Aug
82nd Airborne
In this account from John’s Gospel, we read a small portion of the Jesus’ lengthy discourse shared with his closest disciples in that very private room in Jerusalem on the evening before his death. The disciples were gathered with Jesus for the Passover meal. Judas had been dismissed into the night by Jesus who was well aware of Judas’ scheme to betray him.
After their meal together, Jesus had washed the feet of his disciples, leaving with them this profound example of serving and loving one another. For three years, during his ministry in Galilee, the disciples had followed and Jesus had taught them and shown them how they were to carry on his mission and ministry in the world. Now, the earthly ministry of Jesus Christ was coming to an end; Jesus’ message was ever more urgent. Jesus’ lengthy discourse goes on for four chapter of John’s Gospel; Jesus warns the disciples of persecutions that will come; he seeks to bring comfort and peace to them with the promise of the Holy Spirit and with prayers to the Father on their behalf.
Knowing full well of the horror and excruciating pain that were to come in the next hours, Jesus’ full attention was devoted to his disciples as he calmly and diligently planted his words into their hearts, prayerfully laying the groundwork for the mission ahead. And, that mission continues; Jesus continues to plant these words of comfort and promise in our hearts. In the face of grief and tragedy, Jesus brings calm.
Calm was one of the first words that Mark used in describing Henry. Henry’s faith was not boisterous or showy, except when he was speaking of the 82nd Airborne; otherwise, Henry’s faith was calm and diligent. Henry lived into his deeply-rooted faith in Jesus Christ with a thankful heart, sharing his love of history and his commitment to service through the Church, the armed forces, law enforcement, and civic interests. Henry brought this thankfulness and calming presence to the stress of life for his family, for his friends, and for the strangers along the way. Henry took to his heart these words of Jesus Christ, spoken amidst turmoil, but continuing to provide comfort and peace to us two thousand years later.
It was only toward misaligned religious officials that Jesus used harsh words. For sinners and troubled souls and faithful followers, his words were words of healing and promise. Visiting Israel early last year, in Bethlehem and Jerusalem, we found hustle bustle and crushing crowds, so much so that it takes great discipline to focus on the peace of Jesus Christ even in the holiest sites – the Church of the Nativity and the Church of the Holy Sepulcher. But, in more peaceful Galilee, along the calming shores of the sea, my senses were constantly aware of Jesus’ nearness; literally, one can hear and feel his footsteps approaching bringing assurance of his promises fulfilled.
For Henry to be remembered as a calm presence is to be remembered as one who brought the peace of Christ to our fretful and anxious world.
Henry would want us to imagine his peaceful exit as just another 82nd Airborne mission; and he would want us to know that his parachute did not fail to fulfill the promise of Jesus Christ who came to earth for our salvation – Jesus Christ who has provided a soft landing for Henry in his new and glorious dwelling place – Jesus Christ who goes to provide a dwelling place for all of us (we don’t even have to be in the 82nd Airborne to get there).
None of us is lost to God. Jesus said, “If it were not so, would I have told you that I go to prepare a place for you?”
Burial of Jimmy Edge
