Ora (et Labora)

Holy Week, and those last days leading up to Easter, were marked by what one sister called, “A lot of praying.” I would add to that, “A lot of preparation.” And a lot of patience!

On Holy Thursday, we prepared the chapel and the dining room by changing all the linens in both places. In the dining room, we also took out the “good china” and the wine glasses and had a festive meal before Thursday evening’s liturgy, at the end of which we stripped all the linens, candles, and flowers from the sanctuary and put away all the linens, good china and wine glasses we had just hours before placed on the tables in the dining room until both the chapel and the dining room were bare.

I have little doubt that what took hours to do under the watchful eye of the sisters in charge of the dining room and the chapel could have been done more quickly if I just could have done it my way but then, it wouldn’t be community. It reminds me of making room in the garden or the kitchen when my children were very young so that they could participate in the stuff of family life. Surely, it would have been easier and faster to plant the flowers or make the cake on my own, but the time with my children, the memories we made and traditions we started would never have happened. There’s real value in helping these older women, many of whom are no longer able to move large planters or lift heavy dishes, to maintain their traditions and their Benedictine spirit of hospitality even when it’s more time consuming than it might be.

After the grand Thursday evening liturgy, we mostly remained silent until Saturday morning. Believe it or not, I’m good with silence. An introvert, I can conserve my energy during times of silence when I don’t have to engage or entertain anyone.

Friday morning, we prayed and Friday afternoon, we prayed.

Saturday morning, we prayed and Saturday afternoon we prayed. 

In between, we went about the business of getting ready for the Easter Vigil on Saturday evening and the Easter liturgy on Sunday. We returned linens and candles and abundant flowers to the chapel, and re-placed the linens and decorations in the dining room. We dyed 15 dozen eggs while the cooks baked cakes and cookies and S. Placida made homemade candy.

On Easter morning, the sun actually shone - Alleluia! - and there were sweet breads, cookies and baskets of candy and lots of eggs and it was all a bit magical.

Prayer and work…I might be getting it.