Day off, funeral reflections

It's nice to take a couple days off, especially after the last couple of weeks. I've been running on little but fumes after the 110th anniversary, presiding at my first funeral, and getting two projects together.

The funeral went smoothly. I got experience in writing a suitable funeral message in 48 hours! I may republish it for you at some point. Fortunately, Pr. Susan had everything in place, and she gave me a funeral sermon which I used as a template to write my own. There were a lot of people -- around 230 people, which shattered our expectations. We had estimated 100 earlier in the week.

Many clergy have told me that they prefer a funeral to a wedding any day. Why? Because there are no pretensions with a funeral. We all stand at the common gate we must pass through before the day of resurrection.

This reminds me of an unusual childhood anecdote. When I was around eight or nine, I asked my mother if I could go to a funeral -- any funeral. I can't remember WHY I wanted to go, except that I wanted to see what it was like! I was just understanding the idea of death at this age, too. My mother, rather shocked at such a macabre request, said, "How about a wedding? Weddings are happy!"

Maybe it was at that point I knew I was going to be a pastor. Weddings are happy, but the expectations added on can make that happiness short-lived. With a funeral, there's nothing but death and the grace of God before you. There's nothing to rely on but God's promises. No expectations. No pretension.

And it's a much better conduit for the proclamation of the Gospel.

I didn't think I would have said this a week ago, but I'm glad Pr. Susan couldn't get a substitute at LSTC! Otherwise I wouldn't have had this experience. And knowing LMC, we might go the rest of the year without a death like last year.

At least I have this Saturday off.