2/22/12
I’m writing
at the end of a not so eventful day but a precious one none-the-less. You might
have gathered that I am preparing blog posts in my room in the hotel without
internet access and then taking them by USB to the computer I have been kindly
given freedom to use in a limited way at the travel agent’s office. So the day
began last evening when checking with various
people outside the two prospective churches – my guide, Ganesh, talking in Hindi
– we were assured that the mass for Ash Wednesday would be at 8:00 a.m. My
guide was so sure that we even told his colleague, Deepika, who is a Roman Catholic, of
the time of mass. So this morning I made my way there by rickshaw met Deepika in the sanctuary and she and I sat from 7:50 till 8:30 without any sign of other
worshipers or any preparations for worship. So we inquired further to be
then informed that the time of mass would be 5:00 p.m. in Hindi. As it turned out my
travel agency has been preoccupied (naturally) with an accident involving one
of their drivers so Ganesh could not meet me today as planned, hence my
reference to the day being uneventful. So at any rate, undeterred, I planned my
day around a 5:00 p.m. arrival getting to church at 4:45 p.m. only to see the
5:00 p.m. hour also come and go. But at least there were some signs of a
gathering community and some preparations of the sanctuary for worship. The
service began at 5:30 and ran till 7:15 p.m. It was presided over by the Bishop
of Varanasi assisted by the priest in charge and several assistant priests. As
always for me in a context of not knowing the language the service required a
particular discipline of focus and attention. It helps to know the language of
the mass in English. I loved the singing of the congregation in tones and
sounds not unlike Hindu singing but doubtless with different words. The
congregation chose whether to sit on the floor or to sit on pews to the side.
(see photos attached). All removed their shoes before entering the sanctuary. I
felt both alone in the service and also fully accompanied as I began my Lenten
journey. I had read and will continue to read the daily meditations in our West
End Church Lenten booklet earlier in the day, my own reflection being the first
in the book. I particularly enjoyed reading Guillermo’s Spanish translation.
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