When death comes unexpectedly and tragically to us, we are always filled with questions. Why does this happen? What takes place for our loved ones when they die? What takes place for us when we die? St. Paul wrote to the fledgling Church in Corinth in the early years of Christianity to deal with these questions that arise asking what happens when people die, questions not a whole lot different from those we still ask today.  Paul turned his people’s attention to Jesus, the Son of God and the one who saves us from death. He spoke of the power of Jesus resurrection from the dead and in particular he spoke of the ways that Jesus’ resurrection can help us as we try to understand and live our lives.

 He says that the resurrection of Jesus, who had lain lifeless and dead in the tomb, has such great power that in fact it has swallowed up death, to use his words. He writes the famous saying: since Jesus defeated death itself, then“Where, O death, is your victory? Where, O death, is your sting?”

 Death seems to us to be unstoppable and we have no power at all to prevent it. Nonetheless, St. Paul clearly challenges the complete power that death seems to have over us and over those people whom we love. Yet at the same time he also acknowledges that death disrupts every one of our lives at some time or other.

 When I received the news that Fr. Raymond had been killed in a car accident the news was almost like a physical shock. The reality of death was right there, it was stark, it was powerful and it immediately created a sense of deep and sudden emptiness. Fr. Raymond was a good priest, a good pastor, faithful to his work and devoted to his Church. He carried with him a joyfulness that pervaded what he did; a gentle humour that brightened those around him. Now all of this was gone. Where once there was vitality, energy and a joyful love, now there was a very real and deep feeling of emptiness.

 The words of the Book of Lamentations give clear expression of these feelings which wash around us when we experience grief:  “My soul is bereft of peace; I have forgotten what happiness is; The thought of my affliction … is wormwood and gall! My soul continually thinks of it and is bowed down within me.”

 The death of someone we know and respect, someone who has been an important part of our life, brings us face to face with the reality of death in a very personal way. We shrink from death; to some degree or other we are afraid of death, both our own and the death of those we love. 

 We are intimidated by its power, for none of us will escape. We feel its sting when we lose those we respect and love. And sometimes we see only darkness for we do not know what lies beyond death, wondering at times, perhaps, if indeed if there is anything. This is our human condition. The one thing that is certain is that we die; as St. Paul said: what is mortal cannot put on immortality. In other words, what dies, dies.

 

But does that mean that we will perish in death? Does that mean that death is simply and utterly the end?

 We who have been given the gift of the Christian faith look to Jesus for the answers to these great and deep questions of life. Jesus is the Son of God, but he is also as human as you and I are. We know that Jesus suffered death: he was crucified, died and he was buried.

 But then death had no further power over him, and death could not hold him, death could not keep him enshrouded in its darkness. And, with the brilliance of the dawning Easter day, Jesus rose from the dead, fully alive, never to die again. Jesus rose with a new life which death had no power to destroy.

 Fr. Raymond was born into that new life on the day he was baptized. I believe in this very church.  Throughout all the years of his priesthood, he celebrated the sacrament of baptism for more people than he would want to count.  On each of those days he saw mothers hold their children in their arms as his mother held him in her arms and your mother and my mother held us in their arms and in their strong faith we know that they felt joy as they saw the hope of eternal life shine on their infant child.

 Through the power of Jesus’ Resurrection, given to him through the spiritual power of his Baptism, Fr. Raymond began to live the same life that Jesus, risen from the dead, lives now. Through his priesthood he brought to new birth, time after time, those who through the waters of baptism which he poured forth, began to live the life of Jesus, risen from the dead, gloriously and fully alive for ever.

 It is this life he lives now in its fullness. Throughout his life he lived his life with faith that this new life of God which breathed within him would bring him into a life that would be life to the full, and it would be life forever. He proclaimed the Good News of the Gospel that Jesus spoke to Martha when he said:

“I am the resurrection and the life. Those who believe in me, even though they die, will live,

and everyone who lives and believes in me will never die. Do you believe this?”

 Father Raymond believed in Jesus. We believe in Jesus. And we believe what Jesus said to Martha. Throughout his priestly life Fr. Ray shared this faith, he proclaimed this faith, that through the power of Jesus’ resurrection we all who believe in Jesus will live forever in the bright love of God.  That faith gave Fr. Ray hope, and that faith gives us hope.

 Jesus said that it is the will of God the Father that whoever sees the Son and believes in him will have eternal life. That’s why we can say: where, O Death is your victory, where, O Death is your sting.

 So we see now why St. Paul as he neared the end of his life, could say:  As for me, I am already being poured out as a libation, and the time of my departure has come. I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. From now on there is reserved for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, will give me on that day,

 I know that Fr. Ray was a man of deep and sincere faith and I believe that he too could honestly say “I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith” and now that the time of my departure has come I know that there is nothing but great beauty and great happiness waiting for me.

 It is our belief that, as the prayer of the Church states, we will joyfully meet again after death. On the day of Fr. Ray’s baptism, his parents knew that from that moment on, nothing would ultimately separate them from their child. That is our faith also. That belief gives us purpose and  hope in our lives. May we also find security in this great hope and assurance as we live our lives with faith in the words and promise of Jesus, who is for us, the Resurrection and the Life, now and forever.

793(13)            John (11: 17-27)

 A reading from the Holy Gospel according to John.

When Jesus arrived,

he found that Lazarus had already been in the tomb four days.

Now Bethany was near Jerusalem,

some two miles away,

and many of the Jews had come to Martha and Mary

to console them about their brother.

 

When Martha heard that Jesus was coming,

she went and met him, while Mary stayed at home.

Martha said to Jesus, “ Lord, if you had been here,

my brother would not have died.

But even now I know that God will you give you whatever you ask of him.”

Jesus said to her, “ your brother will rise again.”

 

Martha said to him,

“ I know that he will rise again in the resurrection on the last day.”

Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life.

Those who believe in me,

 even though they die, will live,

and everyone who lives and believes in me will never die.

Do you believe this?”

 

She said to him,

“Yes, Lord, I believe that you are the Messiah,

 the Son of God, the one coming into the world.”

 

The gospel of the Lord.

789(5)  Lamentations (3: 17-26)

 

 

A reading from the book of Lamentations.

 

My soul is bereft of peace;

I have forgotten what happiness is;

so I say, “ Gone is my glory,

and all that I had hoped for from the Lord.”

 

The thought of my affliction and my homelessness

is wormwood and gall!

My soul continually thinks of it

and is bowed down within me.

 

But this I call to mind, and therefore I have hope:

The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases,

his mercies never come to an end;

they are new every morning;

great is your faithfulness.

“ The Lord is my portion,” says my soul,

“therefore I will hope in him.”

 

The Lord is good to those who wait for him,

to the soul that seeks him.

It is good that one should wait quietly

for the salvation of the Lord.

 

The word of the Lord.

790(9)  1 Corinthians (15: 51-57)

A reading from the first letter of Paul to the Corinthians.

 

Listen, I will tell you a mystery!

We will not all die, but we will all be changed,

in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet.

For the trumpet will sound,

and the dead will be raised imperishable,

and we will be changed.

 

For this perishable body must put on imperishability,

and this mortal body must put on immortality,

then the saying that is written will be fulfilled:

“Death has been swallowed up in victory.”

“Where, O death, is your victory.

Where, O death, is your sting?”

The sting of death is sin,

and the power of sin is the law.

But thanks be to God,

who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. 

 

The word of the Lord.