I hate death. I hate it when people die. I hate having to go to the house. I hate seeings tears and feeling the grief and seeing grandchildren crying and sons staring into the space where their dad used to be. I hate wives now panicked to be widows and wondering how they are going to live.
I hate funerals and having to stand up in front of a grieving crowd and saying something. What am I supposed to say? I feel just like them. I am in the same hole.
But the hymns are sung and somehow the gospel is preached and the body laid to rest and in the midst of it all is Jesus. Not the idea of Jesus or the concept but the risen Jesus, present in the suffering of his body, the church, present in his word, present in the Holy Baptism his children wear in life or death.
But still I hate it. I hate death.
5 comments:
Pr. Alms,
I totally understand what you're saying. Though we spare our theological explanations for things, the bottom line is we are the people that the grieving turn to for answers at that difficult time.
And yet I feel a weird contradiction at those times--that though I hate what death is doing to me personally and those I'm ministering to, I am in awe and humbled by the Gospel message I have to proclaim. That's a feeling I absolutely love.
God bless your proclamation of the Gospel to those who grieve death and to those who grieve their sin that leads to death.
In Christ,
Pr. Matt Ruesch
Garrison, MN
I hate death, but I love funerals that are done well. The law is in the casket, the Gospel is in the Word. It is sweet, and one of the greatest joys I have as a pastor.
Usually.
Peperkorn
Yes, I know what both of you are saying. Funerals are joyful. I agree and feel the same things. I cant say I _enjoy_ them but the actual services are incredible times of Gospel. Usually.
But the sadness is real. And sadness is such a flimsy word for what goes on.
Yet Christ is present. The crucified Lord, grasped by faith, victorious over death.
Great post, Pr. Alms.
Because of it and a funeral we had just today, I wrote this.
I went to my friend's (co-worker) funeral service about a month ago. It was at a United Methodist Church in the O.C. and presided over by a Methodist minister.
It was exactly one hour long. There was not one reading from scripture. There was not one hymn sung. There was not one mention of the name of Jesus in the minister's talk. (sermon? - not)
The entire hour was about Rick and what a great guy he was and how much he'll be missed (and that is true).
What a tremendous opprotunity lost. That room was filled by about 200 people, many of whom had never darkened the door of a church building before, or only for weddings or funerals. And what did they hear? Absolutely nothing that will do them one bit of good for their appointed date with death.
To boot, they had Rick's Harley parked right up in front of the altar!
This stuff is maddening.
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