A light of faith

This morning, we celebrated the Mass of Resurrection for one of our parishioners, a woman who has served faithfully and striven to follow in the footsteps of the Master.

Funeral homily for Dorren Dugas

The Christian community gathers this morning to give thanks to God for the life of our dear sister, and to express our closeness in prayer to you Agno, and to the members of your family.  Even as we offer these sentiments, there is another sense to our gathering today.  This is a meeting which has been convoked not by any human calling, but by our God.

When one who we have loved, and by whom we have been loved completes her earthly journey, the Christian community gathers to celebrate, because in faith we believe that the end of earthly life is also the beginning of heavenly life, and the day when all our dreams and hopes are fulfilled in the presence of the One for whom we have longed.  The prophet Job tried to express the joy of that celestial meeting for which we all wait.  On the day when we meet God face to face, he says that we will sing out: Would that these words were inscribed in some monument … cut into rock forever … I know that my Redeemer lives.  Rock monuments last a very long time.  In Job’s understanding, to have such a truth carved into rock was the most convincing way, the most durable way for this truth to be preserved for all generations.  Job wanted all people to know that our God, our Redeemer lives, and that when our earthly pilgrimage is done, we will see him face to face.  Today is therefore a day of great celebration, like a birthday party of sorts.  Today, we celebrate Doreen’s birth into heaven.

Today is also a day for us to give thanks for all that we have known and loved about this woman.  Saint Paul told the Christians resident in the city of Rome that they should always remember the truth that the life and death of each of us has its influence on others.  This truth is just as valid today as it was when Paul first wrote it.  The life that we live, the words that we speak, the humility with which we accept the circumstances in which we find ourselves, and the way in which we choose to look at life are all ways in which we can influence others around us.  When others see joy in our faces, they are compelled to seek joy for themselves; when others witness serenity in our presence, they are drawn to discover serenity within themselves; when others witness forgiveness in action, they are motivated to forgive; and when others discover the kindness with which we interact with them, they can’t help but want to be kind themselves toward those who are part of their lives.  Just as Doreen’s death has left us with a moment to give thanks, it also furnishes an opportunity for us to give thanks for her generosity, her involvement in the Catholic Women’s League, in the life of this parish, and for all the little kindnesses which we have been privileged to experience.

When the Christian community celebrates the Sacrament of Baptism, we present the parents of the newly-baptised child with a candle, and we instruct them to keep the flame of faith alive in the heart of their child.  Throughout life, this flame is fed, fanned and nourished, sometimes by parents, sometimes by godparents, sometimes by other members of a praying community, sometimes by other members of the family.  Along the way, an integral part of the lesson also includes the wisdom of carrying an extra flask of oil for the lamp: this extra flask is also refueled each time we gather to celebrate the Sacraments, to give thanks to God in quiet prayer for his presence in our lives, and each time that we made aware of the many blessings that are bestowed upon us.  The wise disciple knows how to store up this extra oil, and to keep it for the darkest hours of the night, the moments in our lives which are the bleakest.

Today we give thanks to God and to Doreen, for keeping this flask of extra oil filled, ready to greet the Lord when he comes.  We thank her also for teaching us by her example to follow in the footsteps of the Master, and to keep our lamps trimmed and ready, to be people of kindness and welcome, to always celebrate the goodness of God.  The Paschal candle stands today in our midst as a reminder of the baptismal candle that was given to her on the day when she began her journey in faith.  Today, as she completes it, may the light of faith radiating from this candle guide her home, and may we be renewed in our resolve to walk in the light of the Lord.