Thinking about you, praying for you, last night...

I thought of and prayed for all my readers at Evening Prayer last night. While some of you were actually present, I thought of how much I wished all of you could have joined us in our darkened church, gathered around the Paschal Candle, waiting to hear the Proclamation of Light -- Light of Christ! Thanks be to God! -- pierce the silence...

Would that you could have been there for the lighting of individual tapers and the singing of the ancient evening hymn: O radiant Light, O Sun divine, of God the Father's deathless face. O Image of the light sublime, that fills the heavenly dwelling place.... Would that you had heard the sung Thanksgiving for the light... Would that you had been there to sing Psalm 141 as incense was offered; and the psalm of the day which picked up the thirst so prominent in this morning's scriptures; and the doxology, a delightful, rolling tune of praise... We heard again today's reading from Romans and a brief homily... Then we sang Mary's canticle of praise, the Magnificat, during which the Paschal Candle, the assembly and the Marian icon were honored with incense... Sung and spoken intercessions were gathered up in the Lord's Prayer and a sung blessing sent us on our way home...

Know that you were in my prayer last night... please keep me in yours...

As we begin this third week of Lent, the call to prayer, fasting and almsgiving rings in our ears once more. In moments of quiet prayer, or at the Eucharist, Stations, the Rosary or Evening Prayer, please remember the needs and prayers of all who gather here... Let us pray for one another...