Romantic Christmas Eve

This year's Christmas is destined to be a little different for me, because I am in New York and I live not far from the largest church in the United States, St. John's Church of the Divine.

Tomorrow is Christmas, and when I decide to go to church in the afternoon, I get excited. I've always said that God is the favorite, so tonight I must go to the nearest church to God and feel it firsthand. The closest to me is the riverside church across from Columbia University Divinity School, the same tall Gothic building that I have shown many times in my photographs. A few days ago, I went to the seminary and went to the church, and I prefer the atmosphere of the riverside church, which is laid out like a hall for academic reports.

Just to feel the only real Christmas Eve Mass for me (which I just heard), it must be to go to the church I entered for the first time in my life———— Basilica of St. John the Divine. When I faced the cross of Jesus that day, I was moved to tears as I had no faith and blurted out: God, your darling has come.

Since I have no faith, I often talk about God, but I don't know what it really means. I don't know what the Christmas church is going to do, but I imagine it being a scene from the movie: the priest in black leading everyone to make a cross on his chest, and everyone muttering 'Amen, Amen'.

I searched the Internet for the start time of the event, and the flow chart stated that the time was from 10 o'clock on Christmas Eve to 1 o'clock at midnight, which lasted three hours, which was the longest time of any church. What's more, the program says that tonight will be led by famous American singers and singers, as well as 6 Grammy Award-winning saxophonists.

I was even more excited when I saw such a luxurious lineup: tonight was so worth it that I should watch a grand show.

Mass started at 10 p.m., and we wanted to sit in the front row, so we left at 9:20. I was a bit surprised that there were fewer pedestrians on the streets on Christmas Eve, and there were hardly people and cars to be seen. The Christmas Eve clock tower at home is crowded, while Americans celebrate the holiday as a day to reunite with family. It's a cultural difference, and there's nothing nice about the way we party.

Ten minutes later, when I arrived at the church, I saw that it was almost full. It seems that we are late, and more importantly we cannot sit in the front area. You can only be seated by a ticket, and the ticket is booked in advance.

looked at the person in front of him with envy, and was disappointed when he looked for a vacant seat in the back row: God, how can your darling sit in the back like this?

Sitting in the back, I felt even more unhappy from the second I sat down. Because in front of my eyes is the back of the head of 'one life and no other'!

I don't remember seeing so many people coming to the back of the head. The back of the head, the back of the head, the back of the Western head is going crazy for me, the flaxen hair and the back of the head that is off the top, so I can't stand it.

Fortunately, soon the ceremony began.

I had never been to Mass, so I was curious about every process, and I followed the bishops' promiscuous standing and singing (everyone is singing, I was listening), and those carols that I had heard in the past felt very different today, because the tall and wide cathedral had a very good resonance, and it was sung by thousands of people, which was very pleasant to the ear.

Then the cardinal, accompanied by the priests and the choir, went around the venue again and again to give blessings, and he was still very excited to see the clergy walking in the front row holding the Bible high with their hands. It's just that the archbishop's Christmas proclamation is a bit long, which makes me, 'Mr. Nanguo', want to fall asleep. Alas, I can't live in this sacred hall, and I can't live in the many believers who came later than us and sat on both sides without seats on the floor, they are so devout, and when they sing, their expressions are sacred, and their voices are beautiful.

It wasn't until I don't know what the ritual was (I later understood that it was Christmas) and people began to hug each other and wish each other that I woke up from my dizziness.

One of the most important parts of the process, in my opinion, is eating the sacrament.

When I understood that the sacrament represented the blessing of God's bones and blood, I said decisively, "Oh, I don't eat it."

When I thought to myself: How can I eat?

At this time, I saw two white-clothed clergymen in front of the front passage, one holding a large silver cup, and everyone lined up in front of them. Looking at the long line, I decided not to go. However, when a clergyman came to the row of seats, maintained the order of the queue and made what seemed to me an invitation, I stood up and joined the line waiting to partake of the sacrament. I came to the angels in white and received their warm blessings. Then he took a small white cake from the cup, dipped the wine in the cup of another angel, and ate the sacrament in the same way as the one before him.

The whole process was still fun.

It's just that for some reason, my stomach was very upset, and I was still very uncomfortable when I came home, thinking that it was too windy on the way home. Now that I think about it, it may have been because I ate the sacrament. Hey, why am I so undetermined! Do you eat all the blood and bones of God?

It was almost one o'clock when the saxophone began to play, and when the saxophone melody of "The Valley Lulla" came, the ethereal and beautiful sound felt like it was wafting from afar, and it brushed my soul, and it was the most beautiful saxophone I had ever heard.

The ethereal saxophone in the church came out with a beautiful melody representing the Gospel Divine Comedy, which bathed my soul in enjoyment, and it was the happiest moment of my Christmas Eve! I looked up excitedly at the high ceiling above the statue of Jesus, as if I saw many cherubs dancing happily to the melodious music. Ouch, that's wonderful!

The event ended with the melodious melody of another famous saxophone song, "Is This a Pleasant Scent?" (the reason I use ethereal to describe it repeatedly is that I can't find a better word to describe this wonderful sound).

As we left the church, the cardinal shook hands and said goodbye to everyone who came tonight on the side of the door I passed. The bishop's face was as bright as a flower, his smile was lovely, and his eyes were clear and innocent. I was deeply moved by this, so in accepting the bishop's blessing, I sent him my sincere thanks and blessings in Chinese: thank you, thank you very much for your blessings, the same blessings are sent to you.

The bishop was surprised when he heard me, and then smiled again.

I think my smile must have been as bright as a flower, and my eyes as innocent as a child, so that the bishop understood the Chinese language from my countenance, and knew that it was God's darling from China thanking him for his blessings!

As she walked out of the door, she seemed to hear her companion say that she had attended three Christmas Masses in other churches in the past, without the bishop shaking hands and blessings.

Oh, haha, God's darling is either legend or luck!

Thank God for making me your darling!

2013－12－25