Community

How wonderful, how beautiful, when brothers and sisters get along! It’s like costly anointing oil flowing down head and beard, flowing down Aaron’s beard, flowing down the collar of his priestly robes. It’s like the dew on Mount Hermon flowing down the slopes of Zion. Yes, that’s where God commands the blessing, ordains eternal life                                                  Psalm 133:1-3

Here we are one week later, and I am writing about another memorial service for a lost loved one. Last week we attended the funeral Mass for my cousin’s wife. Yesterday, we attended the memorial service for a friend of the family named Bill. The service took place in a large venue which is a performing arts center. Good thing the venue was large- there must have been 600 people in attendance.

It was fitting to celebrate Bill’s life in such a setting, because he was well known and respected in our town, Troy, Ohio. It was so uplifting to mingle with so many friends and neighbors we have made over the years here in Troy. Jesus was lifted high, as the life of this man was celebrated. He died quickly and unexpectedly two weeks ago in the arms of his family. We mourned with the family, but celebrated a life well-lived.

This event made me think of how connected we are in this little Midwestern city. So many people know one another from church connections, school, sports events, friends of our kids, grandkids, business connections, city government, friends of friends- you get the picture. We are connected in community.

So, while this was a very sad time for the family and loved ones, it was also uplifting in the vast amount of support given to the grieving family. We left feeling blessed and encouraged, knowing Bill had a life well-lived, and that we had seen the hope of eternal life in this gathering of community.

Prayer: Thank you, Lord for dedicated lives that we can celebrate, even as we mourn their passing, Amen