Magnificent ceremony yesterday evening, Saturday St., St. Paul for the Easter Vigil. The church open as usual and the whole Dominican community in full force with two or three brothers from other provinces and an abbot military chaplain. A dozen altar servers and choir really involved, voices and a well balanced Brother Joel, tired, but great musical form. Aurélie Delage the choir organ pending the restoration of the Grand Organ voice. Beautiful liturgy led by the Prior, Brother David, who regaled us with a fiery sermon and invigorating as usual, "and if all this was false, we would be there for nothing ...". Upon entry procession into the church, we felt that this office would be beaming. The splendor of the place, the strength of the rite, the choice of songs and the way texts were read - or sung - all combined to make this Easter Vigil ceremony outside the classroom. If some in the audience doubted the two hours of the office will definitely converted. What joy, what happiness that these masses are simple but sumptuous, where the pump is never gratuitous or trivial. The emotion that carries the faithful is not the sole domain of aesthetics. certainly the faces of choirboys charming, beautiful vestments, even the decor, are aesthetic elements that the Church has always used, but it's not just that. As and when the Mass was held this evening, empathy seemed to take little by little each of us, it felt like being transported, almost transfigured. In other places we had talked about magic. God was really with us this evening and was evident throughout this beauty. Yes, I can say after leaving St. Paul: Christ is risen! He is truly risen!
