Celebrate1

Easter in a "foreign" church prompts me to post here rather than on my personal blog. This is a holy place and I feel it is better suited for here.

I participated in Mass in at the Cathedral in Brentwood, England. It was moving and hovers at the top of my list of memorable and moving (my girls getting baptised and my husband joining the Church bring special meanings to Easter too) category.

The priest, being English, tends to look so serious, but his Homilies are moving and always make me smile, if not laugh out loud. He said it was an Easter "rule", up until about the 15th century for priests to bring laughter to the Easter service. After the seriousness of lent and the enormity of the Christ rising, spring springing, and all that, joy was required. After the priests became stand up comics, the Bishops he said, changed the rule.

His stories of this week were heartlifting. A first reconciliation where he raised his hand to grant absolution and the young lad high fived him. Asking a group of children what they thought Christ's first words were after He arose, a youngster thrusting her hand in the air and bouncing about, Ta da!" she responded.

Entertiwned with the words the priest was sharing and reciting, I thought about the Passion play I witnessed on Portobello Road on Friday, my Camino and the world it opened for me, my relationship with St. James and his relationship with Christ. I thought about Mary, who is my feminine advisor and fills my life with roses. The angels I know whom walk with me.

He made us promise to celebrate today. I am. All of the blessings. All of the love, all of the opportunities and challenges bestowed upon me. All of my family, both of blood and from love. My friends. My angels. I'm celebrating prayers answered, prayers unanswered (there's a great country song about this), and sending grace, and peace, and prayers out to all of you.

Inhale the Grace and the spring and the symbols of hope this Day and sason bring. It doesn't matter your faith or your beliefs. Renewal is all around us. Just take a moment and take it in. Celebrate!