Easter Reflections

I had planned to write something sooner, but I stayed away from the blogosphere to concentrate on a night without the kids (visitation is wonderful sometimes). But as I'm now at work this fine Easter Sunday with a gut full of food, I will share some thoughts I've had.

Being as lapsed a Catholic as I am, I utterly failed to even see a church today (my drive to my family's and from there to work doesn't take me past one). However, I did a full listening to Handel's Messiah (and the LAST TRACK!!! skipped on me, necessitating emergency resurfacing) yesterday, singing along and all (yes, I have the book and can belt the tenor parts out with style). But between working and kids and lack of participation in the services of the holy days, I'm not feeling it as much as I used to.

I grew up quite Catholic, getting in my weekly Mass (and being damned in Catholic school, a morning Mass once a week). And while Christmas is a good season (as there's lots of good music), the Holy Week (Palm Sunday to Easter Sunday) is really the time the Church brings all of its symbolic guns to bear. For those of you unfamiliar, I'm going to cover the week's activities. For those who are familiar, just enjoy the ride.

It all starts with Palm Sunday (aka Passion Sunday). Technically, it's the celebration of Jesus' arrival in Jerusalem to great fanfare. But the Catholic church whips out the story of the Passion (not the cool, blood-filled Mel Gibson version, the dry, reading version). Kind of interesting depending on which Gospel they're using. Also, it means that the busy Catholic can skip the next two big days and come back next Sunday.

Then there's Holy Thursday, the celebration of the Last Supper. This one I didn't get to often. They do the washing of the feet, and dress up the normal part of the Mass a little more.

Good Friday is the only day the Catholic Church does not have a Mass. Essentially, it's the remembrance of the crucifixion. The church clears the altar completely until the next night.

Holy Saturday is the big one, with the Easter Vigil Mass. If you have been to a Catholic wedding or funeral, most of the stuff you see is the standard Mass. On a normal Sunday, it takes about an hour (unless there's a football game on and the priest speeds the last Mass along before kickoff). The Easter Vigil goes on for about 2-4 hours, depending on whether they take some shortcuts. Lots of candles, lots of music (much is intoned by the priest), and litanies (that's where they chant a long list of saints and everybody chants 'pray for us' after every one. It's a big show, geared to awe. If I only went to one Mass in a year, this would be my choice.

Easter Sunday is the good hour version of the prior night's Mass. And all the songs are quite joyous.

But with the mishmash of things that have pulled me away from the Church (including the shifts in my beliefs), it feels a little emptier this year. But I'll figger something out. After all, I have kids to worry about.

Finally, I will not be declaring an Asshat of the Week due to the holy day. But as tax day is this week, I'm sure I'll find someone for next week.

So if you have any good Easter stories, let them rip.

And I hope you all have had (because it's late afternoon as I post this and later by the time you read it) a great and joyous Easter too.