A fitting farewell

The people of God gathered today to bid farewell to a brother, an uncle, a pastor, a friend, a respected part of the community for so many years.

He came to us from another part of the province, bringing with him the gifts and talents that were his. In his latter years (he was 57 years old when he accepted his last assignment and moved to the western end of the diocese) he was still able, and more than willing to accept the challenge of shepherding in a place that could not always have been easy.

His natural affinity for welcoming confreres, and for reaching out to friends and strangers alike allowed many of us to know his heart in a way that endeared us to him, and which ultimately drew us to his side in this final moment of his earthly existence.

Throughout his life, he never ignored an opportunity to serve, particularly among the sick, the infirmed and those who called for help. He had an undying sense of responsibility for service to the church and to the people entrusted to his care. He also had a compassionate heart which prompted him to speak out and even to fight on occasion for the rights of the people he was so close to. His sense of community never waned, and his love for things outside the realm of the sacred (like the hockey games that took place not far from his home) and the power that such occasions have to unite voices and hearts, were also important both to him and to others who respected him and looked to him for leadership.

During our terrestrial existence, human beings have the uncanny knack of competing with one another for attention, and this sometimes leads us to look uncharitably at others, especially if they are closest to us. Only at the moment of separation do we sometimes seem to recognize the gift we once had, but for those we particularly love, these gifts are all pervading and should be spoken on this side of the curtain so that they can be properly acknowledged both by the giver and by the intended receiver.

True, we believe that a soul, once released from the bonds of mortality is free to enjoy eternal life, and to interact with the moral world in ways that are not always understood by those who are still on the way. To this extent, he now knows of our affection, made manifest in the crowds who gathered for his final farewell, and demonstrated with great dignity and love today. We must believe also that he is now interceding for us with the father in a way that he was never able to intercede before.

Oh, and the party that he has now joined is the source of everlasting joy and fulfillment.

May he rest in peace.