just a few thoughts on Lent (so far)
So it is already the third day of Great Lent, and I'm doing pretty well so far. Ive really dreaded past Lents before, or just been particularly peevish the first week especially. Some part of the service is not done properly, or the singing is bad, or the church is empty, or dirty, or cold... I think one gets the picture. I can be pretty critical at times. This year for whatever reason, everything just feels right for once, and I dont really ultimately care about the shortcomings.
Although it really is too bad that people don't come, at least in the evenings, at least for one of the four evenings. Fr. Serge told me when he first arrived at St. Vladimir's, he used to Matins alone every day of the first week... people came in afterwards by the time hours began. He stopped, as it didn't seem to make much sense. Not bothering is certainly understandable, I'd even say it's common sense, but it also seems to me to be a slippery slope, and could get out of hand. Where does one draw the line? But then again, does it make sense to do Presanctified Liturgy if 5 people show up, and no one receives Communion? Pious tradition? I didn't even know how to sing half of it, I had forgotten how to do services Lenten style. I'm not sure how we could effectively amend this in the ROCOR, but until we do, I am afraid that our piety will continue to atrophy out of sheer ignorance & apathy.
One more thing. Bearing in mind that so few people might be attending Lenten services, and accordingly, that there may not be sufficient singers, it might be a good thing to promote znammeny singing (in union) for these singers. What sort of sense does it make to sing By the Waters of Babylon with three people (who don't sing well to begin with), according to a composition written in the 19th century for a 50 voice choir?