Friday, April 10, 2009

When is a Mass not a Mass?

When it's a Mass of the Pre-Sanctified, of course!

This morning I hopped on my bike and rode to St John's Convent where I joined the sisters for a silent lunch of vegetable soup, cheese, and matzoh. After a dessert of canned apricots and plain yogurt, we shuffled into the chapel for the Good Friday Liturgy.

The order was that in the Book of Alternative Services and the colour, I fear, was red. (Stole until the Restoration of the Blessed Sacrament, chasuble from then on).

The Liturgy of the Word featured John's account of the Passion, and the homily was followed by "O sacred head, surrounded." The Solemn Intercessions followed. The sisters sang the Reproaches, with the congregation joining for the Trisagion. The Blessed Sacrament was brought in (a pair of humeral veils made an appearance at this point) and we sang "There is a green hill far away." After Communion, the service continued with the Lord's Prayer and was followed by a prolonged silence.

1 comment:

Michael said...

Red is a perfectly acceptable colour for Good Friday.

WRT There is a Green Hill Far Away, I wonder whether Anglicans in Jerusalem replace this with There is a Green Hill up the road.