Triduum begins

I woke early and posted to WhatsApp the link to my Morning Prayer video offering of the day. There was no Eucharist to attend or celebrate in the Parish. Instead, lay people were urged to attend the Chrism Mass in the Cathedral. Since the second Vatican Council the emphasis on this has increased, as an occasion when clergy renew their ordination vows, with a pep talk from the Bishop. Before that for fifteen centuries it had just been the occasion to consecrate sacred oils used in the sacraments and start distributing them to the parishes through the clergy attending. Adding in the vow renewal, to my mind, makes it even more of a clerical jamboree. It's important to have lay people attending to witness this, but if all the faithful of the diocese turned up at the Cathedral, there wouldn't be room. In practice, people work during the day, and expect to attend just the evening service celebrating the institution of the Lord's Supper. A morning service used to be offered for those who work evenings, but that's now been abandoned. Maybe there's no demand or expectation any longer. So much has changed.

I spent the morning working on next week's Morning Prayer offering, then cooked lunch before going out for a walk. At four thirty I drove Clare to an acupuncture appointment at a clinic on Newport Road. The traffic was heavy enough to delay us by ten minutes, but we made it just on time. While waiting to take her back home, I listened to the news in the car. A report has arrived of the Russian flagship of the Black Sea fleet being hit by missiles, set on fire and evacuated - no casualties, it seems. The Russians deny this, claiming it was merely a fire that set an ammunition store alight. If so, how very careless. 

If it was indeed Ukrainian missiles, it was remarkable good fortune. It's the second navy vessel put out of action so far, supporting the invasion of the Donbass region. It's only a matter of time now before the Russians revised campaign plan gets/ under way. Western nations have been pouring armaments into Ukraine for them to use. An international brigade of experienced volunteer soldiers has been formed, but little is known of whether or not its seen action yet. 

Perhaps most concerning is the news that Finland and Sweden have opened negotiations to join NATO - the very thing that Putin set out to deter by taking action against Ukraine. His antiquated fears and fantasies about western influence eroding Russian culture have driven him into becoming an aggressive campaigner against Ukraine. The world has united against him, and two neutral neighbouring countries are now joining an alliance to defend Europe and the wider world against his ambitions. There is a risk this could escalate conflict, but also a possibility that it would lead to his downfall and replacement in an internal regime change that would seek an end to his repressive policies. That's what we must pray for.

I drove Clare home, we ate supper together, then I drove back to St German's for the Maundy Thursday Last Supper celebration. I wore choir dress and sat in the choir stalls, although there was only one chorister. We were just seventeen in church. Church attendances are still down post covid. Will they ever pick up again? Some people have lost the habit altogether, and not been replaced by enough new people. It's not good for morale. 'The disciples all forsook him and fled.' is what concludes the story of the betrayal of Jesus remembered at the end of this evening's liturgy, except that it doesn't always get read aloud. It's too close to the church's current experience of reality.