Joy and Divine Reality

So, it's a miracle that anyone even comes back to this ole blog of mine, as I post in such fits and bursts.  A huge post a day for a few days, and then nothing.  :)  I'm thinking on our return home, after settling back into a schedule, I may be a bit more consistent....but then, maybe not..


I have realized that, although I would LOVE to capture every single moment in word or picture form, it's just not realistic.  When I find a free evening, nestled in the worn armchair with the sliding door open and the last call to prayer resounding in Bethlehem, I will share what I can and trust its job of portrayal is good enough....

This past week has been saturated with beauty, music, prayer, community, Jesus, food, wine, chicks, and all manner of goodness mixed with sadness and goodbyes too.  Just when I think, "Okay, there can't seriously be another incredible evening/meal/homily/conversation/fill-in-the-blank," then there's a huge swoosh of awesomeness just waiting to burst on the scene.

In the interest of pure expression and maximum sharing, I'm going to lend this post to a very, very stream-of-conscience, run-on cheese-fest in all its glory, so bear with me, k?
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Last night, we bid adieu to dear Sr. Bridget.  She is leaving her post as vice rector of Tantur after five years. 

A woman of incredible intelligence, compassion, service, prayer and  joy, she will be greatly missed.  There was delectable chicken and lamb chops, salads, potatoes, wine, desserts, speeches and the like.  We Haleys led a rousing chorus of Swing Low Sweet Chariot/I Wanna Sing/Oh When the Saints.  With people joining in, singing with abandon and giving thanks for dear Sr., it was a sight to behold.


What a blessing.


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Georgia, dear sweet Georgia,  whom we serendipitously met at the Church of the Annunciation while in Nazareth with the Haleys.  It was pouring rain, and after walking to the church, we wanted to get out of the rain and pray a bit, wishing we could attend Mass.  Upon entering, we noticed the main part of the church was roped off for a Spanish Mass just beginning.   We walked up to the two sweet ladies working, and asked if we could join.  Ceci took an immediate liking to her, and Georgia watched the kids for the entire liturgy, sending them over with flowers and kisses.


Yeah, she's just that awesome.


After the Mass, we visited with Georgia and learned that she belongs to a Catholic lay community called Shalom, and it's based out of Brazil.  She's volunteering in Nazareth for about 6 months.  Right away, we could sense her holiness, her kind heart and a true kindred spirit.  So, we did what we do and invited her to come visit.


As God would have it, she was able to come stay with us from Wednesday to the wee hours of Sunday.  Though she was gone much of the time at Triduum services, what time we had with her was so blessed.  Hilarious, vibrant, kind and sweet, she fit perfectly in with our zany family, right down to the fact that she bought an adorable chick for the kiddos.

Enter Mr. Yellow

Although he has already met an early demise, due to unknown reasons and despite the most tender care, we are thankful for the time we had with Mr. Yellow.  

We love you, Georgia!  We are thankful for the gift of your presence, your presents, for babysitting so we could go to the Easter vigil, and for weathering Ceci's middle-of-the-night cry fest.  BESOS!!

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Abu Gosh.

A hidden gem, an Eden, a tranquil center of peace and beauty.

I must say, I think that we knew a bit of heaven on Saturday night.  The Benedictines just know how to do an Easter vigil.  

Admittedly, I have a weakness for these moments, as evidenced by the whole gist of this blog.  Kevin can attest, what happened on Saturday was nothing short of heavenly feasting.


We began outside, under a canopy of palm trees and verdant landscape, surrounding the blazing Easter fire.  Used to light the Paschal Candle, it entranced us with it's consuming power
Kevin and I made the jaunt out with the lovely Carol, one of the Easter seminar participants hailing from Australia, and Ben who, though not Catholic, braved his first Easter Vigil.  (Can I get a woot woot for Ben---many Catholics have never been to this 3-hour long uber liturgy)!


With the liturgy in French, I was able to revel in the incredible symbolism and imagery of the Mass, the sensuality, the veritable offering of a lover to her Beloved.

We processed through the dark courtyard outside the 800+ year old church, following the solemn procession of nuns, priest and brothers.  They all look like brides of Christ, robed in white.  The sisters' ankle-grazing veils and the utter ecstatic love on their faces moved me to tears.  As one of the oldest sisters walked passed, our eyes met, her hand grasped mine and smiled as if to say,  "Yes, my dear, this is true, this is beautiful, and this is only the beginning of what Jesus offers you."

To try and begin to describe what happened in those three hours, in an ancient church, voices imbued with heavenly joy, Eucharist, the intimacy of strangers, the pierced growing pains....would be impossible. 

I can only say, get ye there if at all possible, drink in, soak in, revel in, bask in, bathe in the beauty because it's there, and it's a floodin' about the place.

Just like our Easter celebration at Tantur:

What's not to smile about, when you busted out a big ole lamb for your peeps?

Oh, and by the way, I totally want to hang with this guy on his front porch.  Just sayin'.

Christ is risen, He is risen indeed!