Music...

At this very moment I can hear the Gallery Choir rehearsing for the concert coming up on Sunday. Meanwhile, up in the chancel, the Ritual Choir is doing the same thing while a group of musicians mills around with study-looking violin and cello cases waiting for their chance. One of the great things about being at SMM is that you don't have to go long between chances to hear fabulous music!

Among other tasks today, I spent some time reading a paper written some time ago by one our learned parishioners--Professor William Blisset. It's an article he wrote as the chapter of a scholarly book on Renaissance Romance literature: "Caves, Labyrinths, and The Faerie Queen."

I'm realizing as I read it that I haven't recently fantasized about living in a cave as I once did. I used to a have burning desire to follow the ascetic, feverish rabbit of my inner monk into a literal cave, but, strangely, the practical possibility never really materialized. Nor am I likely to get an opportunity to spend a few months underground since I got married! Too bad, there is something appealing about living in a mountain cave worshiping and meditating by oneself for months at a time.

Back in Lent I picked up Thoreau's Walden with every intention of finishing it. Never did, of course, but my trusty copy of The Norton Anthology of American Literature still sits invitingly on my night stand. Alas, I've lately burned through about 100 pages of a 200 page Anne Rice novel of a fashionably naughty nature. Yes, I think it's fine for priests (and their parishioners) to read such stuff. Not sure that I would bring it up in a sermon, however, since the reference would be more distracting than instructive in such a context.

I put my AC into my office window today. This is the kind of physical work that happens more often in ordained ministry than people would expect. I don't mind; it's a great opportunity for "Dharma Practice" (as some of my friends and teachers would call it)....

-t