Holy Week and Easter

Shirley and I had a good (but stressful) Holy Week and Easter.

Palm Sunday was great -- we gathered outside the church building with palms and flags, acoustic guitars and percussive instruments (of course I had a shaker!). We walked around the church and shouted and sang "Hosanna!", then processed inside and had a wonderful Palm Sunday Eucharist.

Then things happened during the week that weren't very enjoyable. I think I'll just call it persecution, : ) 'cause that's just what it is. There are people who hate us simply because we're Christians, and say we are judgemental because we attempt to live by, and hold up the standard of God's holy Word the Bible. We must show them the Lord Jesus and His love.

Maunday Thursday we had a very good Eucharist, and the priest delivered a well-done sermon on the "Real Presence" of Christ in the Eucharist. Then they stripped the altar, and we remembered Jesus' betrayal and arrest and the disciples fleeing, sat in the silence after, and "kept watch" and prayed.

Good Friday morning at 8:00 am we flew out to OKC. We did the Stations of the Cross after noon on Good Friday, and Eucharist and Veneration of the Cross Friday evening. Saturday the Abbot showed us Bricktown, the downtown district -- the older brick buildings are renovated and have shops and restaurants, and the baseball field is there, too. Looking forward to seeing some games there! We spent some time in a Native American art and gift store, and I had a hard time leaving. I wanted a flute, but it was a bit more than I wanted to pay. And they had a wooden Latin cross with a turquoise stone in the middle, which I nearly bought. (Wish I had, now...!) Then we went by and saw the Memorial of the bombing -- next time we plan to go in and see the museum. They weren't able to do their Seder/Maunday Thursday Eucharist Thursday night, so we combined it with the Vigil on Saturday night. So we had Seder, Maunday Thursday Eucharist and footwashing, and Easter Vigil, all on Saturday night. What a service! Sunday morning we had Easter Eucharist with our friends at St. James Anglican. Then late Sunday afternoon we had Easter dinner with the rest of the Order. It was a great, restful weekend, and I really wasn't ready to come home.

We really like Oklahoma City. It's a medium-sized city, and has a lot of what Houston has -- except it's not as spread out and the traffic isn't as bad. I like the rolling plains. The neighborhood we'll be in there with them is pretty quiet, which I enjoy tremendously. The city is pretty, and we're looking forward to moving there.

It's Monday, after work, and I'm tired. But God is good. Time to ask Shirley what we should do for dinner. We hope your Easter weekend was as wonderful as ours was.

under the mercy,
Brother Francis, O.S.J.B.

Concerts and study

Shirley and I have been to see a couple of good concerts lately. We saw Rebecca St. James and Barlow Girl (Jadon Lavik opened). The sound was good, the volume good, and the ministry was excellent. I was especially impressed with Barlow Girl, 3 sisters who rock and love our Lord! The concert appeared sold out. May God bless their ministry.

We went with Todd and Becca, my bandmates in a mainstrean rock effort, to see Warrant last night. They rocked! We saw the end of the set for the female-fronted opening band, Troublemaker--very good. The overall sound was good, despite a couple of technical problems during Warrant's set, and the volume was a little too loud. But Warrant rocked, the musicianship was exceptional, and we had a good time. Lord, we thank you for the talent we heard and saw displayed last night, which came from You. We pray that each person in the bands knows You and the joy of walking with You.

I am studying Anglican history today, as part of my preparation for ordination to the priesthood. I count it a privilege, and right now I'm humbled and awed that our Lord would call me. The coffee is on--this week it's Chocolate Rasberry, and I ground the beans. Yummy!

under the mercy,
br francis