Easter Vignettes

Waking alone in the pre-dawn Easter dark, groggy from half-remembered dreams. Showered and dressed and in the sacristy in under half an hour; no good reason to dawdle, darn it.

Easter Vigil. Scrambling into my "back sac" cassock-- need to take the cincture in, it's loose. Standing at the back of the assembly, ready to jump, but not really needed. So enjoy the lectors, scripture storytellers making the Word come alive; and sing to the Lord, harmonizing with Margot. Holding Ella, wriggling and chirping-- new life, right here in my arms. Alleluia, Christ is risen!

After breakfast, driving south to Indiana (Note to classmates: it's not that far away. Seabury to St. Paul, Munster in 55 minutes).

More Eucharist, with all ages, everywhere. The Lord is risen, indeed; Alleluia! Musicians, including my daughter on flute. New visitor, who's deaf-- and it turns out that Connie in the choir can sign, and translates Ben's sermon. Once again, God provides the gifts that are necessary. Reminder at announcements of the Healing Conference in May, which hopes to be a wonderful thing, and in which I have precisely no part-- a Christian in the world, and not of it; a seminarian of the parish, and not in it.

Over to sister Janice's house for dinner. Good food, loving family. We grow up, and we grow older. Carolyn, at 15, at "the big table;" Gram, at 98, in her wheelchair. Eat and talk, feeling, as Frodo would say, "thin and stretched." Then go home and collapse into a much-needed nap.

Laundry, and dinner, and blessedly mundane family time. And back tomorrow, starting over again.