Holy Week and Easter allow us a time of special participation: They allow us to be in a place still holy and still dangerous —the world in which we live and the Jerusalem of the Holy Land. Holy Week and Easter are times of profound reality, so profound and so real that they sustain us mightily.

Let me urge you to be part of Easter Eve. This is a mysterious and wonderful service that allows for reflection and participation. It is deep and inspiring in a way that goes beyond words. All of this comes from its focus on the God of glory, the Lord of All, in his patient wooing of humanity, his unfailing search for every soul.

Turning to other matters, let me celebrate two recent events: First, there was the Blue and Gold Dinner, a celebration of the birth of the American Boy Scouts. I was very impressed by the short speeches the boys gave explaing why they had invited their mothers. It was a lesson in openness and personal vulnerability—they were learing to share feelings and loyalties in public. This is an essential skill in building the best kind of human relationships.

I was also impressed by the first Evensong to take place under the leadership of Erik Goldstrom, our Music Director. The service and the music were not just well done or well prepared. They were that but they were more—they were faith-filled and exciting. The organ recital that followed was incandescent—full of light, energy, and spirit. St. Nicholas has a remarkable resource in the interaction of Choir and Director. Again, I salute the wisdom and generosity of those who made possible the renovation of the parish Organ and a stronger support to the liturgy which is the heart of our Christian community.

Finally, many people have asked for copies of my sermon dealing with anti-Semitism. For that reason, I am making the text available on the web site.

May our Lord continue to bless and guide us.

Father James