Pentecost Sunday

Sunday was another interesting day as well. I accompanied the Muriy's to Ukrainian Catholic Mass, and it was an important one since it was Pentecost and there were First Communions being celebrated. The church was nice and the ceremony was nice too. The Mass was practically sung in its entirety, and the choir was actually pretty good also! It was like a choral concert! Orest's mom sings in the choir, and she is very good. We stand for most of the service, which is a bit longer than the Roman Catholic, but it actually goes by fast. It was lovely to see the children all dressed up, receiving Communion, and after the Mass, saying a series of little poems (whose meaning I do not know). Krystina was very happy since she had been the one who prepared them for their First Communion, so the whole congregation was very proud of her also.

So that was nice, BUT... I really, really, REALLY missed my own Church. I missed the familiarity of the Roman Catholic Mass, even though I know there are the same elements. I missed being able to understand the readings and the homily. But most of all, what I missed the MOST was receiving the Eucharist!! :( Since I was not able to get to a Roman Catholic Church to receive a dispensation, I was not able to receive Communion, which left me with a horrible void. I made a spiritual Communion (for those of you who do not know what that is, look it up! :D), and tried to pray on my own. It was hard though, with the music, the paintings, the crowd... I was just to 'sensorily' overwhelmed! Too many icons and pictures. I am more used to a simpler type of church, but it was still beautiful nevertheless. I tried to do what Curtis and Raph would do, and focus on the images to meditate on the life of Christ. It worked a bit, but I still felt like a lot was missing in my Sunday. I almost felt like I didn't go to Mass at all, and being Pentecost Sunday it was kind of upsetting. Nevertheless, I could appreciate the presence of God among us in the Church, and I felt content with that. I know it would have been different if I had actually been able to understand the language. Then I could have truly appreciated it the way I wish I had. That will come though, so I just have to be patient.

Orest is here so I will have to add the pictures later and finish that thought. If you pray, please pray for me! Miss you all, love you all.