Each Lenten season I normally begin my mornings with the posted devotions from the diocese as well as the daily postings from St. John’s members as my principal focus for the day. During my employment years, I tried to also focus on a specific single new book to study and digest, and to reacquaint myself with music listening chosen from traditional Lenten musical repertory such as the Bach Passions and various Bach Cantata literature as part of my daily Lenten routine. Even though this music is very familiar territory for me as a professional musician, I always relish hearing and studying these timeless masterpieces again and again, to discover even more of their unique genius. While employed at St. John’s as Organist-Choirmaster, Lent always included preparation for a special Lenten Sunday morning liturgy by Youngstown Musica sacra (the choirs of St. John’s and St. Columba Cathedral and various other singers from the area). We performed these liturgies during the 10:30 Eucharist at St. John’s and then moved choir and orchestra to St. Columba Cathedral to do a repeat performance during the 12:00pm Mass there. These were always very special liturgical entities to which we all looked forward.
Lent for Marcia and me also usually provided a week of vacation in some warmer climate, usually Florida or Arizona , during the spring break at YSU, which was always particularly appreciated, my good friend and colleague Dr. Robert Hopkins usually covering a Sunday at St. John’s in place. Thus, a time of penitence and reflection, also prompted a brief escape for refreshment, a very important concomitant for clergy and laity usually overburdened by the traditional heavy Lenten / Easter schedule. Retirement has, thankfully, provided more free time which allows even greater opportunities for focused reading and reflection, so very much appreciated at this point in my own richly blessed life and career, a good portion of which has been centered at St. John’s YSU, and the Youngstown community. Lent, for all of us, is usually marked by such opportunity for renewal and reassessment of who and what we are, and what we do as faithful Christians. For that, I am always very thankful and extremely grateful. May Lent 2023 bring that spiritual renewal and refreshment to all of us as we continue our life’s journey at St. John’s.