Trust, belief, celebration

Today, we buried one of the longstanding parishioners of this parish, a man of faith, a man of integrity, a man of prayer.

Funeral homily for Merlin (Mel) Shaw

From as far away as Vancounver and from Rouyn-Noranda, from various parts of the province of Ontario, including Sudbury and the city of North Bay, the community of believers gathers in this place today to pray one of our beloved brothers into eternity, because when one who has been known and loved by so many, for so long, it’s important for us who have stood by him in this life to acknowledge all that we have gained from having known and loved him.  It’s important for us who have watched – some from up close and others from varying distances –to commend Mel into the loving arms of our God, who has waited nine decades and more for this day to arrive.

At times such as these, we stop, even just for a moment, and at some level or other, we ask ourselves what lessons have we learned from him and perhaps more importantly, what lessons have we learned from his example of faith?  Today, I’d like to explore three such lessons: trust, belief and celebration.

Nine decades ago, the world was a very different place.  Technology as we know it today wasn’t even a glimmer in the minds of all but the most advanced of scientists, but then again even the methods of science have advanced since then.  Along with his brothers and sisters, Mel learned important lessons from his parents, and from the other adults who provided example and wisdom.  These lessons made him the person he became: a man of integrity, a man of prayer and a man worthy of trust.  These virtues are only discovered if we have had the opportunity to witness them up close, to experience them as part of the character of a person.  God has given us many such opportunities, and for this we are thankful.  At another time in history, Jesus’ disciples also had time to witness these virtues in him.  They had shared many moments together, they had worked in close proximity to each other, they had laughed and cried, worried about each other and witnessed great joy together.  When the time came for him to leave them, the disciples were understandably troubled.  Separation from our loved ones is always a troubling experience, yet Jesus knew that physical death was not the final word, so he encouraged his disciples to trust: trust in God still, and trust in me.  As we commend our brother Mel into the loving embrace of our God, we too are being encouraged by Jesus to trust that on the other side of a curtain through which we cannot see with physical eyes, God is now welcoming Mel into the reward of heaven.  This welcome takes place in a location which only faith can discern, so we must trust that Jesus, the Way, the Truth and the Life is now welcoming Mel home.

Mel knew this welcome in this world too - in the homes of friends who opened their doors to him with the same warmth that he was so well known for; in the family of the Knights of Columbus who were such an important part of Mel's life for so many of his years; in parishes where Christ's disciples gather, in geographic locations from Rouyn to North Bay and beyond, and across the barriers of time; now, he has finally reached the moment of the ultimate welcome into the Father's house, and what a welcome it must be. 

The first time Mel flew a plane, he had to believe that it was possible for wind to be displaced in such a way that the aircraft would indeed fly.  The first time he asked a girl to dance, he had to believe that there was at least a chance that she would accept his invitation, but Mel was a scientist, and belief is sometimes difficult for scientists, because belief enters in where logic often fears to tread.  Saint Paul also had his fair share of battles with believing that there was truth to the words that Jesus was uttering, yet he ended up being the one to encourage others: We believe that Jesus died and rose again, and that it will be the same for those who have died in Jesus.  From the day that he was baptised, Mel became a precious child of God.  From that day, the promise was made that when this earthly life had come to its completion, he would rise again, just as Jesus did.  This is the belief that all of us carry deep within us.  This is the reason for our joy, our trust and our faith.  This is the reason why we are here in this Church today: Jesus died and rose again, and one day, so shall we.

Because of our belief in this promise of life, we are able to gather here, around the table of our Lord.  Because of our belief in this promise of life, this gathering is assembled in joy and celebration, for our presence here is a testimony to our belief that the promise of life is being fulfilled today for Mel.  The prophet Isaiah speaks of our encounter with God as taking place upon a mountaintop.  Here in this Church, we are gathered at the mountaintop, to participate in the feast of the Eucharist which foreshadows the feast that awaits us in the Kingdom.  Jesus himself is our host today.  He is the one who feeds us here, and he is the one who has destroyed death forever.  We believe also that he will wipe away the tears from every cheek and replace the sadness of physical separation with the great gift of hope.  This gift of hope sustains us in this life, until the day that we too will stand before the Lord, being welcomed into our heavenly home.  On that day, we too will echo the words of the prophet Isaiah: See, this is our God in whom we have hoped for salvation.  We exult and we rejoice that he has saved us.