[Magdalen] Palm Sunday Blues

[Scott Knitter]

Well, Palm Sunday Mass wasn't a pain in the neck, although it was a bit
trying for the MC and the Rector. For the MC, the "turnaround time" between
the longer-than-normal Masses makes it almost impossible to get all the
preparations done and brief the acolytes and sacred ministers on how
everything will happen. And of course there were several bloopers, the
first being the thurifer leading the procession into an extra loop around
the aisles instead of up to the rood for the station there. So the hymns
happened a bit differently than expected, with the first one (All glory,
laud, and honor) needing lots of interstanza improvisation to take us the
extra distance, and the post-station one (Ride on, ride on in majesty - to
my favorite tune, The King's Majesty) being sung largely in place rather
than in a post-station loop.

That probably wasn't as noticeable as the celebrant chanting the "Al****a,
Christ our Passover..." fraction anthem instead of the one I was pointing
to. Kind of hard to correct that once it's started. The people chanted the
response, largely without the Al****a, but a bit of an Ah. The celebrant
apologized to me, but needn't have. I'm not a fan of treating Alleluia like
a swear word, and especially if it's thrown in by "mistake." Nice mistake,
say I. Even at the grave we sing the song, so how much more at the altar...

Now back to my project for work. I really resent having to look at this
stuff on a sunny Palm Sunday, but it'll be over on Tuesday at some point.



-- 
Scott R. Knitter
Edgewater, Chicago, Illinois USA