meeting of the Let's Give Him Advice Club two weeks ago: http://johnwesley73.livejournal.com/286475.html. But, he either had decided beforehand he wanted to put some distance between it and himself, or simply could not navigate the circuitous route from where he was standing to where Paradise and I were holding court.
Nevertheless, by the time I got home and despite the fact that I'd been up for six hours, I had the peculiar sensation of never having attended Mass. It was the opposite of being "churched-out". I was distinctly "under-churched".
And, then I realzed what it was. The children were gone.
As usual, it took an appearance by one of The Muses to remind me that both the high school and St. Cecelia's choir were scheduled to perform at The Cathedral at evensong (four o'clock) and, a lot of them had decided to skip Morning Mass.
I threw on some different clothes, let down my hair and headed out the door again. I was especaily glad to take a sartorial cue from Hope and wore a red hoodie.
Evensong was led by the Bishop of New York and was based on a year long theme, "Religion and The Environment". The homily was delivered by Mary Evelyn Tucker, co-founder of Forum on Religion and Ecology and a professor at Yale.
I took a cowered seat high in Choir's Pew. From there, I could see quite a few St. Michael's people, including quite a few who did NOT have children performing.
Our kids were combined with what looked to be four or five other choirs from around the Archdiocese. They were assorted by vocal range, down in the well of the sanctuary, which made it hard to pick out everyone at the same time. But, I had a good view of Hope, Jr., [Hallie, and a fellow I don't know, but see all the time.]
[Also, the St. Michael's Children's Choir Director conducted at least one long piece, perhaps it was the one below.]
The high point was when the combined choirs reprised the hymn we heard last week at St. Mike's, the terrific, "Canticle of Brother Sun": http://johnwesley73.livejournal.com/288933.html All the additional voices made for a richer, even more robust rendition. And, I must say, our kids more than held their own.
Afterwards, I spotted Rad and -- just this once, all his winking and nodding made perfect sense. I responded by giving him a thumbs up.
Peter and Richard were scheduled to be in the AIDS Walk. Paradise had mentioned something about participating "so long as it didn't rain."
This morning's rather baleful clouds should have put aside any doubts that Paradisse would be sitting in his usual pew.
I thought about skipping Mass altogether today and going to Mommyland instead. But, something told me to go to Mommyland *yesterday*, after grocery shopping, a laundry and quick once-over of the john.
But, that visit brought its own attendant problems as I woke up this morning with one big body ache from planting half a crate of impatiens in the backyard. I was all ready to roll over and sleep another hour when I remebered today was an ushering day.
It's funny how the prospect of knotting a tie around your neck gathers the attention at eight o'clock in the morning. By the time the Cross Team had made its way to the Altar, I realized that today would been an excellent day to sit next to someone entirely new. The main sanctuary seemed strangely listing towards the Choir Epistle Side. There were rows of empty space on the Altar Side and yet there was Paradise, bringing up the rear guard in his usual roost, two pews from The Angry Two (they're back!)
I vowed to mention something about it to him, next week.
I probably stayed at Coffee Hour too long. I kept meaning to make amends with Clifton about that meeting of the Let's Give Him Advice Club two weeks ago: http://johnwesley73.livejournal.com/286475.html. But, he either had decided beforehand he wanted to put some distance between it and himself, or simply could not navigate the circuitous route from where he was standing to where Paradise and I were holding court.
Nevertheless, by the time I got home and despite the fact that I'd been up for six hours, I had the peculiar sensation of never having attended Mass. It was the opposite of being "churched-out". I was distinctly "under-churched".
And, then I realzed what it was. The children were gone.
As usual, it took an appearance by one of The Muses to remind me that both the high school and St. Cecelia's choir were scheduled to perform at The Cathedral at evensong (four o'clock) and, a lot of them had decided to skip Morning Mass.
I threw on some different clothes, let down my hair and headed out the door again. I was especaily glad to take a sartorial cue from Hope and wore a red hoodie.
Evensong was led by the Bishop of New York and was based on a year long theme, "Religion and The Environment". The homily was delivered by Mary Evelyn Tucker, co-founder of Forum on Religion and Ecology and a professor at Yale.
I took a cowered seat high in Choir's Pew. From there, I could see quite a few St. Michael's people, including quite a few who did NOT have children performing.
Our kids were combined with what looked to be four or five other choirs from around the Archdiocese. They were assorted by vocal range, down in the well of the sanctuary, which made it hard to pick out everyone at the same time. But, I had a good view of Hope, Jr., [Hallie, and a fellow I don't know, but see all the time.]
[Also, the St. Michael's Children's Choir Director conducted at least one long piece, perhaps it was the one below.]
The high point was when the combined choirs reprised the hymn we heard last week at St. Mike's, the terrific, "Canticle of Brother Sun": http://johnwesley73.livejournal.com/288933.html All the additional voices made for a richer, even more robust rendition. And, I must say, our kids more than held their own.
Afterwards, I spotted Rad and -- just this once, all his winking and nodding made perfect sense. I responded by giving him a thumbs up.