Baptized into death, now raised into life

Today, one of our sisters in faith has finally come home.  We have prayed once again with her around the table of the Saviour and have commended her into the loving arms of our God.

Funeral homily for Theresa Hurtubise

From the earliest times of the Church, the apostles were taught that when we were baptized in Christ Jesus, we were baptized into his death (Rom 6:3).  As it was in those first days, so it is still today.  We have come to this place, gathered in the spirit of Saint Peter the Apostle, to remember the blessings we have shared with our sister Theresa. 

A celebration like this was also held in Prince George at an earlier date, in the place where she has lived for the past twenty years.  In the mystery that is the Eucharist, we are present today at the Lord's table along with those who gathered in that place to bid her farewell. We have come to this place to take part in this day of celebration because we believe that as Christ was raised from the dead by the Father’s glory.  Along with all the disciples who have followed in Jesus' footsteps, we too have the great privilege of looking forward to living a new life with him when our earthly life is ended (cf Rom 6:4).

For a very long time indeed, Theresa was part of this parish community.  With joy in her heart, she found friends in this community, she shared her talents and gifts with us, and she grew in knowledge and appreciation for the fact that she was and is a precious child of God.  Sunday after Sunday, Theresa sat in these pews, listening to the words spoken by our God, and day by day, she continued to grow in her belief in the One who sent Jesus (cf Jn 5:24).  These many occasions of listening and prayer helped her to believe this truth, and we too, hearing these words, are reminded that we, along with every one of Jesus’ disciples, has already been assured of a precious gift: eternal life which will be ours once our earthly lives have come to an end.

Having listened for words of guidance that Theresa heard in this place, and in other locations, on other occasions when she sat at the feet of Jesus, Theresa now hears the sound of his voice (cf Jn 5:28) once again calling to her, and like she did in this life, she now follows his voice to the place where the Lord has prepared a banquet of rich food (cf Is 25:6).

Like Theresa, we have gathered here today to hear the words spoken by Jesus and to receive the precious gifts of our God: bread that is transformed into his body, and wine that is blessed and transformed into his blood.  Here in this place, we will soon witness this miracle: when simple offerings made by human hands are changed indelibly into divine gifts.

Today, we give thanks for all that we have known in the gift of Theresa.  Along with her, we join our voices to pray her into eternity, where she herself will finally speak the words she has longed to voice: See, this is our God in whom we have hoped for salvation; the Lord is the one in whom we have hoped.  We exult and we rejoice that he has saved us (Is 25:9).