Tuesday, July 05, 2005

Before the wonder fades...

I’ll try and say something about the amazing journey of the past week.
Despite my gloomy prognostications about the impossibility of retreating successfully when I could virtually see home from the retreat house gardens (Glenfall is actually in my very own parish), I managed to disengage from all that was happening here and settle into God without too much drama.Lovely to be there with many of those I'd trained alongside, and to make new connections too. I'm going to enjoy having finker as my neighbour, I know.
The preparation time was made infinitely easier by the way our Bishop had planned the worship. Having a serious liturgist as your diocesan is undoubtedly a nightmare if you're preparing for a deanery confirmation, but in this context it was a real blessing. Things happened just when you felt you needed them most. My first experience of a formal liturgy of healing/anointing was awesome: God moved some fairly huge loads of rubbish I’d been carrying round for far too long, leaving me feeling so much lighter and cleaner, if a little raw at first.
Foot washing was rather powerful too…+ M is not one for token gestures. Both feet were washed…not just dripped over, but definitely washed…with great care and gentleness. The Bish managed to be with us for most of the retreat, which, together with the care of our new DDO/CME officer made us feel very safe. Some very important relationship-building went on, I’m sure of that.

Then, to the Cathedral.
Words are inadequate, really, but I loved every minute in an awe-struck, "who-am-I-in-all-this?" sort of way. There is an incredible sense of gift about it all, and I'm overwhelmed with the utter joy of it. After the laying on of hands, + M anointed our hands, which felt like the most powerful thing that's been done for me, ever. It has somehow turned them into a sacramental sign in themselves, in that whatever I do, I use them and am reminded of my priesthood, a non-negotiable part of the person I now am. It meant that on Sunday, when I stood at the altar saying those HUGE things, I could look at my hands and remember the Grace that had been prayed down on me. It operated in a fairly major way, I have to say. During pre-ordination walk throughs of the service, I completely failed to articulate the words of absolution,-just couldn’t get them out at all,- and even after I’d sought help with this during the retreat, could only manage a feeble whisper. I wondered whether this proof of inadequacy would provide all the evidence needed for those who already doubted the validity of my orders,-but on the day God turned up and said them for me, loud and clear, so I was included in the experience, pardoned and delivered.
Nothing had prepared me for the weight of the words, nor for their absolute reality. What’s more, those wonderful Sacramental things that I did for the first time on Sunday are now in a mysterious way, part of what I am for. At the end of the service we sang “And can it be?” and I thought the whole church might take off. So many friends, living and departed were involved in that singing….and in the whole journey to this weekend. Throughout the Eucharist I carried in my pocket a small and infinitely precious “pebble” engraved with a dove and the word"Hope", an ordination gift from a friend who has probably done more to shape my vocation than anyone else on the planet.
Thank you for being there, all of you…those who made it to the Cathedral (Stu, you are a hero), those who made it to St Mary’s, those who sent love and prayed where they were.
Any day now, I expect harsh reality will intervene and this sense of bliss will diminish…but... I’ll still have my hands.

9 comments:

St. Casserole said...

Thank you for sharing this with us. I loved reading about your retreat.

Anna said...

Kathryn, I've cried reading both your posts about your ordination. It sounds like such a beautiful and holy time, and I long for the sense of being blessed in my work like you have been. The laying on of hands really is powerful, isn't it?

Many, many congratulations on your ordination. May it be everything you've prayed and struggled for, and more.

Anonymous said...

Despite it's triteness, "thank you for sharing this" is the right response to this. I love the way you communicate experiences so directly without the words getting in the way.

Tony said...

Kathryn, this is WONDERful, thank you so much for sharing your feelings and expressing them so well.

I'm hugely envious of you that you are someone for whom priesthood means so much right from the outset. Pity us poor sometime evangelicals who didn't have that sense of awe about our priestly calling and are having to do so much catching up.

Anonymous said...

i insist that you introduce me to finker IRL when I come to stay.

Theresa Coleman said...

I have been trying to post comments for two days -- I have been inspired by the prayer and your reactions to the ordination process. Here's to the future and hopes that the bliss doesn't fade for a long, long time.

Anonymous said...

Having my hands anointed when I was ordained to the priesthood 11 years ago was the most powerful moment of the liturgy. Over and over, I look at the palms of my hands, knowing they are God's hands at work for God's people--I can still, in my mind's eye, see the cross of oil. I am so glad your diocesan did that for you.

Unknown said...

Thanks for sharing this, ordination to me is one of the most moving and powerful service there is. I was told by my DDO plus others that I should go to other ordinations service, as when it's your own you don't really remember much! May God continue to bless you as you do his work.

Song in my Heart said...

It was good to read this.

Thank you.