Today, we celebrated the funeral of a very prayerful woman. Here is the text of the homily I prepared for this final goodbye, even as we prayed her into heaven.
Friends and family of our beloved Vera have gathered here in this place to pray once more with her, but the reasons for our gathering here have been a work in progress ever since the day her earthly life began. In another place, this woman came into the world; in another place she was welcomed by our God, and first heard his gentle words calling her his beloved child. In another place, the Sacrament of Baptism was celebrated when her parents brought her to the Church and asked that she be added to the family of our God. In another place, water was poured, oil was used to seal the promise of salvation, a candle was lit to remind her of the light of faith. These were the visible signs present on that day, but the relationship that began, and that has been nourished within her soul is another matter, something which is invisible to the human eye, known only to her and to God. That relationship was nourished through the reception of the Eucharist, and restored through the celebration of Reconciliation. It was also affirmed by the Sacrament of Confirmation and sustained through the Sacrament of Matrimony. In moments of physical weakness and pain, the Sacrament of Anointing of the Sick was also made available to her. Each of these were moments of grace, when visible, tangible signs helped her to recognize and appreciate the gift of grace that was bestowed.
Now that her earthly journey is complete, friends and family have gathered here to pray once more with her. Here in this place, she sat at many moments during her life and spoke silently to God; here in this place she made many friends; here in this place she witnessed the joys of many gatherings, the sorrows of many difficult moments when her faith helped others to face the challenges and uncertainties of life; here in this place, it is now our turn to do our part to bring solace and comfort to you Brian, to Tammy and Shawn, to Karlene, Cameron, Curtis and the rest of your family.
Faith was always a very important part of Vera’s life. I visited with her on several occasions, and almost every time, she asked to be anointed, to celebrate the Sacrament of the Sick. Even just a few days before her earthly journey was complete, I had the opportunity to hear her confession and to anoint her with the oil of the Infirmed. She was well prepared to meet the Lord, and I am certain that the Son of Man is now standing before her in all his glory, escorted by all the angels. He is looking deeply into her eyes, with the warmth and love of one who is welcoming her home, and saying to her come, you whom my Father has blessed, take for your heritage the kingdom prepared for you.
God’s kingdom, a place of light, peace and warmth is the goal for which we all long. From the day of our baptism, all of us are promised a place in this kingdom, and every day of our lives here on earth is an opportunity for us to practice for the day when we will finally enter the Father’s house.
As the book of Ecclesiasticus reminds us, there is a time for every matter under heaven. At various times during the years that we are granted to live on this earth, we experience the different matters, the blessings and challenges of this life, and we prepare for the eternal life that is promised as our inheritance. There is a time to keep silence and a time to speak, but when the time comes for speaking, we must never forget that even though we might speak with the tongues of angels, … if we do not have love our words are wasted. Shortly after my arrival here in this parish a little over a year ago, I first heard of Vera, of the fact that she was a major part of our prayer ministry. Even though her body was suffering, her spirit was very much alive. She didn’t allow the challenges of physical struggles to stop her from remembering others before the throne of God, and neither should we. In fact, many here in this parish relied on her prayer, and we can continue to do so now that she intercedes for us before the throne of God.
I think that I can speak confidently for many others who knew Vera in this life, attesting to the fact that she was a woman of deep faith and prayer, that she trusted in the promise of the Resurrection that is to come. Now that her earthly journey is complete, the gentle words of Jesus call to her: Come, you whom my Father has blessed, take for your heritage the kingdom prepared for you since the foundation of the world. In this world, she fed the hungry, she welcomed the stranger, she visited the sick, and she clothed all those who called out with the raiment of God’s love. May she now be welcomed into the halls of heaven, and continue to pray for each of us until the day that we too will see her face to face in the glory of eternal life.
Funeral homily for Vera Pentland
Friends and family of our beloved Vera have gathered here in this place to pray once more with her, but the reasons for our gathering here have been a work in progress ever since the day her earthly life began. In another place, this woman came into the world; in another place she was welcomed by our God, and first heard his gentle words calling her his beloved child. In another place, the Sacrament of Baptism was celebrated when her parents brought her to the Church and asked that she be added to the family of our God. In another place, water was poured, oil was used to seal the promise of salvation, a candle was lit to remind her of the light of faith. These were the visible signs present on that day, but the relationship that began, and that has been nourished within her soul is another matter, something which is invisible to the human eye, known only to her and to God. That relationship was nourished through the reception of the Eucharist, and restored through the celebration of Reconciliation. It was also affirmed by the Sacrament of Confirmation and sustained through the Sacrament of Matrimony. In moments of physical weakness and pain, the Sacrament of Anointing of the Sick was also made available to her. Each of these were moments of grace, when visible, tangible signs helped her to recognize and appreciate the gift of grace that was bestowed.
Now that her earthly journey is complete, friends and family have gathered here to pray once more with her. Here in this place, she sat at many moments during her life and spoke silently to God; here in this place she made many friends; here in this place she witnessed the joys of many gatherings, the sorrows of many difficult moments when her faith helped others to face the challenges and uncertainties of life; here in this place, it is now our turn to do our part to bring solace and comfort to you Brian, to Tammy and Shawn, to Karlene, Cameron, Curtis and the rest of your family.
Faith was always a very important part of Vera’s life. I visited with her on several occasions, and almost every time, she asked to be anointed, to celebrate the Sacrament of the Sick. Even just a few days before her earthly journey was complete, I had the opportunity to hear her confession and to anoint her with the oil of the Infirmed. She was well prepared to meet the Lord, and I am certain that the Son of Man is now standing before her in all his glory, escorted by all the angels. He is looking deeply into her eyes, with the warmth and love of one who is welcoming her home, and saying to her come, you whom my Father has blessed, take for your heritage the kingdom prepared for you.
God’s kingdom, a place of light, peace and warmth is the goal for which we all long. From the day of our baptism, all of us are promised a place in this kingdom, and every day of our lives here on earth is an opportunity for us to practice for the day when we will finally enter the Father’s house.
As the book of Ecclesiasticus reminds us, there is a time for every matter under heaven. At various times during the years that we are granted to live on this earth, we experience the different matters, the blessings and challenges of this life, and we prepare for the eternal life that is promised as our inheritance. There is a time to keep silence and a time to speak, but when the time comes for speaking, we must never forget that even though we might speak with the tongues of angels, … if we do not have love our words are wasted. Shortly after my arrival here in this parish a little over a year ago, I first heard of Vera, of the fact that she was a major part of our prayer ministry. Even though her body was suffering, her spirit was very much alive. She didn’t allow the challenges of physical struggles to stop her from remembering others before the throne of God, and neither should we. In fact, many here in this parish relied on her prayer, and we can continue to do so now that she intercedes for us before the throne of God.
I think that I can speak confidently for many others who knew Vera in this life, attesting to the fact that she was a woman of deep faith and prayer, that she trusted in the promise of the Resurrection that is to come. Now that her earthly journey is complete, the gentle words of Jesus call to her: Come, you whom my Father has blessed, take for your heritage the kingdom prepared for you since the foundation of the world. In this world, she fed the hungry, she welcomed the stranger, she visited the sick, and she clothed all those who called out with the raiment of God’s love. May she now be welcomed into the halls of heaven, and continue to pray for each of us until the day that we too will see her face to face in the glory of eternal life.
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