January 30 – “Another send-off”

I went to a very interesting funeral yesterday.  It was to honor a man who grew up on the same street I did.  Really nice guy who ended up having a lot of problems medically.  He was quite a fixture on the street, though.  He rode his bicycle everywhere and was one of the most pleasant folks around to the public.  His Mom still lives on the street, so we are praying for her to get through the grief.  Chris and I both got to attend, thanks to Nathan coming over and hanging out with Mom.

The service itself was led by a Catholic deacon assigned to the Galveston parish.  He also works at our bank, so I know him in several different scenarios.  He’s a really good guy.  Anyway, just as the service got going a phone went off about two rows in front of us.  It wasn’t a quiet, traditional ring either.  It was one of those loud, obnoxious ring tones that plays a recognizable song.  Kind of like mine plays “Take Me Out to the Ballgame” as sung by Donald Duck.  And the guy couldn’t get it out of his pocket to turn it off.  There were snickers all around when he finally did manage to silence it.  Then Chris punched me and whispered, “Watch for it.”  Sure enough, virtually everyone in the entire back half of the room pulled out his phone and checked to make sure it wouldn’t happen again. 

I was impressed that the deacon mentioned baptism by immersion.  In the process he described, the person is dunked three different times, once each for the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit.  Maybe I’ll try that on Easter Sunday at the sunrise service on the beach when we baptize in the Gulf.  It’ll mean waiting for three separate waves, though.  Might take some time unless it’s some rough seas. 

The bulk of the service followed essentially the same plan as other Catholic services I have been to.  He did bless the casket with water from the Jordan River.  That was an interesting touch.  And he blessed the body with water from a well in Ephesus at the sight where Mary was supposed to have lived out her days with the Apostle John.  Scripture passages came from the 23^rd Psalm (The Lord is my Shepherd), 2 Timothy (I have fought the good fight) and John 14:7 (Stop letting your hearts be troubled).  He did seem to have a bit of trouble handling the very personal obituary and the sharing time.  It came across that it was a little out of his comfort zone to leave the printed service.  And it struck Chris and me both that he referred to the deceased as an angel.  Not very sound theology, but I know he was just trying to communicate comfort to the family.  A childhood best friend had no trouble reminiscing, though.  Oh, and the one comment that everyone seemed to connect with was that Randy’s favorite food ever was … Mario’s supreme pizza.  Nice. 

Revelation 1:17-18 says, “When I saw him, I fell at his feet as though dead. Then he placed his right hand on me and said: ‘Do not be afraid. I am the First and the Last.  I am the Living One; I was dead, and behold I am alive for ever and ever! And I hold the keys of death and Hades.’”

Father, there’s yet another family that needs to know you are walking with them through some grief.  Be kind.  Amen.