March 26--a great silence and stillness

[zyzyly]

The title is from my readings from the liturgy of the hours for holy saturday, one of my favorite readings.

Something strange is happening--
there is a great silence on earth today,
a great silence and stillness.
The whole earth keeps silent
because the King is asleep.

It was somewhat of a quiet day until I went out walking this afternoon, and sat a bit by the big tree I like. There was a woodpecker directly above me breaking the silence and stillness in his quest to do whatever woodpeckers do when they peck wood. Google it.



This was a Nuttal's Woodpecker, common to our area.

I came home and started some bread dough for tomorrow. It is similar to the bread I made in my dutch oven when I first got it, but I tweaked the recipe a little. I roasted about 7 cloves of garlic and added it, along with some rosemary and thyme. And some more salt. It requires very little yeast, because there is beer as well, and it rises overnight, but I never trust that so little yeast will be effective, so I add more. Now it is huge. I'll punch it down before bed and let it take over the kitchen overnight.

Our Sunday dinner will be a herb-crusted rack of lamb, roasted potatoes, beets, and carrots, and brussels sprouts. And the bread.

My longtime LJ friend daisydumont posted a lovely picture on another social media site of the labyrinth at Chartres illuminated by candles yesterday, which prompted me to take a picture of a photograph that hangs next to my bed.



It's the same labyrinth in her picture, but taken from above. The photographer is Alain Kilar, a French photographer. I bought it when Malida and I were in Chartres a few years ago and had it framed when I got home. It's often the first thing I see as I sit up in the morning, and one of the last before I fall asleep at night. It fascinates me.

Chartres is about an hour outside of Paris by train. We almost didn't go that day. We were arguing about something, but the argument drifted away once we walked into the cathedral. I had been there once before, but it was as impressive the second time as it was the first. Both times I have been there, the labyrinth was covered up by chairs. A man I met told me that there are certain days that it is uncovered and people can walk it, but that day was not one of them.



After we walked around in the church for a while, we went across the street for a nice cup of coffee and some food, then wandered around the old town. It was a weekday and there weren't really any other tourists beside us. It is a lovely town, and I could easily spend a few days exploring the nooks and crannies.



If I go back to France, I will visit again, on a day that the labyrinth is free of chairs.

I'm listening to Jesus Christ Superstar, which I have listened to on every Saturday before Easter as far back as I can remember. It remains as iconic and powerful as when I first heard it as an impressionable but skeptical 13 year old in 1970.

Comments

[saltdawg.livejournal.com]

Maybe I've already told you this, but I think the big thing that first drew me into your journal was because I was fascinated by your work as a Deacon. Semi-related, since I was a Catholic schoolboy, I've been fascinated by men who are called to the Brotherhood, rather than becoming full on priests. At my school, a Jesuit school, the priests tended towards the eccentric, but the Brothers were full-on wackjobs. I asked a few of them about their calling early on, but found that that conversation was always really awkward and weird. Maybe it was the particular guys, or is that something so personal, you aren't even supposed to bring it up? I dunno. I suppose I can always google it if I remember when I'm not distracted some day.

I went to Chatres when I was, like, 14 or something. I sat in the chairs covering the labyrinth and nodded in and out of sleep during mass. I didn't yet know about it, but going back on a chairless day has been on my list for a while now. It always makes me sad to think about how callow and entitled I felt on that trip. But I was part of a group. We were guests of the state, and had all these military escorts and shit, which I can now see fostered that attitude. I still feel bad though, as if sleeping while sitting on the labyrinth was a complete moral failing.

And, finally, JCSS is one of the greatest rock albums ever pressed, imho. You'll probably get a kick out of this YouTube. Happy Easter!
http://youtu.be/jrGwjgK2jrM

[basefinder.livejournal.com]

I had the JCS double album! During my brief "Jesus freak" period, probably sixth grade, I could sing along to every word.

[thoughtsbykat.livejournal.com]

I love your photo of the Chartes Labyrinth. It would be great to walk the labyrinth. The village looks like a good destination. We were fortunate to get to Mont St.Michel but, being on a tour we needed more time.

Jesus Christ Superstar is a powerful performance.

...

[liminal-space.livejournal.com]

Your posts make me feel like I'm sitting across from you at a lovely outdoor cafe; me, sipping coffee, you telling me beautiful, enthralling stories.

Blessed Easter, friend.

xo

[fauxklore]

My understanding is that the labyrinth is always uncovered for Midsummer Day, June 21st. It is also usually available on Fridays in summer.

Walking it is one of those things I plan to do some day.

[zyzyly.livejournal.com]

Me too--I think it was the soundtrack to a lot of "Jesus Freak" periods.

[zyzyly.livejournal.com]

I would love to visit Mont St. Michel one day. I hope you get to see Chartres one day.

RE: ...

[zyzyly.livejournal.com]

You know, that's kind of how I feel when I am writing them. Just a conversation between friends.

happy easter!

[zyzyly.livejournal.com]

Yes I gathered that it was walkable on Fridays, but not in January, when we were there. But it is just one of many wonderful things in the cathedral and environs, and having it mostly to ourselves in January was so worth it.