From this Day Forward We Shall Walk with the Lord

A thought that reaches deeper than anyone may think. The same scenario could be used for newlyweds, a graduate from years of study, or a moment of sorrow when one loses a family member. Whatever our period of joy or sadness presents a moment that changes our perspective of life, we must never lose the direction that awaits our time with Christ.

Too often people find that a severe change from one peaceful moment to a new environment can have an unexpected look or feeling that can threaten us. From a priest’s homily at a funeral he analogized the moment a baby is about to enter the world after nine months of comfort and safety in his mother's womb. Now the newborn feels the gentle hands of someone guiding their small body into a world that is released from that comfort and his only acceptance is a loud cry of fear and wanting to return to the first knowledge of comfort. The death of our deceased is also in the same void of new life that wasn’t prepared to enter.

As we join millions of mourners in Central Texas trying to recover from the death of so many people, especially young children, who were swept away by the flood waters brings a tremendous sorrow upon the families and friends who now are facing the same scenario of hurt that no one can do anything to bring comfort and assurance to crying parents and siblings. A lingering disease of anyone is hard to grasp, but a river that overflows like the Guadalupe taking sleeping souls to their death is difficult to even understand.

This article is being written just days after the tragedy, but as long as it will take the nation to rebuild the infrastructure destroyed, it will never bring solace to those who may mourn for years. Hopefully the words chosen to bring hope to those attending the many funerals for the remains of the retrieved bodies and the many that may never be found will somehow, through the grace of God, bring a trust in the words of Jesus; “For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, so that everyone who believes in him might not perish but might have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world might be saved through him.” (Jn 3: 16 - 17).

Not to linger too long on theology, but when we enter the Church for our own funeral, the celebrant blesses the casket with holy water reminding us all “In the waters of baptism (name of deceased) died with Christ and rose with him to new life. May he/she now share with him eternal glory.”

From the waters of baptism we already are beginning a life that prepares each of us for the last rite of the Church; our funeral. We pray that it will come as a blessing when we meet the Lord.

Ralph B. Hathaway