What was your Easter like?

Or, to offer a diaconal bow to Amy Welborn, “What did you hear”?  How were the masses?  The homilies?  The music?

A few observations from my parish:

1. All the masses were SRO, which was great, of course.  But when did people stop dressing up for Easter?  Saw a few nice dresses (and bonnets!) but it could have been any other Sunday. Jeans and sneakers were common.

2. Best homily was from the priest who provoked a lot of laughs by assuring people they would have no trouble finding seats next week.  He broke open the seven questions posed to Pope Benedict and found some resurrection themes.

3. Music included a few of my favorites: “Out of Darkness,” “Alleluia, Let the Holy Anthem Rise,” “Jesus Christ is Risen Today” “Ye Watchers and Ye Holy Ones” and, of course, the “Hallelujah” Chorus.

4. Dubious moment: at the close of the Easter Vigil, just before the final blessing and dismissal, my pastor made a few “thank you” remarks and led a round of applause for both the altar servers and the choir.  After mass, a woman cornered me, horrified.  “There should never be applause in church,” she told me.  “Never.  Ever.  It is a ministry, not a performance.”

Well, of course, she was right — Pope Benedict has said as much — but most people, I think, were glad to be able to express their appreciation.  My pastor also led the applause earlier in the evening, after all the fully initiated had received their sacraments and were lined up before the altar in their white robes.

Anybody else see or hear anything especially memorable?