Thoughts from Chickadee Lane

Today’s offering comes to you from Portugal. We are in the last week of almost four weeks of life in Portugal. For the first 11 days of this adventure we were part of a bus tour with 42 fellow travellers along the way. Strangers on day one, became friends swapping contact info by day eleven. Amid an eclectic group of travellers, it is interesting how the conversation changed as days unfolded. Polite dinner conversation prevailed for the first few days. Then politician opinions and idiosyncrasies began to surface. That’s when the conversations really got interesting... everyone trying to speak their truth while tip toeing around potential hot button issues. Overall, moving amid people from many different countries, mostly European, has been a sort of Pentecost experience. That is, the air is filled with many different languages. Still... those from many different nations, speaking different languages are able to understand each other, each speaking in their own language. That is the gif

To date this Holy Week is unique, strange and out of character for me in many ways. This is the first year in 25 years when I have not been presiding as clergy during Holy Week. It is also one of the few years when I am away from family while travelling in Portugal. I began this trip with a specific intention- that I would do more than see a sight, snap a quick picture and move on. My intention is to pay attention, especially during Holy Week. So I tried. In Lisbon I attended a Maundy Thursday worship at a Roman Catholic Church near our hotel. Of course the service was in Portuguese, of which I know little more than please and thank you. Still the worship felt very familiar. The church is hugh compared to my United Church standards. High ceilings, pillars, a few dull stained glass windows and a cross. Well worn and loved, the plaster was falling off in a few corners. Before worship began, I smiled while watching the action as the ‘all to familiar’ tasks of those responsible for getting