Why Call It Good?

In our English language we call the Friday before Easter "Good" Friday. In thelatin languages it is "Holy Friday", Venerdi Santo in Italian, viernes santo in Spanish. It is a "holy" day, a day of quiet reflection for those who can take the day off from school or work. In our Boston community we have 12 young women with us who are participating in a Holy Week Retreat experience. This day is one of silence for them and for us Sisters it is like a retreat day-. Our publishing house, Pauline Books & Media, is closed, our employees are off until Tuesday. It is indeed a special time. We hope that those of you who can will be able to attend a Good Friday prayer service, and communion rite at your local parish or a church near your workplace. Today there is no Mass celebrated. We will have a Communion service, and the veneration f the cross. Three times as the priest enters the church he proclaims, "Behold the wood of the cross, upon which hung our salvation. O come let us adore him." May your Good Friday be truly good: in your thoughts, words and actions. The first Good Friday seemed anything but good. Jesus Christ was unjustly sentenced to die like a criminal. His response: "Father, forgive them. They know not what they do." On the cross Jesus paid the price for sin: mine and yours and for all men and women. As we pray today, let us pray for those parents and teachers in South Korea whose children perished in the ferry boat accident. May Jesus crucified and now gloriously risen bring comfort to the grieving, and eternal life with him to those who have died.