In his homily the padre talked about good-byes. He said he was dating a girl in high school and they broke up over the telephone. With tearful eyes he wished her well and told her he hoped she would eventually go to Heaven. "She thought I was a freak," he said. That is the the funniest thing I have ever heard in a homily. His point was a Christian lives his life longing for Heaven and wishes for others to get there. So he wished us well and told us it was his hope that we would all eventually go to Heaven. And of course we must participate worthily in the sacraments and pray in order to get there.
I spent about an hour practicing this reading from the Book of Kings so I didn't mangle the Old Testament names when I spoke. When I got to the ambo Father asked me to do the reading for the memorial of Aloysius Gonzaga instead. I had a good laugh at myself for getting worked up over the names in Kings.
Dr. Jacobson, the famed musicologist, chanted the Introit, the Gradual, and the Communion song. He was incredible. At the party afterwards I spoke with him for a while. He mentioned that he is looking for singers for his group, the Washington Capella Antigua, so I will be auditioning for him on Wedesday. I would be overjoyed if he accepts me - there wouldn't be a better way to learn early sacred music unless I had a time machine. My friend Linda, a fine soprano and choral conductor, will be joining the group for sure. She's doing doctoral studies in the field of early music so it's right up her alley.
