Day 103- 4/14/11 Chrism Mass & New Tea

Day 103: 4/14/11
New Thing: Chrism Mass & New Tea
Inspiration: Chrism Mass, King's Herb Nook           
Cost: $0
Time: All day               
Bottom Line: A hugely refreshing day!

Holy Oils

Reflection: Today was a very special day in the life of the Diocese because we celebrated our annual Chrism Mass. At this service every year, the clergy renew our ordination vows and all of our holy oils (including Chrism) for the year are consecrated. Now, I have indeed been blessed to be a part of this service for the last three years, but there are some notable differences about this year's Mass. I would like to quote Bishop Paul Marshall's invitation to the Mass:

 Besides the fact that it is a stunning and uplifting liturgy, it is your chance to be with other members of the diocese as we support and pray for our clergy as they re-commit themselves to to their service to us. It is also the time when together we pray over the oils that are used with the sick and at baptism and confirmation--each time those oils are applied, they represent the prayers of the entire diocese. Those of you with special ministries of healing and teaching will particularly want to be present. [There will also be] amazing ecumenical visitors. Both the Bishop of the NE PA Synod of the ELCA and the President of the Eastern District of the Moravian Church will be present and for the first time, all three traditions will be represented in an Episcopal liturgy. This is history being made.

It was truly inspiring seeing our ELCA and Moravian brothers taking part in the Eucharist and very moving. The fun continued after the service when Mo. Laura and I ventured into the back of the church to see how Deacon George puts all of the oil into their tiny little veils. He is a brilliant inventor who's creations can sometimes take on a kind of "nutty professor quality." I knew that he had some kind of contraption to rapidly fill the tons of tiny bottles that each church receives, but I had never seen it. I had envisioned some kind of steam-powered, whirling, whistling Victorian-looking machine which functioned by the application of several valves and a complicated networking of tubing. Perhaps the operator would need special goggles. As it turns out, I was only partially correct--there was no steam power.

I also had my first delicious cup of the new organic tea from King's Herb Nook. It is called "Good Morning" and has these awesome ingredients:

• peppermint
• rosehips
• ginko
• ginger
• star arise
• rosemary
• orange peel

Lenten Meditation-   
Prayed for: GW, CC, TP
Prayer Walk/Yoga- 10k run meditating and bike to and from work. What an amazing day!
Journal Topic with Ken- We will see
Music- piano and singing at the Chrism Mass.   
Fast- ok  
Daily Office- NP Chrism Mass & EP run