On his way Home

Here is the text of the homily I prepared for the funeral we celebrated today, remembering a gentle, loving and faith-filled man who is now reunited with his wife in the loving embrace of the Father.

Funeral homily for John Wilkolaski

Laudate Jesus Christus, na wieki wieków, Amen! 

Praise Jesus Christ, now and forever, Amen!  

This greeting was well known to our brother John, as it is to all who trace their ancestry to the beloved land of Poland.  Every day begins with words of praise offered to Jesus Christ.  So it is that today, as we gather here in this church to give thanks to God for the life that John lived among us, it is fitting that we should begin with words of praise.

John’s life of faith began – like all children of God – at the baptismal font.  Through human eyes, those who witnessed that joyful day saw water being poured over his head.  They heard words being spoken: I baptize you in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit, but it takes an act of faith to believe all that occurs when a baby is baptized: he or she is instantly identified as a precious child of God!

Like all children of God, John was nourished with the gift of the Eucharist, food for the journey upon which he had set out on the day of his baptism.  This journey would lead him to moments of great joy, such as the day he met Mary, the day his son Stan was born, the satisfaction he knew as he was able to provide for his family, working hard, but always proud of having been able to help others put bread and milk on their tables.

Some who have spoken about John in the past few days have recalled their memory of a gentle soul who always had a smile on his face; a man who was always kind and dedicated to his family; a man whose faith was deeply embedded in his heart and in his soul; a man who found great joy and took great pride in his music as well as his wood work.

Over the past few years, as his memory was more and more challenged, it might have appeared to some as though he was somehow being punished (Wis 3:4); in fact he lived every day in hope of immortality.  This is the hope to which we have all been called – life in all its fullness for all eternity in the presence of our God.  It is because our heavenly Father first loved us that we were able to learn how to love others.  Having discovered God’s gift of love, John sought to share this gift with those whose lives crossed paths with his: he willingly shared the love he had received with his wife, his son, his colleagues and even his band mates.  Every person who was able to glimpse his heart was given a privileged opportunity to witness his faith in action.

The truth that John has known is the same truth that we celebrate here today: we are all God’s children (1 Jn 3:2) and God is constantly at work in us, gently moulding us, like a carpenter sculpts a piece of wood until its true beauty is revealed, but one day we will be like him, for we will see him as he truly is, in all his beauty, and on that day, we too will discover the extent of our own true beauty in his presence.

As we await that day, the human part of us, which has known and loved John in this life, now grieves his loss, for we will no longer greet him with human words, but Jesus’ words, spoken to his disciples echo in our ears: Do not let your hearts be troubled; believe in God, and believe in me (Jn 14:1).  So it is right that we should gather here in this place today to pray our brother into eternity, to entrust his immortal soul into the loving arms of our God who welcomes him Home.  In the Father’s house there is room for everyone.  From his place in that house, John now watches over us, still willing to help in any way possible, even to share the journey that lies ahead of us until the day when Jesus returns to take us Home, so that where He is, we also will be (cf Jn 14:3).

Let us pray today that God will have mercy on the soul of his servant and that Mary, our Mother will accompany him on his journey.  Let us also pray that she may draw us all close to her heart, and that she will be our constant guide until the day when we too are Home.