The quiet. The thing that struck me most about attending the 8:00 a.m. Sunday Eucharist for the first time was the quiet. It was enveloping. Inviting. Nourishing. It made me want to begin a silent retreat right then. To be alone with the Lord. Silent, attentive and observant. Apart.Then the service began. A short walk from the sacristy to the foot of the altar. The lectionary held aloft. A few words of greeting. All of the gestures and movements were smaller, more subdued than those of the 10:00 a.m. service. There were 18 souls present at 8:00 a.m. The typical 10:00 a.m. congregation numbers 50. So the volume was dialed back. The movements were sparer. An economy of sound and movement appropriate to the situation.
The Lord finds us where we are. In the quiet and stillness of the 8 or the music and movement of the 10.
-- Pat Jones
