Happy Easter! Resurrection came early to the Arizona desert this year. After our winter rains and cool temperatures, we experienced a wildflower “superbloom.” And we immersed ourselves in it: luxuriant carpets of golden poppies and purple night scented stock, scorpion weed and delicate blue dicks – more lovely than their names – creamy white chicory and scarlet chuparosa. You can read more about our wildflower adventures and see colorful photographs in our posts on tessabielecki.com and sandandsky.org.
We spent Holy Week on a camping retreat in Organ Pipe National Monument close to the Mexican border in southwestern Arizona. Open-ended leisurely time for silence and solitude, reading and prayer, hiking and watching the night sky, culminating in the glorious full moon on Holy Thursday. We’ll tell you more about this in our April podcast, coming soon after Easter.
In the meantime, I ponder the darkest night in history, the night before Easter. It followed a flagrant miscarriage of justice that sent Life to a tomb. Then, as we sing at the Easter Vigil:
The night will be as clear as day:
it will become my light, my joy.
The power of this holy night
dispels all evil, washes guilt away,
restores lost innocence, brings mourners joy;
it casts out hatred, brings us peace, and humbles earthly
pride.
Night truly blessed when heaven is wedded to earth
and we are reconciled with God!
Happy Easter!
Fr. Dave, There is nothing like hearing the singing of the Exultet at the Easter Vigil each year! The ancient words seem to fit perfectly with your Holy Week camping trip. Poetry readings, gazing at the stars, and your delight in the super bloom inspires me to become more attentive to the call of the wild. I am filled with “holy envy!”
Thanks, Donna! I already miss the stars, but at least I can see the moon from the city.