I woke this morning with the sound of last night’s gospel reading (half of which I sang) still going around my head. In fact the head was still buzzing with liturgy through until the afternoon, when fatigue set in.
Last night’s service was wonderful – tremendous music and lots of goodwill. Bishop David’s sermon went down well and he was most generous in what he said about me. I rather liked him saying that I was perhaps at my most dangerous at this time in my life, and he will have known I would have liked that bit too.
Parry’s I was glad certainly seems to have pleased the crowd. Totus Tuus sent shivers down plenty of spines. And God’s liturgical children got very excited about the Gospel which included the singing of a Stanford Magnificat. (And which was breathtakingly beautiful). Trumpets and Trombones went down a storm throughout. Full marks and many thanks to all musicians.
The day on which a priest is ordained is sometimes called his or her Te Deum. (And the funeral is sometimes called one’s Nunc Dimittis). Last night there was no question what was going on.
It was my Magnificat.
Being taken by the Hand
During the singing of “I was Glad”, there was the sight of Kelvin being taken by the hand by the Primus to be guided by his stall as Provost and member of Cathedral Chapter. The sight has been captured for the archives.