Good Friday

Allowed myself a slightly more relaxed morning than usual, arriving at the office around 9:20, but there was no one to care because it's a staff holiday and I was the only one around. Spent a few minutes with the Blessed Sacrament on the Altar of Repose, then prayed the morning office in the nave. Most of the morning was devoted to exegeting the propers for Easter VII in preparation for preaching at St Mark's, West Frankfort and St Stephen's, Harrisburg on May 8. At midday I took a brisk walk on a brisk and breezy day. Until mid-afternoon I attended to tasks related to Nashotah House, diocesan canonical revision, and an ongoing pastoral issue. I then went home for a couple of hours and mostly rested. Then back to the cathedral around 5:00: Prayed the evening office and generally got ready for the evening liturgy. Rehearsal with the altar party was at 6:00 and the service at 7:00. Good Friday is a choreographically challenging, but we pulled if off, I believe, with grace. This is my 38th Paschal Triduum, my 27th in ordained ministry, and my sixth as a bishop. It never really gets old.

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