I felt pretty tired and headache-y when I got up yesterday morning; couldn't drag myself further than the kitchen, so I sat there, eyes closed, sore-headed, feeling sorry for myself. I did have the benefit, tho', of hearing my housemates singing Lauds in our chapel (you could say we are fairly Catholic!), and it was really wonderful, especially since the tones for the psalmody were so melodious. Somehow, the awful noise each man thinks he's making (speaking only for myself: I can't sing immediately upon awaking) becomes a fine strong sound when heard from a slight remove. So I did pray Lauds yesterday shortly after 6am, despite not making a sound: because that's what participatio actuosa truly is, really partaking of the liturgical act of Christ and His Church, by uniting one's heart and all else to what's going on to the extent possible, raising one's mind to God - De profundis clamavi ad te, Domine.
After the others finished singing the Tota pulchra - we add something Marian after Lauds - they came in, and one found for me some panadol, after taking which I went back to bed for the morning, till I felt better. Thanks, guys!
In the evening, it was time to head out and attend Low Mass for the feast of the Conversion of St Paul, after making a quick confession beforehand: the last few days have been difficult. The Pro. was not so much like an oven as like a sauna - it was warm but not humid outside, but inside the sweat ran through my hair. At least, when I joined the others for Friday Night Catechism in the parish centre, the air-conditioning was on!
My laptop has been fixed, thanks be, but the Internet connexion at home is playing up (Murphy's Law in action). At least I could watch a DVD before turning in for the night.
After the others finished singing the Tota pulchra - we add something Marian after Lauds - they came in, and one found for me some panadol, after taking which I went back to bed for the morning, till I felt better. Thanks, guys!
In the evening, it was time to head out and attend Low Mass for the feast of the Conversion of St Paul, after making a quick confession beforehand: the last few days have been difficult. The Pro. was not so much like an oven as like a sauna - it was warm but not humid outside, but inside the sweat ran through my hair. At least, when I joined the others for Friday Night Catechism in the parish centre, the air-conditioning was on!
My laptop has been fixed, thanks be, but the Internet connexion at home is playing up (Murphy's Law in action). At least I could watch a DVD before turning in for the night.
2 comments:
You guys have a chapel? (unfair! ;-) )
Yes, lucky me for moving in with two good Catholics!
Pity that the wind picked up the other night, and blew over the candlesticks on the Gospel side of the altar, breaking one of the fake candles (you know, the sort that actually have oil inside) and leaving glass and oil all over the altar cloths and floor.
(Which reminds me, it's been some months since the guys last had Mass in the chapel, I'll blog and maybe upload video when next we get a priest in...)
Once I recover from whatever is making me sleep so much, and work picks up, we'll be having sung Lauds at 6am before heading off, and ending with sung Compline at 10pm or so each day.
Of course, that's the ideal... this long weekend, one of my mates is away visiting family down Bunbury way, while the other had a big day out yesterday, watching the Australia Day fireworks and having a drink or two with friends - he was still fast asleep when I left for Mass this morning.
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