Friday (St Cuthbert)

Events continue to unfold at breakneck speed. I was supposed to drive to Springfield early this morning and spend the weekend. Even without a visitation on my calendar, I had agreed to cover an altar on Sunday. Plus, I had a service appointment for my car. Then, between Brenda's ribcage injury and the rapidly evolving public health environment, I pulled the plug late last night. This morning I spent some special time in discerning prayer--using the Sorrowful Mysteries of the rosary as a vehicle--and then wrote my fourth pastoral letter to the diocese in a little over two weeks. I am not exaggerating when I say that directing the suspension of public worship in the diocese was the most agonizingly difficult decision I have made in my entire life. It stabs me in the core of my heart. But here we are. Within a few minutes of posting it, the governor of Illinois rendered much of what I said moot by imposing a stay-at-home order. There's no way to tell when this bizarre situation will end, but my suspicion is that it will be longer than we realize at this moment. But, even though we may not have Easter this year, Christ will be no less risen from the dead. So there's that. 

 Working into the evening, I finished a draft of a homily for Lent V, which I now will not be delivering at St George's, Belleville. But I plan on making a video recording of it for the edification of all who wish to watch it.

 Brenda is doing rather better than she was 24 hours ago. The ribcage pain is still there, but it's no longer incapacitating.

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