Here is the funeral homily I shared with those who gathered with us today to pray our beloved sister in faith into her heavenly reward.
If only the walls of this building could talk, what wonderful stories they would tell. Tales of great joy and celebration as people have brought their children to this place to celebrate the many firsts that are part of a life of faith: Baptism, Confirmation, Eucharist, Reconciliation; other moments of new beginning such as weddings; and the many, many occasions when people have gathered around this altar to break bread. For more years than many of us might be able to count, Georgette was right here in this church celebrating all of these moments and others as well. She came to this place when she was happy, and she came to this place when she had questions to ask in prayer. She came in search of consolation and she came to offer praise and thanks. Today, her family and friends have gathered here once again, this time to commend her eternal soul into the loving embrace of our God.
When the time was drawing near for the Son of Man to be glorified, Jesus told his disciples: unless a wheat grain falls into the ground and dies, it remains only a single grain; but if it dies, it yields a rich harvest (Jn 12:24). Throughout his life here on earth, Jesus tried to teach others the paradoxical lesson that if we want to be considered great in the eyes of God, we must learn how to make ourselves small; we must learn how to die to ourselves in order to truly learn how to be great.
Georgette practiced this paradox every day: for at least ten if not fifteen years, she played a big part in decorating this sacred space; she sang in the choir for many years; she was a member of the Catholic Women’s League for fifty-seven years; and then there was food. How many years did she spend sharing her love for food with family and friends? Stories of her involvement with the annual Saint Patrick’s Day teas at the Collins Hall, and about her turkey, her meat pies, the apple pies she made for Joe; in so many ways, she was always giving of herself, making herself small so that she could yield a rich harvest of faith and love in the hearts of others.
She did all this because she was firmly convinced that Jesus Christ died for us ... sinners ... in order to make us righteous (Rom 5:6,9) in the eyes of God. He did this because he loved us and he wanted to share with us the greatest gift that is his to give: the promise of eternal life in heaven. Our hearts are broken today because Georgette is no longer among us, yet our hearts rejoice in faith because the promise of eternal life is hers today. This promise was made to her on the day of her baptism and she has waited all these years for this promise to come true.
We are all human, so it is understandable that we are saddened by the knowledge that this woman who has been so well known and deeply loved will no longer share her wisdom with us – at least not in the same way as she has in the past, but we choose to believe that this is not the end of the story for Georgette. This is only the beginning of a new life that she will live for all eternity in the presence of God.
During her life here on earth, she sought to please God, and God has loved her for it (Wis 4:10). While her body could no longer endure, her eternal soul has now been taken to heaven (cf Wis 4:14). As for us, we too can look forward to the day when we will be taken to heaven, for grace and mercy await us and the protection of our loving God until the day that we too will reach the banquet table in heaven.
Funeral homily for Georgette Marie Rose Ladouceur
If only the walls of this building could talk, what wonderful stories they would tell. Tales of great joy and celebration as people have brought their children to this place to celebrate the many firsts that are part of a life of faith: Baptism, Confirmation, Eucharist, Reconciliation; other moments of new beginning such as weddings; and the many, many occasions when people have gathered around this altar to break bread. For more years than many of us might be able to count, Georgette was right here in this church celebrating all of these moments and others as well. She came to this place when she was happy, and she came to this place when she had questions to ask in prayer. She came in search of consolation and she came to offer praise and thanks. Today, her family and friends have gathered here once again, this time to commend her eternal soul into the loving embrace of our God.
When the time was drawing near for the Son of Man to be glorified, Jesus told his disciples: unless a wheat grain falls into the ground and dies, it remains only a single grain; but if it dies, it yields a rich harvest (Jn 12:24). Throughout his life here on earth, Jesus tried to teach others the paradoxical lesson that if we want to be considered great in the eyes of God, we must learn how to make ourselves small; we must learn how to die to ourselves in order to truly learn how to be great.
Georgette practiced this paradox every day: for at least ten if not fifteen years, she played a big part in decorating this sacred space; she sang in the choir for many years; she was a member of the Catholic Women’s League for fifty-seven years; and then there was food. How many years did she spend sharing her love for food with family and friends? Stories of her involvement with the annual Saint Patrick’s Day teas at the Collins Hall, and about her turkey, her meat pies, the apple pies she made for Joe; in so many ways, she was always giving of herself, making herself small so that she could yield a rich harvest of faith and love in the hearts of others.
She did all this because she was firmly convinced that Jesus Christ died for us ... sinners ... in order to make us righteous (Rom 5:6,9) in the eyes of God. He did this because he loved us and he wanted to share with us the greatest gift that is his to give: the promise of eternal life in heaven. Our hearts are broken today because Georgette is no longer among us, yet our hearts rejoice in faith because the promise of eternal life is hers today. This promise was made to her on the day of her baptism and she has waited all these years for this promise to come true.
We are all human, so it is understandable that we are saddened by the knowledge that this woman who has been so well known and deeply loved will no longer share her wisdom with us – at least not in the same way as she has in the past, but we choose to believe that this is not the end of the story for Georgette. This is only the beginning of a new life that she will live for all eternity in the presence of God.
During her life here on earth, she sought to please God, and God has loved her for it (Wis 4:10). While her body could no longer endure, her eternal soul has now been taken to heaven (cf Wis 4:14). As for us, we too can look forward to the day when we will be taken to heaven, for grace and mercy await us and the protection of our loving God until the day that we too will reach the banquet table in heaven.
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