burning like matchsticks in the face of the darkness

I had meant to post about my really positive experience Tuesday night and the fact that that feeling sustained into Wednesday ... but I've been busy and under-slept, so substantive posting hasn't happened. But fwiw...

I feel like I've been sinking into Holy Week more since Tuesday night (after a season of not really "feeling" Lent), though I'm also under-slept and moderately busy at work, so my engagement with you all continues to be ~minimal.

Tired today. Felt really tired by the end of the work day. Decided to go to Maundy Thursday at St. Peter's Episcopal in Central Square because it started earlier than my other options -- though the fact that it was scheduled for 2 hours meant I wasn't necessarily gaining any sleep time. The evening began inauspiciously, but once I sat down with people I apparently had all the extrovert conversationalism.

There was Communion, there was foot washing, there was a stripping of the Altar ... it was a good service. (And she who is going to 3pm Good Friday service is especially glad for a Maundy Thursday service that doesn't end in Jesus' death.)

***

At the end of the service with the stripping of the Altar etc., the priest blew out what I assumed was the Christ candle, unlocked the box under it that had Elements and took them out, and then looked up at the cross that was mounted to the wall there (and so hadn't been removed like 2 other crosses had been) and after looking up at it for a while, bowed her head, and I felt like she was saying, "I killed you, I'm sorry, forgive me" -- in a way that felt really powerful to me.