Easter Morning

Hail thee festival day

Blessed day that art hallowed forever

Day whereon Christ arose

breaking the kingdom of death!

That's the big anthem we always sing on Easter, right before the Liturgy of the Eucharist. Woke up with it on my mind, so there you go.

The Child and I went to the Easter Vigil last night; it is my absolute favorite liturgy. This year 25 people were baptized. I had the privilege of standing as proxy for a woman named Liz. She lives in Oregon but came up to be baptized along with her sister, who is a parishioner at the cathedral. Liz's sponsor couldn't make the trip, I was available, there you go. Liz is a lovely, funny young woman and we hit it right off. I got to spend some time with her during the afternoon preparatory retreat and it was, not to put too fine a point on it, a blessing.

Anyhoo, the service was gorgeous, the spirit infectious, the music grand. The service began in clear, balmy air as we gathered on the Cathedral steps for the lighting of the Easter fire. And when Mass was over, we left in a torrential downpour. It was like God was saying, "All that water imagery? All the baptismal stuff? Yeah, I mean it". And then, just as quickly it stopped.

We got home around 12:30. The Child went off to bed and I ran over for a post-prandial with The Neighbor, who is in 2 choirs at church and consequently has pretty much been singing non-stop since Good Friday. Then home to assemble Easter baskets.

I was still a little jacked up from the service so I read a bit, finally turning off my light a little after 1:30. Then sirens started. And came very close. And we looked out the windows and smoke was pouring down our street. A house just a block up had caught fire. It was quite the most sensational thing I think I've ever witnessed...flames shooting up into the dark sky, the sound of breaking glass and chain saws, the myriad lights of so many response units that I just kept hoping no one else needed anything in the night. The smoke was frighteningly thick at times, swirling around the knots of neighbors who gathered along the sidewalk, talking in hushed tones.

There was so much hooha I wouldn't be able to sleep, even though my group finally all ceded to the cold (including The Spouse). I wandered up to the corner to see if there was any word and found Tanya, the Rabbi's youngest (beautiful young woman, a hat maker). Then the Rabbi and his wife came along. We were alternately chatting almost blithely about our Passover/Easter celebrations and then saying, "Oh, I hope everyone got out"...stricken little prayers of hope.

And the family did get out: parents, grandparents and 2 teenage boys. Although, we also learned, the firefighters had delayed putting out the blaze because the youngest boy was unaccounted for and they had kept searching the house for him. Turns out, the little bastid had snuck out and was at a friend's...they called his cell. I looked at Tanya and said, "Oh, when the relief subsides, he is sooooo grounded".

Anyway, once we had the word that all was well and another neighbor family had taken them in for the night, I felt like I could sleep. Which I did. For what amounted to 4 hours before The Spouse got up for early services.

So there you go. Mama is soooo going to be taking her traditional Easter nap today. The extended version. Now I must away to assist the Easter Bunny -who left a basketful of eggs on my desk. I think she wasn't quite sure if the weather would support an outdoor hunt so she left that call to me. It is blue and fine...just like an Easter morning should be...so outside it is.

Friends arrive at 10:30 for the hunt and brunch. I intend to bodily remove them all by 1 at the latest so I can sleep before the feast at 6:30. Mmmmm. BAH.

For those of you to whom it applies, have a very happy, blessed Easter. For those of you to whom it doesn't, have a wonderful day anyway!