Wednesday, April 26, 2017

the mystery of death

There is a funeral prayer in the old Methodist ritual.  When I was young I used the funeral outline verbatim but as I grew older, I modified it to my liking.

This particular prayer has a phrase in it, "the mystery of death has stricken us again."  I stopped using the prayer because I thought that phrase was archaic.  But with the passing of my friend Dan, I cannot get the phrase out of my head.

The mystery of death..... stricken....

My heart is surely stricken.  I am not happy with God about Dan's death.  But as my pastor said on Sunday, we are not in control.  We can steer our cars, we can coach children, but we are completely powerless over life and death.  We are not in control.  It is a big mystery.

Some parts of life have to be absorbed a little bit at a time.  I'm gonna keep wading into this mystery of death.  Hopefully the feeling of being stricken will subside.  I know that Dan would not want us to feel so sad.  And I know that somewhere, in heaven, he is smiling a big smile.

It is still a beautiful day in God's world, be sure to see the good.


2 comments:

Unknown said...

From your words "love goes on even after we die" That love hurts n doesn't end our grief with our comfort I have accepted that Knowing what I believe about heaven I would not want my selfishness to bring them back So I must let my grief become a new me n go on living life for them n letting That love keep them alive.

Anonymous said...

And Jeff, just as all of us gather around those we love, in times when they are stricken by a variety of events in life, we gather around you in love and prayer and support you in the myriad of feelings you are experiencing. One of the most painful things about death, is that after a dear one is gone, you have times of just wanting to talk to them or sit and visit with them so bad, and it's gone. After 20 years, since my mother passed away, there are times when I so badly just want to sit and have some coffee and visit with her

The thing I love about you is your statement that "I'm gonna keep wading." And you and God will work this out in time. It's just who you are. Compliments on your willingness to share your grief and not take it all inside. Then you'd be in real trouble.