When I was a kid, my parents ran a small soda shop. It was right down the street from the high school and quickly became a popular after-school hangout.
Pretty popping place.
But not on one specific Friday each spring.
On that day, my mom would close the store at noon, cover her head, and then walk around the block to the tiny Catholic church.
Welcome to Good Friday, the most solemn day on the Christian calendar, the day when we mark the crucifixion of Christ.
But this year, Good Friday, as with all the days of Holy Week leading up to the celebration of Easter, and as Jews mark Passover in the same week, we are celebrating differently.
We don't have to worry about shutting down businesses. The novel coronavirus and COVID-19 already has done that, and it looks like Gov. Tom Wolf's order shutting down all non-life-sustaining businesses is not going away soon.
The Easter holiday just got a lot longer for Pennsylvania schoolkids. On Thursday, Wolf announced all state K-12 schools would remain closed for the rest of the academic year. See you in September.
Churches will be empty today, just as they were last night for the traditional celebration of Holy Thursday. There will be no Good Friday services today at most churches. The same holds true for the Easter vigil and Easter Sunday services.
Sunrise services won't see the light of day.
That's because we are continuing to observe social distancing, avoiding social gatherings.
That does not mean we are not celebrating and practicing our faith.
Many families are utilizing social media apps such as Zoom to hold their traditional holiday gatherings, including the Passover Seder dinner.
Officials at the Archdiocese of Philadelphia will live-stream many of the services of the holiest three days on their calendar. Archbishop Nelson Perez is urging Catholics to take part in a National Day of Prayer today to mark Good Friday.
But it won't be done in the stark churches I remember from my youth, with the altar laid bare for the most solemnn day on the calendar.
I'm not sure mom would understand.
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