'Twas a week ago today that we received the news of Claudette's entry into eternity. It took this long though to get all the arrangements done, so finally today the community gathered to bid her farewell. In a sense, such moments are reminiscent of those who would stand on the sea shore and watch as a boat bearing loved ones set out to sea. We will not see her again here on earth, but one day we will have the pleasure of knowing her presence again. Until then, we wait in faith and hope.
FUNERAL HOMILY FOR CLAUDETTE TACHE
Fernand, Monique, Marc et tous les membres de la famille de Claudette: d'abord et avant tout, je voudrais vous présenter mes plus sincères sympathies ainsi que l'assurance des prières et le soutien de tous les ami(e)s qui se sont rassemblés ici ce matin.
In the first few weeks after my arrival here in this parish, I had the opportunity to meet Claudette. She sat right here in the front rows of the church whenever she was here. Last week, when she was in Sudbury for surgery, I stood by and watched as one by one, and sometimes in groups, people came to the parish office to ask about her. It seemed almost as though there was a constant stream of people at times. They all wanted news, any news at all that we had heard about how she was doing, whether the surgery had been completed, and how she was recovering.
Last Thursday eveing, she was doing well. She had made it through the surgery and was talking about coming home soon, but little did we know then that her time here on earth was drawing to a close. With shock and disbelief, we heard the news on Friday morning that Claudette's earthly journey had ended, and it seems as though from that day onward, we have all been trying to come to grips with the fact that she won't come through the door any longer. We won't see her face again in this place. That's a hard reality to accept, but our faith tells us that the promise made to her in baptism, made to all of us on the day of our baptism, has now been fulfilled for her.
The faith community of Saint Peter's has gathered here this morning to bid farewell to a good friend. Claudette was involved in many different groups here in the parish. She sat in the office and helped with all kinds of chores. She was an active and vibrant member of the Catholic Women's League. She danced with the Rising Stars. From what I'm told, she had her share of challenges (don't we all?) but she never let them stop her from believing in the power of love.
Saint Paul's words written to the Christian community at Rome are just as true today as they were when he first penned them: The life and death of each of us has its influence on others. At times we don't even realize the ways in which the words we use and the actions we undertake speak to others about the way we live our lives. Whether she was helping in the office, or dancing or welcoming friends and relatives into her own home, Claudette has left her mark on many souls in this community. None of us knows the number of days that we will be granted to walk this earth, so we are wise to take every opportunity to do good. If we practice doing good deeds every day of our lives, then when our turn comes to give an account of our lives, it will be easy to point out the good that we have tried to accomplish.
Today, we give thanks to God for the life of our dear friend Claudette. Like Martha and Mary, we are still coming to grips with the fact that she is no longer here. Perhaps we have even had our moments of wanting to cry out to God, to ask why. Martha too spoke such words in today's gospel: Lord, if you had been here, my brother would not have died, but hopefully at some level, we will one day be able to speak other words of Martha's declaration: we know that even now, whatever you ask of God he will grant. It is not within our power to bring Claudette back to life here on earth, but we can pray for her and with her today. With her help, perhaps we can even learn to trust that Jesus has taken her into his loving embrace. From her place in heaven, she now watches over us, caring for us and waiting for us until the day when we will all be united in heaven.
Dear friends, let us celebrate and give thanks today for the good that we have known in her life, for the many years that we have been granted to know and to love her, and let us ask Jesus, the Resurrection and the life to grant her eternal life.
Fernand, Monique, Marc et tous les membres de la famille de Claudette: d'abord et avant tout, je voudrais vous présenter mes plus sincères sympathies ainsi que l'assurance des prières et le soutien de tous les ami(e)s qui se sont rassemblés ici ce matin.
In the first few weeks after my arrival here in this parish, I had the opportunity to meet Claudette. She sat right here in the front rows of the church whenever she was here. Last week, when she was in Sudbury for surgery, I stood by and watched as one by one, and sometimes in groups, people came to the parish office to ask about her. It seemed almost as though there was a constant stream of people at times. They all wanted news, any news at all that we had heard about how she was doing, whether the surgery had been completed, and how she was recovering.
Last Thursday eveing, she was doing well. She had made it through the surgery and was talking about coming home soon, but little did we know then that her time here on earth was drawing to a close. With shock and disbelief, we heard the news on Friday morning that Claudette's earthly journey had ended, and it seems as though from that day onward, we have all been trying to come to grips with the fact that she won't come through the door any longer. We won't see her face again in this place. That's a hard reality to accept, but our faith tells us that the promise made to her in baptism, made to all of us on the day of our baptism, has now been fulfilled for her.
The faith community of Saint Peter's has gathered here this morning to bid farewell to a good friend. Claudette was involved in many different groups here in the parish. She sat in the office and helped with all kinds of chores. She was an active and vibrant member of the Catholic Women's League. She danced with the Rising Stars. From what I'm told, she had her share of challenges (don't we all?) but she never let them stop her from believing in the power of love.
Saint Paul's words written to the Christian community at Rome are just as true today as they were when he first penned them: The life and death of each of us has its influence on others. At times we don't even realize the ways in which the words we use and the actions we undertake speak to others about the way we live our lives. Whether she was helping in the office, or dancing or welcoming friends and relatives into her own home, Claudette has left her mark on many souls in this community. None of us knows the number of days that we will be granted to walk this earth, so we are wise to take every opportunity to do good. If we practice doing good deeds every day of our lives, then when our turn comes to give an account of our lives, it will be easy to point out the good that we have tried to accomplish.
Today, we give thanks to God for the life of our dear friend Claudette. Like Martha and Mary, we are still coming to grips with the fact that she is no longer here. Perhaps we have even had our moments of wanting to cry out to God, to ask why. Martha too spoke such words in today's gospel: Lord, if you had been here, my brother would not have died, but hopefully at some level, we will one day be able to speak other words of Martha's declaration: we know that even now, whatever you ask of God he will grant. It is not within our power to bring Claudette back to life here on earth, but we can pray for her and with her today. With her help, perhaps we can even learn to trust that Jesus has taken her into his loving embrace. From her place in heaven, she now watches over us, caring for us and waiting for us until the day when we will all be united in heaven.
Dear friends, let us celebrate and give thanks today for the good that we have known in her life, for the many years that we have been granted to know and to love her, and let us ask Jesus, the Resurrection and the life to grant her eternal life.
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