Message Archive

Wisdom 3:1-5,9; Psalm 121; John 6:37-40

In our lesson from John’s Gospel, Jesus affirms that his promise to the Father has been fulfilled.  That promise of Jesus the Son to God the Father was to lose nothing of that that had been entrusted to him, and that all that had been entrusted to him would be raised up on the last day.  Jesus loses none.  None of us is lost to God through the saving grace of Jesus Christ; none of us is lost to God’s unconditional love.

In Mary Beth’s last months of greatest frustration and loneliness, she would say to me that she just wanted to be with her dad.  The image of Dad, created for her by her beloved earthly father, was strength, protection, and discipline, and above all, unconditional love.  Would that every earthly father would establish this image for his children, thus, leaving his children with a deeper understanding of the strength, protection, discipline, and unconditional love that our heavenly Father provides for us, not because we earn it in some way, but through grace alone.  When we are blessed with an earthly father whom we are assured wants only what is best for, we can better understand God the Father who wants only the best for us.  Our image of God the Father impacts our lives immeasurably from early childhood through our entire lives.  Mary Beth was at peace with the knowledge that beyond her earthly death she would be gathered into the perfect unconditional love of her heavenly Father.  

Jesus assures the Father that he has lost nothing of that that was entrusted to him from the least known to the most famous. Of Jesus’ original twelve disciples, there are several we know only because they are named in scripture.  Without extra-biblical history and the handing down of legends, we would know nothing of the ministries of James, the Minor; Thaddeus, who might have been known as Jude; or Simon, the Zealot.  Nevertheless, these and others were chosen by Jesus for specific reasons and diligent purposes. 

Mary Beth, too, was chosen for God’s specific purposes.  It was Mary Beth whose instinct was to find a solution while others were naysaying and expressing doubts.  For years, our committee meetings and projects were arranged around her mother’s caregiver schedule.  For those of us who have been primary caregiver for an elderly parent, we know the realities of that most difficult stage of life.  Mary Beth fulfilled that role as best she could with love and joy.

Mary Beth guided us in collecting bottle caps for Boys’ Home, paperbacks for inmates, and shoes to be exchanged for funds to purchase Narcan, the drug used by first responders to counteract the effects of opioid overdose. And Mary Beth was faithful to worship for herself and for her mother, despite the great difficulties and declining health – legs that wouldn’t quite go in the right direction and a brain that lost its thought before it was complete; yet she came in worship and thanksgiving to God right up until the day it became absolutely impossible.

In the church records and vestry minutes of the Episcopal Church of the Advent, future generations will find the name Mary Beth Dally Wooden.  They likely will not find a St. Mary Beth’s Basilica or a Mary Beth Dally Wooden Blvd as for the apostles Peter and Paul.  With some searching they might find evidence of collections of bottle caps and paperback novels and used shoes. But somewhere at Boys’ Home, there may be a young boy kept warm by his first warm coat; somewhere there is an un-named inmate who finds some pleasant moments reading of faraway adventures in a dogeared paperback novel; perhaps even the life of another child of God was saved from death of opioid overdose by the Narcan that was purchased with funds collected from the sale of old shoes.  None will be able to trace these moments of God’s grace back to the efforts of one person.  Mary Beth knew she was only one, but she was one, and she knew she was called to make her contribution to the wellbeing of others, sharing the light of Christ with immeasurable blessing. 

Even though we could list Mary Beth’s many good works that blessed each of us in so many ways, it was not these that earned her way into heaven.  That way cannot be earned; it was purchased for her as it was for each of us by the one perfect sacrifice of our Lord Jesus Christ.  We have but to trust and follow; God’s grace and mercy are upon us. 

Our sweet Mary Beth abides now in that peace that surpasses all human comprehension – the ultimate understanding of the perfect unconditional love where none of God’s children is lost, all are gathered to him as our Savior Christ has promised, and we, along with Mary Beth, will all be raised on the last day.  

Burial of Mary Beth Dally Wooden

John 14:1-6

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

Isaiah 25:6-9 Psalm 42:1-7  John 6:37-40

My soul thirsts for God,

for the living God.

When shall I come and behold

the face of God?

Distributing the Holy Communion is one of the great privileges of being a priest in God’s Church.  In better times, each communicant comes to the altar rail to kneel alongside fellow communicants in true communion.  There is a very tender moment as the wafer is placed within each hand, each recipient humbly kneeling with soul laid bare in the real presence of Jesus Christ – the bread of heaven, the cup of salvation.  It is a tiny slice of sacred time for communicant and celebrant; a time when the boundary between earth and heaven becomes very thin – a time that I treasure with particular reverence and gratitude as the observer of the work of the Holy Spirit in the lives of each recipient.

This very sacred moment of sharing the Holy Communion with Gladys Ivory, was, each and every time, most humbling for me.  Whenever Gladys consumed the holy food, there was no doubt that Jesus Christ was truly present for her, that her soul thirsted and was fed by the living God.  Her expression was like that of someone who, after a long exhausting search, had finally found something she desperately needed; or, of someone who, after walking miles in the heat, had been given a cool drink of water; someone giving over all of her griefs and earthly struggles as she was drawn into the peace and comfort of the arms of her Lord.

Last week, when we shared Holy Communion for the last time, my intention was to simply touch the drop of wine to her lips.  But, that was not enough for Gladys.  Even in her diminished physical and mental state, her earthly death so near, her understanding of the real presence of Jesus Christ was not diminished; she consumed the thimble full of wine with that same old fervor, responding to the words, “The blood of Christ, the cup of salvation,” with a hearty “Amen.”   Amen – so be it.  For that final time in her earthly life, Gladys offered herself into the arms of her Lord, held firm in his promise that all who see the Son and believe in him will have eternal life, trusting herself to the will of God.

The shining star of Gladys’ presence will be sorely missed.  She touched the life of every parishioner young and old with her concern and compassion.  As she knew Jesus Christ is present in the Holy Communion, she knew that Jesus Christ is present in each of us.  We could see our pain and our joy in her sparkling eyes.  We loved her gentle quiet nature of the English and her fine china tea pots.  We loved her well-coordinated outfits and glimmering jewelry and spritzy sandals.  We loved her updates of life-long friends and the Ivory clan reunions; news of her children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren whom she loved so dearly; and historical accounts of her challenging childhood, the adventures of her evacuation from London during the Blitz that destroyed her home.  We loved her shared memories of Wendell, the love of her life, who brought her to America but never dimmed her love of England.  We all love England, even more, because Gladys loved England and we loved Gladys.

The second of our opening spoken anthems is a paraphrase from the Book of Job; it concludes, “though this body be destroyed, yet shall I see God; whom I shall see for myself and mine eyes shall behold, and not as a stranger.”  When Gladys was gathered into the loving arms of our Lord in the dark hours of last Friday morning, those were not the arms of a stranger.  She had known his presence throughout her long life; she experienced that presence every Sunday and every Wednesday and in each one of us.

When Gladys was gathered into the loving arms of our Lord in the dark hours of last Friday morning, the path was well-lighted path as she was gathered into immeasurable joy – into the holiest Communion.

The words of the prophet Isaiah never grow old,

“This is the Lord for whom we have waited;
let us be glad and rejoice in his salvation.”

Let us rejoice, giving thanks to God for the life and ministry of Gladys Ivory.

Burial of Gladys Ivory

Isaiah 61:1-3 Revelation 21:2-7 John 14:1-6

Jesus said, “Do not let your hearts be troubled… I go to prepare a place for you.”

Hundreds of times, throughout the Old and New Testament, we hear this command.  Here, as in many instances, the phrasing is different, but the meaning is the same:  God, our creator, is saying to us, “Do not be afraid.”  If I were to ask you to name the most frequent command of the Bible, you would likely say, “Love God; love your neighbor.”  In reality, and not at all separate from those commands, the most frequent and the most difficult for us to follow is, “Do not be afraid.”

In these last weeks as we have prepared for and celebrated Christmas, we have heard this sacred command.  Just last Sunday, reading from the birth narrative as recorded by Matthew, the angel of the Lord appears to Joseph who is restless and agitated over the news that Mary, his espoused, is expecting a child.   “Joseph, son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary as your wife, for the child conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit.  She will bear a son, and you are to name him Jesus, for he will save his people from their sins.”  Do not be afraid.

At the time of annunciation, Mary, too, is assured by the angel Gabriel that she is not to be afraid.  “Do not be afraid Mary, for you have found favor with God.” [Luke 1:30].  And, again, as the angel of the Lord heralds the news of the Jesus’ birth to the shepherds, the good news is prefaced with the words, “Do not be afraid; for you see – I am bringing you good news of great joy for all the people.” [Luke 2:10].

Later in Matthew, Jesus assures us that even the hairs on our heads are all counted by God, thus, we are of great value; we are not to be afraid.

Indeed, as far back as Genesis at the time of God’s covenant with Abraham, the first words of the Lord are, “Do not be afraid, Abram, I am your shield.” [Genesis 15:1a]

Over and over, throughout the scripture, God implores his people, “Do not be afraid.”

The setting for the Gospel lesson chosen for today is what we often title The Upper Room.  Jesus and his disciples have shared their last meal together; Jesus, taking the position of a slave, has bathed the feet of his disciples.  Before the next evening, Jesus will have died on the Cross.  Yet, these words that we read are Jesus’ words – his last words to his beloved disciples, nearly all of whom will deny their association with him, abandon him when he needs them the most, and flee in fear for their own earthly safety.  Even Judas who will betray him is among the group, hearing Jesus’ words, “Do not let your hearts be troubled.”

Jesus is fully aware of the horrors that are to come – the horrors he will endure and the horrors that these beloved disciples will endure in the near future as their fear is, in the end, overcome by faith, as they, themselves, pick up the Cross and are martyred for their faith in Jesus Christ.

Certainly, as for these disciples, there is much to be feared in our earthly lives.  Perhaps our greatest fear, however, is our earthly death and the death of those we love most.  How hard it is to absorb these words, “Do not let your hearts be troubled.” How hard it is for us frail humans to have faith that overcomes our fears.  How hard it can be to believe down deep into our souls that Jesus has indeed prepared a dwelling place for us that surpasses all human imagination or understanding.  How hard it is to follow this command, “Do not let your hearts be troubled.”

Yet, Mary Catherine, surrounded by those who loved her the most and cared for her with such compassion, regardless of her lack of clarity, surely understood that she was protected – that she was not to fear.  Phrased and exhibited in so many ways, Mary Catherine understood that there was no need to be afraid – that her heart was not to be troubled.

In conversations with Dick regarding Mary Catherine’s decline over these past years, the image would come to mind of a time I ventured out into my yard on an errand during a rare Mid-Atlantic blizzard.  Taking only a few steps and finding myself completely disoriented less than five feet from my back deck, I quickly abandoned the errand and felt my way back to the safety of a porch rail I could follow back into the house.  I have never forgotten the sense of panic that came from those few moments of fear-filled disorientation.  I was desperate for the way of safety, something to guide my footsteps in the right direction, sensing that going any further in the wrong direction would mean vanishing into an abyss.

Each of you, in some way, has helped guide Mary Catherine’s footsteps safely through the last years and months of her life.  Through your prayers, compassionate words, and physical assistance, you have been the voice of the angel assuring her there was no need to be afraid – the strong arm providing sure footing, guiding the way, responding with compassion to her confused thoughts, tending to her needs up until the Lord himself took her hand to guide her into the dwelling place prepared for her.

Jesus said, “I am the way, the truth, and the life.”  Believing in the way, the truth, and the life of Jesus Christ, is the sure footing that nurtures our faith to overcome our fears – even our fears of our earthly death.  As David affirms in Psalm 23, “I will fear no evil.”

Mary Catherine is thinking clearly and walking steadily now in her heavenly dwelling place.  She would want you to know and understand down deeply into your soul the message of the angels – the joyous message of our salvation through faith in Jesus Christ: “Do not let your hearts be troubled.  Believe.”

Burial of Mary Catherine Hamilton Harrison

Isaiah 61:1-3 Psalm 121 Revelation 21:2-7 John 14:1-6

There is a plaque on my back porch that says “Home is where Mom is.”  We could go on and on with images and emotions that well up in us as we reflect on the whole concept of “Mom” and “Home.”  “Home” is very much defined by “Mom.”  We only have one mom in this life, and her passing out of this earthly life leaves a great void.  We never quite forget our earliest memories of being held in her arms and rocked to sleep in her favorite chair; whatever our age, we never get beyond the need for this tender nurturance.

On a visit some years ago to Our Little Rose Home for Girls in Honduras, in my very broken Spanish, I was sharing family photos with two little sisters, ages 4 and 5.  Naming my children and other family members, when I pointed to myself and said the word “Mama” the eyes of the four-year-old grew large.  “Mama,” she repeated as she stood and began to search the room for her mama.  Even though the tiny child’s presence at Our Little Roses meant she had been rescued from an extremely neglectful or maybe even dangerous home situation, still, this little one longed for the mama who couldn’t or wouldn’t care for her.  With a pierced heart, I realized at that moment how much we all need to be loved and nurtured by “Mama,” regardless of her capacity to love and nurture us.

The earliest Christians confirmed our human need for this nurturing aspect of God.  Jesus was tender and compassionate, particularly so, to the downtrodden and the outcast.  To all us sinners, the more we recognize our dependence on God’s grace, the more we are nurtured and healed and embraced by the love of Jesus Christ.

Even so, for all these centuries since the birth of Jesus Christ, we have had the need to expand that embrace to include his mother, the Blessed Virgin.  Somehow, it is forever our human nature to cling to the comfort that only our image of “Mama” can provide.  [This does not in any way discount fathers and their essential provisions, but that is another sermon].  At the 4^th Station of the 14 Stations of Cross that surround our worship space, we view Jesus’ encounter with his mother as he journeys under the weight of the cross.  It is a poignant depiction of Jesus and his mother locking eyes.  The scripture appointed for that station is the passage from Luke’s Gospel that includes of the words of the prophet Simeon who foretells the revolutionizing impact of Jesus’ birth and warns Mary that her soul, too, will be pierced.  Typically, more than at any other of the stations, here, we pause and reflect with greater intention and poignancy as we relate to this heartfelt mother/child relationship.

Today, we gather to grieve the loss and celebrate the life of Tutu – faithful self-giving wife, mother, sister, aunt, neighbor, servant and child of God.  Tutu at her sewing machine; Tutu crafting her various projects; Tutu preparing and presiding over Christmas dinner.  Tutu binding up your broken heart and wiping your tears.  If you wanted to make Tutu smile, you asked her about her children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren.  For all these decades, home has been defined by Tutu’s presence.  Her home is now with our Lord, as our Lord has promised; and now, Tutu’s home will forever be in your hearts.

The setting of our Gospel lesson from John 14 is the most intimate of settings for Jesus and his disciples.  On this evening before the crucifixion, Jesus shared the last supper with his closest followers.  Jesus is aware of the horrors to come in the next few hours; he is aware that Judas, sitting so near at the table, will betray him.  Yet, in boundless unconditional love, having removed his outer robe, our Lord knelt before these disciples and tenderly bathed their feet.  Further, seeking to prepare these closest to him for his earthly death; and, in turn, to comfort us in generations to come as we face earthly death, Jesus speaks these words, “In my Father’s house there are many dwelling places… I go to prepare a place for you…  If it were not so, would I have told you?”

Tutu is there, in her heavenly dwelling, as our Lord has promised.  You might hear the sewing machine happily clickety clacking away; you will, without doubt, feel her smile, especially at the arrival of yet another great-grandchild.  Above all, you can be assured that she has received the oil of gladness and the mantle of praise as we are assured by the prophet Isaiah.  Each of you will one day join her to share this oil of gladness and mantle of praise.

Home is where Tutu is – in the arms of God’s mercy, the blessed rest of everlasting peace, the glorious company of the saints in light.  Thanks be to God.

Burial of Mary Catherine Hamilton Harrison

Burial of John David Chico Judd

Isaiah 61:1-3 John 6:37-40

“…This is the will of him who sent me, that I should lose nothing of all that he has given me.”

We read in John’s Gospel account that Jesus spoke these words to the crowds who had followed him to the “other side” of the sea after what we know as the Feeding of the 5,000; Jesus had multiplied the loaves and the fishes from one small child’s lunch pail to feed the huge crowd.  So, the crowds followed and they questioned, and they sought affirmation that this Jesus of Nazareth was truly Jesus Christ the long-foretold Messiah.

Jesus assures us that his mission on earth was to redeem all creation.  Jesus affirms his commitment to this mission; Jesus affirms that none is lost, that none is ever driven away.

Firefighters understand this commitment to losing none. Just this morning there was news of 4 children being rescued from a burning building in St. Louis; two were 18-month-old twins.  They had been left home alone.  The oldest of the young children was hiding in a closet.  The firefighter who never gave up the search until he or she found the child there, crouched in the closet – hiding, as smoke swirled and heat was building – That firefighter not only saved a physical life; that firefighter changed that child’s life in miraculous ways that we can never measure. That child will grow up knowing that total strangers loved him so much that they were willing to give their lives to save him – so frightened, crouched in hiding in a closet.  Firefighters understand Jesus’ declaration, “I should lose nothing of all that he has given me”; I should lose nothing of all that my duty has called me to protect.  This, you know, is your ministry and the reason you are here today to honor your beloved colleague.

Chico understood Jesus’ declaration.  He lived his life with the certainty that those he sought to protect and those most closely beloved understood his commitment to them as son, husband, father, step-father, and grandfather; as beloved friend and neighbor.  This is what firefighters do; this is what fathers do.  Our first understanding of God’s unconditional love comes from our earthly fathers who protect us, and discipline us, all while loving us unconditionally.  Our fathers want what is best for us.

God so wants what is best for us that He came to earth in the human person of Jesus Christ.  In Jesus Christ, God lived and suffered as one of us; in Jesus Christ, God died as one of us.  And, in Jesus Christ, God defeated death; He rose above death.  There is no evil – no death – that is not overcome by the goodness of God through Jesus Christ our Lord.  God wants only what is best for us.

Understanding God’s unconditional love and desire for what is best for us can be tough in the face of human suffering and with our limited human abilities.  It may be tough to understand truly that God wanted only what was best for Chico and wants only what is best for Susan and their children throughout their lives and even throughout the suffering they have all endured on earth.

We are not promised physical wellbeing and earthly prosperity during our time in this world.  But, we are assured of spiritual wellbeing through the gift of God’s grace. God wants only what is best for us; defining what is best is in God’s hands, not ours.  Defining what is best for us is not on our terms or within the realm of our ability to understand.  Our physical healing on our terms is not an expectation, but our spiritual healing through faith in Jesus Christ is guaranteed.

Our Lord Jesus Christ has defeated death, redeemed us from our human sinfulness, and stands ready to offer each and every one of us the gift of eternal life.  Chico now glories in that gift.  And, we all will be raised up on the last day.

He will bind up the brokenhearted; he will comfort all who mourn; he will give us a garland rather than ashes – the oil of gladness instead of mourning, everlasting life.

From a God who wants only what is best for us, what more could we ask?

John 14:1-6

Jesus said, “Do not let your hearts be troubled.  Believe in God, believe also in me.”

John 14:1

In these words from John’s Gospel, Jesus is speaking to his disciples in their last hours together.  John tells us that this is a time just before the festival of the Passover.  Through chapters 13 and 14, we read the account of the Last Supper, which Jesus commands us to continue; and, we read the poignant description of Jesus washing the feet of his disciples.  Jesus has summed up his teaching and is now saying farewell to those closest to him who will be left to carry on his ministry.  Preparing for his earthly departure; Jesus knows well that his hour has come.  “Little children, I am with you only a little longer,” [13:33a] he says.

Knowing the carnage that is to come, it should be quite to our amazement that this scene on this last evening is one of serene peacefulness.  Jesus speaks of those who have and will betray and deny him, even to death.  Jesus is fully aware of the wrongs committed against him by the world, yet it is with sincere forbearance and forgiveness that he speaks of these evil actions.  “Peace I leave with you;” Jesus says, “my peace I give to you.” [14:27a]

With great tenderness and certainty Jesus is preparing his disciples for life on earth without his physical presence and leadership.  We read from John 13:1, “Having loved his own who were in the world, he loved them to the end;” to the end translates: to the utmost.  Jesus had shown them and us how to live and to love to the utmost; now the time has come for his departure to be with the Father.

Naturally, there is a great sense of inadequacy among these disciples whom Jesus is leaving behind, yet Jesus says, “Very truly, I tell you, whoever receives one whom I send receives me, and whoever receives me receives him who sent me.” [John 13:20] Jesus demonstrates in these last hours that these disciples and we who seek to carry on this legacy are all God needs to bring about this utmost love of God’s kingdom.

And, Jesus’ ministry does not end with his earthly departure; as we have heard Jesus’ words just now, “Igo to prepare a place for you.” Jesus is very clear that he would not have made this promise if it were not his true intention and purpose. Again and again, Jesus speaks of this utmost love and utmost peace in which we are to trust in his promise of everlasting life; we are not to be fearful.

Through John’s words we are able to share this very intimate last gathering of those who have endured so many varied and intense experiences of joy and sadness and earthly difficulties – sharing those times in the sunlight of Jesus’ utmost love.  This intimate peaceful atmosphere of utmost love and nurturing preparation for Jesus’ departure is so similar to that that I experienced in Jan’s home as she and her family prepared, as best they could, for her departure.  Jan did not fear death.  She knew her hour had come.

Jan had loved with utmost love.  She had loved the destitute who came seeking food at the food pantry; they left that place not only receiving food, but also love and respect demonstrated in Jan’s warm easy smile and natural sense of kindness and peace.  Jan had relished in opportunities for kind attention to those, whether friend or stranger, who shopped among the heirlooms at yard sales and bazaars – and at Peebles, a ministry she obviously enjoyed.  Jan loved us all with that consistent sense of equality and deference.  Jan brought us the gentleness and hospitality of her English heritage, best demonstrated in her enthusiastic leadership of the English tea – a tradition I sincerely hope we can continue in her honor.

Jan loved her family with utmost love; she was most complete when Rod was by her side; she glowed when she spoke of her daughters and grandchildren; she lavished praise on her mother and stepfather and numerous siblings, treasuring her visits with them; she had forgiven any in her life who had wronged her.  I am convinced that Jan was incapable of harshness. It was not that she avoided conflict; it was that her voice was often the “third” voice bringing truth and light – a natural peaceful resolution so true to her character.  None ever grew tired of her cheerful presence and sense of humor.  Jan made life and ministry fun in the most wholesome and rewarding ways – as wife, mother, grandmother, daughter, sister, friend, parishioner, child of God – Jan brought life into our lives.

Jan showed us how to live and how to die.  From the time of her diagnosis she was at peace; she exuding that peace, even maintaining her sense of humor.  This natural peacefulness guided the tender diligent actions of those who loved her the most.  During their final intimate hours together they so lovingly and gently cared for her and sought to carry out her wishes – physically, emotionally, and spiritually. Every element of this last tribute to her is guided by her fortitude of utmost love and peaceful, faithful earthly sojourn.

That earthly sojourn has come to an end.  We who are left behind grieve to the deep depths of our hearts.  Yet, we rejoice in our Lord’s promise; we are confident that Jan has taken up her residence in the dwelling place prepared for her; She is saying, “Oh really, this is so beautiful.”  We trust that the teacups are Royal Doulton and the biscuits are just the right crispness.  In life and in death, Jan has followed the Way – the way of truth and life.

As Jesus, in these last intimate hours, trusted his disciples with the ministry he had begun on earth, so Jan has entrusted us to carry on the legacy of utmost love, gentle peace, and diligent faith.  In life and in death, Jan was not afraid.  With great certainty, Jan understands and entreats us to hear the words of our Lord, “Do not let your hearts be troubled.  Believe in God, believe also in me.”

Revelation 7:9-17 Psalm 121 John 10:11-16

Jesus said, ‘I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep.’

Jesus is speaking of the virtuous self-giving of a life for the benefit of others. The translation of the word goodis more correctly noble. Nobleis a word not used so much in our current culture. To be noble is to be willing to give ourselves unselfishly and without fear to a cause that promotes the greater good for our family, our community, and the world.
This term used by the writer of John’s Gospel is the same word used at the time to describe the honor given to a soldier or otherwise heroic person whose efforts of self-sacrifice contributed significantly to the greater good – a shepherd who lays down his life for his sheep.
Of course, there can only ever be one Good Shepherd – our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. But each of is called to this ministry of shepherding; each of us is called to this ministry of self-giving, self-sacrificing love for neighbor. That might be getting up from our cozy easy chair to help bring in the groceries on a cold rainy night; or, it might be giving a much-needed hug to someone who is dirty and smells bad; or, it might be giving tireless efforts to causes of human rights and social justice for those in our society who are less equipped to seek it for themselves. And, this ministry of shepherding is that of a mother who provides and cares for her children, defying the odds of single-parenting and maintaining persistent attention to the relentless temptations of neighborhood peer pressure on her children.
Dolores Clemons was a good shepherd, readily offering her life for the improvement of her community, for the wellbeing of her family, and the spiritual health of those who had not yet experienced the peace of faith in Jesus Christ. Dolores was a role model for many through her non-anxious persistent calm in the face of storms.
Dolores Clemons just kept being a faithful shepherd. Douglas mentioned that there were more than a few tough times, particularly times over the past years of Dolores’ declining health, when all the options seemed to have run out; they would look at each other, shaking their heads, and say, “What will we do now?” Somehow, every time, the way forward would be revealed.
The shepherd doesn’t say to the sheep, “See that pasture way over there on the other side of the hill? That’s where we’re headed. Get there the best you can.”
The shepherd guides with rod and staff – the rod providing discipline for those who stray from the path – gentle discipline for the good of the individual sheep and the good of the flock. We all need discipline; we all need guidance. Like God’s law, the shepherd’s rules of discipline are intended to guide our relationships – the ways we are to live within the flock in good relationship with one another – to love one another without fear; loving one another with self-giving, self-sacrificing love.
The shepherd’s rod and staff protect us from harm; remaining near and looking toward the shepherd we remain in that powerful self-sacrificing protection.
There are times we lose our footing and fall into rocky ravines; there are times we stray and find ourselves separated from the flock. We are lost, alone, afraid, and surrounded by danger. These are the times that the shepherd leaves the ninety-nine to find the one who is lost. When you are that one, you come to better understand and appreciate the shepherd’s self-sacrificing love. We know that self-giving love as God’s grace. The shepherd, you see, like our all-powerful, all-loving God wants only what is best for us. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep.
For all of these images of shepherding, we could spend the rest of the day offering our memories of our dear sister Dolores fearlessly fulfilling this role of shepherd – as a community activist; as lobbyist for worthy causes – even those that might have seemed to some to be lost causes (the one lost sheep); as a tireless community resource to those greatly marginalized by society; and as a mother through difficult times andat times of great joy and appreciation for loving, healthy, and gifted children; above all, as a faithful witness for the Good News of Jesus Christ. Our sister Dolores just kept being faithful, giving of herself to make a better world for all of us.
In closing, Douglas shared with me a sweet story from his memories as he shuffled through stacks of photos in preparation for this celebration of his mother’s life. There is a photo of proud Mama Dolores who had gathered her reluctant high schooler, roughed-up and grass stained in his football uniform following a big game. The teenage Douglas remembers being embarrassed and maybe a little obnoxious about being corralled into having his picture taken with his mother in this public arena. Now, as he picks up that photo, he is so grateful for her persistence. There in the photo stands the football hero next to his proud mama, whose coat is missing a button.
If we knew Dolores, we knew her through her self-giving love. She was far more concerned for our wellbeing than hers. She would want each of us to pick up that ministry of fearless self-giving love. She would want us to believe and to share the Good News of Jesus Christ who has redeemed us – each of us. Jesus Christ, the only one and true Good Shepherd, laid down his life for us. Jesus Christ went to the grave; Jesus Christ overcame that grave; Jesus Christ rose from that grave.
Our sister Dolores is before the throne of God, worshiping God day and night. With great joy, she is speaking the word of God as revealed to us through the Revelation to John. She understands it all now as we will all understand when we stand before that throne.

You will hunger no more, and thirst no more;
the sun will not strike you,
nor any scorching heat;
for the Lamb at the centre of the throne will be your shepherd,
and he will guide you to springs of the water of life,
and God will wipe away every tear from your eyes.’
The Good Shepherd has laid down his life for us so that we might have everlasting life. Dolores is there before the throne. Thanks be to God.

Romans 8:14-19,34-35,37-39  John 14:1-6

Jesus said, “In my Father’s house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you.  I go to prepare a place for you.”  [John 14:2  KJV]

At this point in John’s Gospel account of the earthly life and ministry of Jesus Christ, Jesus is well aware that his earthly death and departure are growing near. With urgency and earnestness he is seeking to prepare the disciples for the dangers they will encounter in the days to come, to offer comfort and assurance for the uncertainties of their lives without his earthly presence as their leader and teacher; and Jesus is alerting them to their responsibility as apostles to continue the mission and ministry – to carry the Good News of healing and salvation and everlasting life into all the world.  These words are equally alive with meaning for us two centuries later as we encounter grief and uncertainty and the loss of a physical presence so dear to us, looking to Jesus’ promise for comfort and assurance that our dear friend Marylyn has been received into the hospitality of heaven – into the mansion prepared for her by our Savior Jesus Christ.

Marylyn never mentioned burial without insisting that this would be the Gospel lesson she wanted read on this occasion.  Marylyn understood the significance of being made welcome in the mansion that our Lord has prepared for us.

If you visited Marylyn in her home – her mansion in the biblical sense, you experienced the comfort of her hospitality, which for her was instinctive. Hospitality is one of the essential means of practicing our Christian virtues of faith, hope, and love.  Throughout the Bible, we find record of hospitality as an indisputable value within the Judeo-Christian faith.  Think of Abraham and his three mysterious visitors who revealed God’s promise to him and Sarah.  Much like our earliest settlers on the Western prairie, no stranger would be turned away; all would be hailed from afar and welcomed, summoned to enter and find comfort in whatever meager offerings a prairie family might have available.  Hospitality is a crucial element of our Christian relationship.

Arriving at Marylyn’s home, if you can imagine peering in through her front glass door, a visitor would be inescapably drawn into the warmth and comfort of her home.  Inside there would be a warm welcome, a cozy chair, a cool beverage on a hot day or a warm beverage on a cold day, an offer of sustenance, – there was always food available, and most of all, there would be Marylyn’s brilliant heart-warming smile, a hug, and gracious words of greeting and conversation.  I was never fortunate enough to be there on Bridge days, but I can imagine she brought out her finest china and linen – not a matter of being showy or audacious, but a clear signal to her guest of the importance of the visit.  It was clear that she had prepared a place for the welcomed guest.

Marylyn understood the essence of hospitality and gracious welcome – the unconditional expression of welcome to the visitor.  Even when she was beyond any obvious sense of consciousness, she said to Brenda after a particularly long night, “I think you haven’t rested at all.”  Days after, as the vigil continued and the family gathered for the “long haul,” with the tiny bit of breath remaining, she would ask if they had found adequate comfortable sleeping space.

So, standing outside her front door, peering in, one could not resist entering this place of hospitality.  Marylyn understood the essence of hospitality and gracious welcome.

Coordinating the Altar Guild was a natural ministry for Marylyn.  Her sense of hospitality carried through to this sacred ministry.  She was devoted to seeing that the Lord’s Table was set for our weekly celebration of the Holy Eucharist – the outward and visible sign of our Lord’s presence. Entering in the quietude of this sacred space, through her ministry and those of others she has nurtured through the Altar Guild, time and time again, we are drawn into the mystery of the Real Presence of Jesus Christ.   The table is set and our Lord has invited us to come be present with him – to come and partake of his promise of everlasting life.  The invitation is irresistible.

We are here to celebrate the life of Marylyn O’Neal – a child of God, a faithful servant. We are here to celebrate the love and joy that Marylyn brought into our lives; but we are not here becauseof Marylyn; we are here to celebrate because of Jesus Christ; we are here because of his promise; we are here seeking comfort in his promise, just as the disciples sought comfort in his promise of ever-abiding presence.  We are here to celebrate the mansion prepared for Marylyn and for each of us by virtue of the one full and perfect sacrifice.  As Jesus is one with the Father, so we too are one with him.

When Marylyn’s earthly breath left her body, the breath of creation swept her into the mansion prepared for her.  Of course, she didn’t hesitate to enter into the hospitality of heaven.

Nor shall we.  When our time comes, if there is a moment to stand peering into the window of the mansion prepared for us, we will not be able to resist; we will not be able to turn and walk away.  Through that door, there are the arms of mercy; there is the blessed rest of everlasting peace; there is the glorious company of the saints in light; there is Marylyn and all those we love who have gone before us.

Along with the Apostle Paul, we affirm:

“that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come,
Nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.” [Romans 8:38-9]

Jesus said, “If it were not so, I would have told you.  I go to prepare a place for you.”

Wisdom 3:1-5,9,  Psalm 139:1-11, Revelation 21:2-7, John 14:1-6

Grace is truly amazing.  We are here because of the amazing grace – the source of our salvation – the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ.  Grace speaks of all those blessings we receive – the peace and love of God, the fellowship of the Holy Spirit, our salvation in the promise of everlasting life – Grace speaks of all those things that we cannot earn and of which we are not worthy, yet we receive these blessings as children of God by the pure virtue of amazing grace through our faith in Jesus Christ.  We cannot earn grace; it is a gift freely given in love by our Creator. We are here to celebrate grace – the source of our salvation.

And, we are here because of the gift of God’s grace in the human person of our ​amazing Grace – Grace May VanDerveer.  Grace helped us understand the free gift of God’s grace; Grace modeled the free gift of grace; Grace accepted God’s free gift of grace as she shared that gift with us, remaining faithful despite the ups and downs of health and adversity, returning again and again to her ministry, rising above the pitfalls with amazing resilience – all the while giving the full glory to God.  

I met Grace first when she had been hospitalized on my very first Sunday at Advent, September 1, 2013.  As we got to know each other and she shared a bit of her life’s burdens – particularly her daughter Ruth’s terminal illness – I remember being taken aback a bit by the weight of her concerns. Could this white-haired matriarch really shoulder so many burdens so gracefully?  And yet, even there in her hospital bed recovering from a suspected minor stroke, it was clear that she lived by this Gospel message that she selected for her burial, Jesus’ words from the Gospel of John, “Do not let your hearts be troubled.  Believe in God, believe also in me.” 

Grace loved God and knew that she was loved by God.  Grace understood our loving God who wants to please us – his children.  Similarly, Grace understood that when we love someone we are drawn to please them – whether our closest family member or most distant foreigner.  Grace understood that we can give without loving, but we cannot love without giving.  As a manifestation of that love, Grace sought to bring God’s free gift of grace to others, spreading the Gospel message in years of service as military wife and mother and through the ministry of this parish – the choir, the food pantry, the altar guild, the Marthas, the vestry – and ministry beyond the parish through Cursillo, the Girl Scouts, the Red Cross, ForKids, and limitless other missions in numerous worldly locations.

She welcomed the choir, the Girl Scouts, and a steady stream of friends and family into her home for shared meals and hospitality.  Many of you here present have experienced the gracious hospitality of her home and her glorious flower garden.  Grace now is welcomed into the hospitality and beauty of the place prepared for her – her heavenly home as promised by the Lord she loves, more amazing than we can begin to imagine.

Grace understood God’s desire to please us through the free gift of grace.  We receive this gift graciously as Grace has now graciously accepted and received in full the gift of everlasting life.  When someone offers us a gift whether a traditional gift, wrapped in pretty paper and ribbons, or a gift in the form of time and talent, it is hurtful to push it away.  It is hurtful to our Lord when we push away his gift of grace.

Our Grace speaks from her heavenly home to encourage us to receive that gift, to share that gift, to give God the glory for that gift of Amazing Grace.

One of the greatest gifts of life in Christ is to be at peace at the time of our earthly death.  What a great joy it was to visit with Grace in the last days of her life and to experience that great sense of peace as earthly life was transitioning to life everlasting; the source of that peace is God’s free gift of grace.

Grace rests in the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit.  This is the gift of grace freely given to God’s children – the gift that only God can give.  

Gather that gift; live into that gift; experience the Amazing Grace of our salvation through faith in our Lord Jesus Christ.

Burial of Grace VanDerveer