Today is All Hallows, yesterday was All Hallows Eve, commonly known as Halloween, another high holy day that has lost its sacred meaning amid the secular.
As we walked through the graveyard to mass at 745 this evening there were nightlights on some of the gravestones. Remembrances of real life, ordinary saints who had dwelt amongst us. The effect was ethereal.
Inside the church there was a smattering of folk in the sanctuary; the choir and altar servers outnumbered us. Not an unusual occurrence I must say.
The setting for the high mass was Haydn and cannily the choir managed to sneak in two additional pieces, just before communion and just afterwards, that had not been listed in the order of service. Did we mind? Not at all!
At the end the organist, to play the great crowd from the altar back to the vestry, performed a complicated tune which earned applause from those of us lingering in the pews to hear him out. He was a young lad. We were impressed.
I commented to hubs as we walked home beneath a cloudless sky breathing visibly into the air,
“I found I did not pray for anything or about anything tonight. It was enough to be there surrounded by the glorious music, listening to the loud organ, singing long hymns that lasted no time at all, receiving the body of Christ, watching radiant faces at the altar and kneeling reverently while prayer was said around me. How wonderful to be immersed in such a way. What a complete worship experience.”
We made our way hand in hand up the hill to our abode basking in this hallowed night of All Saints.
Well hello there! My name is Vivienne McNeny.
I am an empty nester exploring life as a Boomer…you could say I'm happily Boomering along!
As a homeschooling Mum I have finally quit the job of role model and mentor to my four children. I do what I want to do, eat when I feel like it, enjoy life with my blue eyed cowboy and clean my house once a month or so whether it needs it or not!
In true English form I write about the emergence of my true identity now that I can no longer hide behind my children as their Mum.
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