Greetings,
The monastery looks still from the outside. We step away from our daily works and ministries and step into the silence of this day. The shift even in our prayer is noticeable even to the visitors who join us for retreat during the Triduum... Lauds did not begin with the standard call to prayer and crossing of our lips since the prayer begun on Holy Thursday continues through today. Our hymn, chanted Psalms, and Canticle of Zachariah were done with with only an occasional single tone from the organ to keep us on pitch. The reading from Lamentations was chanted by our cantors of the monastery. The three to six part Latin harmonies were as hauntingly beautiful as the cries for God's mercy that they contain.
The day begun in prayer continues quietly. Sisters have the opportunity for private reflection, devotion, and prayer throughout the day. While praying our Sorrowful Way through the back lawn, I saw other sisters taking advantage of the bright spring day for outdoor prayer by our shrines or on a sunny bench. Others prayed their way through their flowerbeds...pruning and weeding away the remains of winter to make way for new life. Our sisters preparing the liturgies for today quietly set the Upper Chapel for our Commemoration of Christ's Passion.
Other changes in our day include our meals. While all our Fridays at the monastery are 'meat free,' today there is also a restraint in the meal...fasting with simple, light meals. However, there was one exception, Sr. Marcine's hot cross buns. Freshly baked, these slightly sweetened buns were studed with currants and adorned with a simple cross of icing, a treat and a symbol.
Finally, there will be no Vespers tonight. We leave that gap, a reminder of Christ's sacrifice. An open space we know should not be there and is then all the more noticeable and keeps us aware.
Blessings,
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