Weekly E-NewsWednesday, April 15, 2020Wednesday of Easter Week
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The High Altar and free-standing St. Paul’s Altar in all their Easter Garden finery,Easter 2009. Photo by Francis Logan. Dear Friends,Celebrant: Alleluia. Christ is risen.People: The Lord is risen indeed. Alleluia. This is our greeting for Easter Day and throughout the 50 Days of Easter that take us all the way to Pentecost, which this year is May 31st. We celebrate Eastertide life, and yet we struggle amid the world-wide pandemic of COVID-19. I am mindful of the struggle celebrated in the Victimae Paschali laudes, the Sequence Anthem sung by our Choir before the Easter Day Gospel. Christians, to the Paschal victim offer your thankful praises!A lamb the sheep redeemeth: Christ, who only is sinless, reconcileth sinners to the Father. Death and life have contended in that combat stupendous: the Prince of life, who died, reigns immortal.Speak, Mary, declaring what thou sawest, wayfaring:“The tomb of Christ, who is living, the glory of Jesus’ resurrection; bright angels attesting, the shroud and napkin resting.Yea, Christ my hope is arisen; to Galilee he goes before you.” Christ indeed from death is risen, our new life obtaining, have mercy, victor King, ever reigning!Amen. Alleluia!(Text and Plainsong setting by Wipo of Burgundy, died c 1050) “Death and life have contended in that combat stupendous: the Prince of life, who died, reigns immortal.” We are in the midst of our own combat stupendous. Across the globe we struggle to use the best of science and cooperation at all levels to fight against disease and death. Even we ordinary people participate in the combat stupendous as we “shelter in place”, practice “social distancing”, wear masks in public, and pray without ceasing. In our Parish, serving those who hunger continues Monday through Friday each week with our Brown Bag Lunch Program. We carry on for the long haul, come what may, because we have hope in the forces of life and of love. We are followers of “the Prince of life, who died, [who] reigns immortal;” the risen Christ.
Eastertide Blessings,
Fr. Robert +
A Follow-up Note from Michael Hull,Easter Flower Coordinator On Holy Saturday afternoon, Fr. Robert and I handed out Easter plants to parishioners who stopped by Church. On Easter afternoon, Deacon Hyacinth and Fr. Robert were able to deliver some Easter plants to a few more parishioners. Of course, they wore masks and kept appropriate distances but were also able to greet folks. All of this sharing was a nice way of reminding us that we are a community in Christ, in spite of our physical distance. Some plants remain. If you would like to arrange to pick one up or have me bring you one, please, give me a call on my cell phone: 203-820-0034. Thanks! Michael
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