The Entrance for the Burial of the Dead

I'm old enough now to start seeing death, in both friends themselves and in the parents of friends.  Death really is awful, and the closure required following a death can involve a lot of sadness, loneliness, and tears.  Today, I attended the Arlington National Memorial service for Milt Wofford.  To be interred at Arlington takes approximately six months following death.  And today I saw friends and family experiencing both great joy and heartbreaking sadness.  Tears flowed and voices choked.

This is the way of the world.  This is our lot.  Death is awful, and I hate it.

On this same day, I received an update letter from my former church.  In it, Bill Haley, a pastor of spiritual formation (he reminds me of a Brennan Manning type in some ways), wrote an article reflecting on death.  And I loved this comment about living life in the midst of deaths around him:  "[I've been] pleasantly surprised, even strangely encouraged, to discover that I actually believe the Gospel, deep down -- that my faith responded [to death] with strength under increasing pressure and has emerged stronger and hotter."

Interestingly, I felt that exact same feeling today . . . and when CAM died.

And here, I think, is why:

Today's services included both a service of holy communion at the church and a cemetery service at the national cemetery.  At the church, the minister used an entrance rite.  All stood while the minister started at the back of the church, unaided by a microphone, and with a loud voice she called out this beautiful entrance rite:

I am Resurrection and I am Life, says the Lord.

Whoever has faith in me shall have life, event though he die.

And everyone who has life and has committed himself to me in faith, shall not die for ever.

As for me, I know that my Redeemer lives

And at the last He will stand upon the earth.

After my awaking, He will raise me up; and in my body I shall see God.

I myself shall see, 

And my eyes behold Him

Who is my friend and not a stranger.

(Selah)

For none of us has life in himself,

And none of us becomes his own master when he dies.

For if we have life, we are alive in the Lord!

And if we die, we die in the Lord!

So, then, whether we live or die, we are the Lord's possession!

Happy from now on are those who die in the Lord!

So it is, says the Spirit, for they rest from their labors.

What a beautiful entrance for the burial of the dead.  What a glorious way to express it:  

I myself shall see and my eyes behold Him who is my friend and not a stranger.  

Glory to God!  My friend will save me.

And thank you, Father, for Romans 8, the second lesson today.  Thank you that nothing -- neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor rulers, nor things present, nor things to come, nor powers, nor height, nor depth, nor anything else in all creation -- will be able to separate me from the love of God in Christ Jesus my Lord.

I really do believe this.  

And it's so amazing to me, like it was to Bill Haley, that all the bitterness of death only causes me to awaken more and acknowledge more clearly that I really do believe the wonderful Gospel of Our Lord Jesus Christ.

AMDG