Corporal Work of Mercy

These days I am in Memphis, TN, for the funeral of my best friend's mother. She died Sunday morning, so I flew to Memphis yesterday (Monday), presided/preached for the funeral this morning (Tuesday) and fly back to Detroit/Toledo tomorrow (Wednesday). The original plan was to return to Saint Meinrad on Thursday, but since I won't be getting back to Mom and Dad's until Wednesday evening, we (M&D are driving me home) are deferring the Indiana trip till Friday. We'll stop in Indianapolis on the way down, so I can show the Folks the new digs, introduce them to a few people, and take a bit of inventory to see what exactly I need to bring with me on October 1st.

This Memphis trip has actually been a wonderful way to conclude the sabbatical. I always find presiding over the the Rites of Death and Burial to be some of the most powerful moments of Priesthood ... committing one's body to the earth while commending their soul to God ... standing at the threshold of eternity ... "Go forth good Christian soul ... Saints of God, come to his/her aid, Come to meet her/him angels of the Lord ... Receive his/her soul and present her/him to God the most High..."

Now it's time to go home and get back to work ...and I'm ready.