The Resurrection and the Life

Gregorian Chant

It has been quite a few days in the life of St Mary Magdalen's. Totally mental! My friends and fellow parishioners have been at Church a lot either helping out in preparations for the Easter Triduum, whether it be cleaning the Church, helping Father out or rehearsing for the choir and altar serving. Henry and I were utility men, switching roles from choristers to altar servers when needed, like nippy wingers who could switch from left to right on a football park, like Lee Sharp and Ryan Giggs used to do for Manchester United.

We're all tired, so I'm sure Fr Ray must be pretty conked out too. It is quite an intense time of year, reliving the institution of the Eucharist and the Priesthood on Holy Thursday, the Passion of Christ on Good Friday, attending the Stabat Mater concerto and Benediction with the True Cross in the evening, the aural and visual explosion of the Resurrection on Holy Saturday at the Easter Vigil and then again on Sunday. It is as it is meant to be, I guess, to be swept up into the Mystery of the Incarnation and of God's saving work and my oh my - so much singing! Different Gregorian Chant on Thursday, Saturday. The Choir are getting better at the Chant too, it is noticeable that we're learning new pieces quicker and pretty soon we'll all be sight reading polyphonic Palestrina pieces.

Ah my, I am pooped. I was also struck this evening by the increase in friendship taking place much as a result of the Choir as we are going out a bit more talking after rehearsal and Mass. The social aspect is a wonderful by-product of the Choir. This evening three or four of us met up at a choristers house, who cooked and people shared some of the more troubling, difficult experiences we are going through both present and past - mostly, the difficulties in living the Catholic Faith. The main problem is, of course, loneliness.

The loneliness of the unmarried, those who cannot marry, the widow, the single, is that so often our loneliness leads us to look for love in all the wrong places, more often than not, getting entangled in difficult, dodgy relationships looking for comfort and love where neither is truly apparent. For the first time I can remember, each of us talked openly about our lives, our struggles and of course, our sins, our need for spirituality and friendship.

It was refreshing and liberating and there was a sense of helping each other to share our burdens. I have heard Fr Ray say that the Catholic life cannot be lived alone. He is right. Loneliness is a killer, a very good reason why that 'doctor' who plans to give a 'suicide workshop' in Brighton next month should be told in no uncertain terms where to take his suicide kits. Our Lord said that where two or three are gathered in His name, there He is. I felt that very much this evening. We are brothers and sisters in Christ. To me it reminded me of the Resurrection, for God is making all things new. For this is no Ordinary Time - this is Easter! Deo gratias!