Funeral for a pioneer

Here is the text of the homily I prepared for the funeral of one of the first members of this wonderful parish.  She has finally completed her earthly journey and been reunited with her husband and her sons in the Father's house.

Funeral homily for Aura Conway

We are here this afternoon to pray with all the members of Aura’s family, and to commend to Almighty God, the soul of one of our parish’s true pioneers.  Moments such as these are precious opportunities for the entire community to remember, to give thanks and to look forward in hope.

Those who had the privilege of knowing this wonderful woman probably remember a time when she was an integral part of the life of this parish.  From the time when this community used to gather in another physical location, she would come into the church with her husband and her children, take their places in the pews and offer their prayers.  Some who are here today might very well remember a time when Aura was part of the Cenacle.  This group of dedicated individuals still gathers in this church to pray the rosary and to ask for the intercession of the Blessed Virgin Mary.  Mary’s prayer is very powerful because she knows the trials and tribulations of every mother and she cares for us and loves us with the heart of a mother who is somehow able to know us even better than we know ourselves.

Occasions such as these give us all a chance to stop and to remember.  We began this liturgy at the entrance to the church.  We greeted Aura’s mortal remains and sprinkled them with holy water as a reminder of the day when she was baptized and welcomed into the family of God’s children.  Saint Paul tells us that when we were baptized in Christ Jesus, we were baptized into his death (Rom 6:3).

Aura and her husband Don always believed that it was important to participate in the life of the parish and to find ways to give back to the community in gratitude for the good that they themselves had received.  When I first met her, more than two years ago, others told me that she had once served as the President of the Saint Peter the Apostle CWL Council.  It takes a special lady to serve as Parish Council President, because such a commitment means that she must be willing to die to herself, to be willing and able to look beyond her own interests and to consider the needs of the wider community of faith.  Aura would be proud to know that the ladies of Saint Peter’s Parish Council are still deeply committed to their faith and still look for ways to live their lives for God and for country.

I learned the other day that not only was Aura a committed member of this parish; she was also committed to the community at large.  Even after she and Don had moved their family to Southern Ontario, she found a way to volunteer as a teacher’s assistant in special education classes.  This dedication and love for children is yet another example of how she was willing to give of herself, imitating Christ in his death so that one day she might hope to imitate him also in his resurrection (cf Rom 6:5).

Where does a woman like Aura find the strength of conviction to do all that she did?  The answer is simple: she found her strength in prayer and in an abiding faith in the love of God, and she found her strength in the loving relationship she shared for 57 years with her husband Don.  The Book of Sirach tells us that a loyal wife brings joy to her husband (Sir 26:2).  I think that we can all agree that not only did Aura bring joy to her husband, she shared the joy of her faith with everyone she met.  She might not be willing to admit it, but others who knew her would quite openly admit that she was a blessing to all of us (cf Sir 26:3) and that her charm and her skill were certainly among the reasons why so many people respected her and loved her in this life.

Whether among the members of her own family or in any of her many volunteer positions, she always sought to instruct, to correct and to lead by example.  This is good advice for all of us, even today.  Let us then take a moment to give thanks for all that we have learned from her words and from her example.

If she were still able to speak with us today, she would probably tell us the same thing that Jesus told to his disciples when he knew that his time with them was drawing to a close: do not let your hearts be troubled, trust in God still and trust in me (Jn 14:1).  We disciples of Jesus believe that physical death is not the end of the story.  In fact, we believe that life is changed at the moment of physical death, not ended.

Aura’s soul has left her body, but it is now reunited in heaven with her beloved husband Don, and with her cherished sons Brent and Carey.  In fact, Doneen told me that the last three days of Aura’s earthly life were good days, but she was looking forward to spending Sunday in heaven, and to being Home with her husband and her boys to celebrate her wedding anniversary with them.

Jesus, who is the Way, the Truth and the Life (Jn 14:6) reassures us that there are many rooms in the Father’s house (Jn 14:2).  Now that she has returned to the Fathers house, Aura waits for us with the open arms of a mother who is overjoyed to be united with the sons she had been separated from for so long.  She will continue to watch over us and guide us until the day that we meet once again.  In the meanwhile, we must continue our pilgrimage through this life, striving always to show others by our words and by our example how important the values of instruction, correction and example truly are.