Palm fronds

This is Palm Sunday. Easter is just a week away!

They started the service this morning at St. Stephen's out on the street corner where the Pennsylvania Avenue traffic made it nearly impossible to hear what was going on and being said, but we've seen this every year, so we knew what was happening. We just stood there holding our little strip of palm frond until it was time to walk into the church.

As always, the processional hymn was St. Theodulph. Additionally, they did Morning Song (O Zion rise to greet thy King) for the offertory, something by Jerry Brubaker "O blessed Savior now behold" for communion, and Wondrous Love for the recessional.

The choir sang a particularly interesting "Solus ad victimam" by Kennth Leighton (1929-1988) as a communion motet that had some wonderfully dissonent and loud moments. They also did an interesting Agnus Dei from Jean Langlais's Missa in Simplicitate. The rest of the Mass setting was the usual Lenten Mass of the Divine Word.

I think I was zoned out during the sermon, since I can't remember a thing. Must have been because of all that long Passion Gospel.

It's going to be an odd Holy Week. I've no plans for Passover tomorrow night, I'll be on an airplane for Maundy Thursday evening, I doubt I do anything on Good Friday. It's always odd getting to Holy Week and not having a thing to sing!