Friday, June 03, 2005
Commencement Eve
Tomorrow morning is Commencement - that bittersweet day of the year when you never quite decide whether they are tears of joy or sadness. The Very Reverend Dr. Titus Presler will be the homilist at the Eucharist, which will be held at St. Luke's as is the custom. I will be serving as a front sacristan, which means I'll be in charge of things like candles, bread, wine, lagging graduates, and such. So far this week, I've seen several old friends who graduated last year and have come back to witness this year's ceremonies and that has been good. I am more thrilled that you can imagine to see that the Ref dresses the part of a rural Montana priest. Seeing him reminded me of my college chaplain, who also wore jeans, a black clerical, boots, and a cowboy hat. In the crowd at Community Eucharist tonight, I believe I also spotted EJ, but did not get a chance to say hello. Tomorrow will be fun, exhausting, joyous, and, like I said, bittersweet. Some folks that I have come to know and love very much will be going on to bigger and better things, living into the call that God has given them. I am so happy and proud of them, but I will miss them. And now, I better get to bed so I can get some rest. I have to get up early so I can get my cassock on (I believe I'll also wear my shoulder cape - when else do you get to wear cool stuff like that if not at big to-do's?) and walk down to the church. Parking is precious, and since I live so close, I think I'll avoid the rush and just not bother. Tonight, twenty-five or so folks go to bed my classmates, fellow apprentices if you will. When they go to bed tomorrow night they'll do so as journeymen. About six months down the road, they'll be invested as masters, which is really just another way of saying starting as apprentices all over again in a different circuit. Go with God on your journey. I see Susie has posted an appropriate song and I'll leave you with as I seem to be rambling...
-R
-R
2 Comments:
"that bittersweet day of the year when you never quite decide whether they are tears of joy or sadness"
I could clarify that for you, but that would involve admitting that today happened...
Yes, commencement happened. It was good to be on the other side of that, one year out, but the tears still came.
It was great to see the old place and old friends; but it's still a little odd remembering that this isn't home anymore. Familiar apartments occupied with strangers.
Thanks for the compliment on the Montana Dress Code. And, now that you are a Senior, I should go update my blogroll.
Peace, my friend, and have a great year.
By 
Reverend Ref +, at
2:17 PM
