Awakened to the reward of everlasting life

Today, we celebrated the funeral of a man who has been known and loved by many in this city.  Having shared so much of himself with us, it is our turn to pray him into the reward of everlasting life.

Funeral homily for Tom Pendergast

Sheilagh, James, Stephen, Len and Tim: from far and wide, your family and friends have come to this place to give thanks for the gift of your husband and father.  Tom was all this and much, much more: he was a brother to some, a friend to many, a confidante to others and a trusted advisor to many, but to those who knew and loved him best, he was a loving grandfather who would willingly recount certain tales about a certain Albert Ramsbottom over and over again, and always with the same freshness as though it were his first telling.

There’s a part of me that wishes that I had the chance to get to know Tom better.  I would have loved to hear him tell the story of Albert the Lion, and the stories about his travels and adventures in various parts of this wonderful land called Canada.  Those who had such opportunities - to hear these adventures recounted first-hand - should truly count themselves among the most fortunate.  Day after day, you witnessed the many ways in which he gave of himself: in small and not so small ways, sharing his talents and gifts but most of all simply being part of people’s lives.  Having lived his life to the full, we can be sure that Tom has been met at the gates of heaven by the Lord who he sought to serve in this life.  The words of the gospel passage have been spoken aloud to him personally now, and as he heard them spoken, I’m sure he also heard the warmth and joy they contained, pride in the person that he had become.  If you’ve ever heard those qualities in his voice, perhaps you too can imagine hearing them in the Lord’s voice too:  Come, you who are blessed by my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world (Mt 25:34).

During the decades that were granted him to spend here on earth, Tom had many opportunities to see Jesus in his brothers and sisters, those who shared the path of life with him.  He was fortunate to have shared this road with many others, each of whom played a part in helping him to appreciate the gifts God has given, and to learn how to use them in order to celebrate God’s goodness while sharing the good news of faith with all those he met.  He did this in music and in song and he did it also in word and in deed.  In so many ways, he saw Jesus in the faces of those who were thirsty, and gave them something to drink, a stranger and welcomed him, in need of clothing, sick or imprisoned, and came to his help (cf Mt 25:35-36).

Even in these latter years, when his body was becoming more and more racked with the ravages of time, his spirit always continued to live in hope.  A few weeks ago, I had a chance to visit with Tom in the hospital.  As we spoke, I heard the voice of a man who knew the risks but there was also a sense of peace.  He had spent the better part of his eighty-plus years being poured out as a libation (cf 2 Tim 4:6).  Now that the time of his departure from this life has come, we can be certain that he has fought the good fight …that he has finished the race … that he has kept the faith (2 Tim 4:7).

Today, we want to thank God for having shared Tom with us.  Each of us who has had the privilege to know him, to spend time with him, to learn from him is now a different person, much more enriched as a result of having spent time with him.  Now it is up to us to go from this place into the world that is filled with all manner of adventure.  Ours is the task of seising every opportunity to celebrate the goodness of our God and to share the good news that we ourselves have come to know: Jesus Christ is not here among us; he has risen.  Because Jesus has risen from the dead, we too can look forward to the day when we will share the fullness of life with him.  This bright future fills our hearts with joy and joy is contagious.  In addition, the faith that we have in the risen Jesus is also contagious: it can be caught by others who see our faith living within us, so let us not be hindered by fear.  Rather, let us be courageous witnesses, sharing the good news with all those we meet: Jesus Christ is risen!

Before I complete my reflection, I should tell you that there are others who could not be physically present with us today, but who have asked me to assure you that they are close to us in prayer as we pray Tom into his eternal reward.  Among them is Tom’s brother, Father Art Pendergast who informed me that today, Tom’s funeral day, would also have been Tom’s mother Gertrude’s birthday.  Perhaps it is fitting that on the day when she would have been celebrating the anniversary of her earthly birth he is celebrating his heavenly birthday.  Father Art has been present to share many other significant moments in Tom and Sheilagh’s life, and in the lives of all the family.  He could not be here himself, but he is united to us in spirit.

With mortal tongues let us raise our prayers to heaven, and let us rely on the assistance of the angels – heaven’s messengers – to accompany our brother on his journey Home.  Together with all those who sleep in the dust of the earth, may he awake at the command of the Lord to the reward of everlasting life (Dan 12:2).