It’s been a great weekend of liturgies– after Lent, the Easter season opens up with First Communions and Confirmations and Weddings to celebrate the ever-deepening commitment to life.
Saturday we went to our nephew Ryan’s First Communion at Annunciation Church in South Minneapolis. I love seeing the girls in their bride dresses and boys in their suits. There were two families whose younger daughters were wearing dresses they clearly got when they were in weddings, so we had these little bridesmaids in attendance as well.
It takes a long time to give 58 children First Communion. The large church was completely packed. The priest was quite good, both at settling the large, excited crowd before the Mass began and having a dynamic homily and settling us again at the end of the Mass with a centering prayer.
This morning I attended Beth and Matt’s wedding at St. Mary’s Cathedral in St. Cloud. They were married during the 9:45 Sunday Mass, which is quite a delightful way to get married. Again, the priest, Father Tony, made it a particularly lovely and engaging celebration. The readings could not have been more perfect, the Good Shepherd, and he quite beautifully, with assistance from the choir punctuating the homily with a simple chant, drew us into the story of God’s love and care for us that is also expressed in our care for each other in marriage.
Beth lived in the monastery for several years as she discerned whether she was called to monastic life. In the end, her desire was for marriage and she left. I sat with the large group of Benedictine Sisters who attended and felt the warmth of the community.
It was a very joyful occasion. And afterward, the whole assembly was served cake! You could get your cake on the way out, vanilla or chocolate.
I feel buoyed by what it means to be a member of the Catholic Church. I’ve been thinking a lot about liturgy lately, and the common liturgy of the sacraments and of Mass makes it possible to go into a new church and fully participate. Today I am thankful for good liturgy and pastors who recognize the beauty of the liturgy, engage the people fully, and practice their role with love for the people of God.
*I am so sad there are no photos of the First Communion. I took several lovely ones before I realized I had no CF card in the camera!