I went to a Memorial today of someone I never met, but inspire to be like.
God decided to bring home a guy at work’s wife. I went to the memorial for her today. It was a celebration of her life. And what a life she had! I think she must have walked, eat, and breathed love everywhere she went! I want to be like that!
It was at a Catholic Church and sometimes people who have ‘gone Protestant’ tend to speak terribly about the Catholic Church. I don’t like that at all. People blame the church for not having a ‘relationship’ with Jesus and say it’s all about ‘religion’. It may be true in some cases, and I will never say that the Catholic Church is perfect but I do like to go occasionally and breathe in the Majesty of it. There is a kind of reverence in the church. It’s beautiful stained glass windows, the tradition. They read the bible in church. If you have anything that you’d like to debate about… go somewhere else, Jesus was pretty clear in John 17:21 that all of them may be one, Father, just as you are in me and I am in you. May they also be in us so that the world may believe that you have sent me and I choose to see the beauty.
They read in the second reading 1 Cor 13
Love is patient
love is kind.
It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. 5 It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. 6 Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. 7 It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.
8 Love never fails.
But where there are prophecies, they will cease; where there are tongues, they will be stilled; where there is knowledge, it will pass away. 9 For we know in part and we prophesy in part, 10 but when completeness comes, what is in part disappears. 11 When I was a child, I talked like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child. When I became a man, I put the ways of childhood behind me. 12 For now we see only a reflection as in a mirror; then we shall see face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I am fully known.
13 And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love.
That is not normally a verse that is read a funeral, but this woman seemed to have her name synomous with love. I want my heart to be that way. I want to be giving and not crabby, I want to look the other way when there is a wrong that is done to me. I want to be patient, and kind. I want to be more like Jesus.
While they had communion (I couldn’t go because I’m not Catholic anymore) I sat and prayed. And listened. I let God identify the places in my life where I needed to let Him in, to be more like Him. Oh boy. It’s not going to be easy, but it can be done. He’s done such a work in my life already. I’m surrendering to Him.
Here I am! Send me! ~ Isaiah 6:8
Isaiah 40:30-31 30 Even youths grow tired and weary,
and young men stumble and fall; 31 but those who hope in the LORD
will renew their strength.
They will soar on wings like eagles;
they will run and not grow weary,
they will walk and not be faint.
And we sang this song… which always makes me cry but today, I LISTENED to the words, I didn’t just sing them!
You who dwell in the shelter of the Lord,
Who abide in His shadow for life,
Say to the Lord, "My Refuge,
My Rock in Whom I trust."
And He will raise you up on eagle's wings,
Bear you on the breath of dawn,
Make you to shine like the sun,
And hold you in the palm of His Hand.
The snare of the fowler will never capture you,
And famine will bring you no fear;
Under His Wings your refuge,
His faithfulness your shield.
And He will raise you up on eagle's wings,
Bear you on the breath of dawn,
Make you to shine like the sun,
And hold you in the palm of His Hand.
You need not fear the terror of the night,
Nor the arrow that flies by day,
Though thousands fall about you,
Near you it shall not come.
And He will raise you up on eagle's wings,
Bear you on the breath of dawn,
Make you to shine like the sun,
And hold you in the palm of His Hand.
For to His angels He's given a command,
To guard you in all of your ways,
Upon their hands they will bear you up,
Lest you dash your foot against a stone.
And He will raise you up on eagle's wings,
Bear you on the breath of dawn,
Make you to shine like the sun,
And hold you in the palm of His Hand.
And hold you in the palm of His Hand.
Who abide in His shadow for life,
Say to the Lord, "My Refuge,
My Rock in Whom I trust."
And He will raise you up on eagle's wings,
Bear you on the breath of dawn,
Make you to shine like the sun,
And hold you in the palm of His Hand.
The snare of the fowler will never capture you,
And famine will bring you no fear;
Under His Wings your refuge,
His faithfulness your shield.
And He will raise you up on eagle's wings,
Bear you on the breath of dawn,
Make you to shine like the sun,
And hold you in the palm of His Hand.
You need not fear the terror of the night,
Nor the arrow that flies by day,
Though thousands fall about you,
Near you it shall not come.
And He will raise you up on eagle's wings,
Bear you on the breath of dawn,
Make you to shine like the sun,
And hold you in the palm of His Hand.
For to His angels He's given a command,
To guard you in all of your ways,
Upon their hands they will bear you up,
Lest you dash your foot against a stone.
And He will raise you up on eagle's wings,
Bear you on the breath of dawn,
Make you to shine like the sun,
And hold you in the palm of His Hand.
And hold you in the palm of His Hand.
Comments
I've said a prayer for your coworker...how difficult it must be for him to lose his beloved wife....