Wednesday, January 16, 2008

what day is it anyway?

Like most people, we sisters can get a bit mixed up. Not just the aging ones either, although their sense of time is way off the scale. "What day is it anyway? is always a good conversation starter... again and again throughout the same day. Yesterday's timing was funny... though quite logical in its outcome.

We were scheduled to celebrate a memorial at mass to Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. February 15th was his birthday. The sister at Morning Prayer misread the ordo and read his collect instead of the correct one for Epiphany. However, the sister who sets up the priest's books for mass had marked the collect for Martin Luther (aka Father of the Protestant Reformation) instead of Martin Luther King. Okay, we got to hear the right prayer, just not at the right time.

Next, the priest appeared in the crimson vestments of the martyred saints. Well... that makes sense in a way. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. was assassinated; he just hasn't been declared a saint. The correct color would have been white if we'd been celebrating a feast day (which we weren't) or green for a regular mass.

This kind of attention to detail could be considered one of those hills of beans we protect and defend so violently. Does God care what color the priest wears to celebrate the mass or does God want us to love each other and cut each other some slack? Yet for some sisters there is a right way to do things... by the book, and the book says...

It won't help that next Monday will be the national holiday for Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. (which, by the way, will be the 13th anniversary of my move to New York City.)

2 comments:

Neen said...

Just goes to show that everyone messes up at times. My husband's aunt is a Felician Sister and I know she has her moments. Especially when she was the Principal of an all girls high school. And she is really not a happy camper at the moment since she moved into her in convent, they told her that she is not allowed her car there. There is nothing like a pissed off Catholic nun. I had grade school flashbacks.

Anonymous said...

It's funny what's important to us though. Somebody forgot to light the altar candles on Sunday. I couldn't take my eyes off those candles, standing there shamelessly unlit. I was so mad!!!
I need help!!