Good Things to Find Out Late in the Game

Today I had to sit down and plan a baptism. Not a real baptism, mind you; rather, a baptism for our class “Liturgical Leadership” (a class affectionately known by most as “Magic Hands”). In this last semester of seminary, the class is one of several grand wrap-ups that are meant to pull together everything we've learned and send us out ready to be priests. In Liturgical Leadership we each design a service and then lead as presider (the class entails various Eucharists, Good Friday, Marriage, Funeral, etc.). I get to do a baptism. I've had to imagine the community where it will take place, drum up a willing mom and baby, find at least one godparent, and today, sit down and sketch out the service.

As I was planning the service – picking hymns, thinking over the use of space and symbols, etc. - I realized that I have done a LOT of liturgy planning over the course of seminary. You would expect this. The pleasant realization was that I have yet to get tired of it. I enjoy it. It remains fun.

Back when I was an archaeologist, there was a lot about the job that could be annoying – difficult weather, difficult people, boring projects, annoying logistical problems. However, I never got tired of being on archaeological sites. During excavations I simply enjoyed the slow and steady and technical work and I got a kick out of walking around a site with a trowel in my back pocket. I always enjoyed finding sites and munching around, exploring them, seeing what I could see. I still do, as a matter of fact.

So, I'll take it as affirming that one of the basic aspects of a priestly job – liturgy planning – still holds appeal for me. It's not the only thing I still like – I've yet to get tired of sermon writing, I enjoy researching community issues and trying to connect them with theological insights. I'm sure there will be less than thrilling aspects of this job – any job entails humdrum and annoying aspects. The fact that I still like big parts of the work is probably a good sign. Which, here near the end of this long trip, I'm pleased to find out.