THE GLOBE
PO BOX 5079 (51102)
1825 JACKSON ST.
SIOUX CITY, IA (51105)
712.255.2550
800.352.9035
WWW.CATHOLICGLOBE.ORG

Reflecting at a funeral
Great hope and promise in eternal life

By Father Dennis Meinen
View from the scooter

Are your grandparents living? If one or both have died, how long were they married? Recently I celebrated a funeral Mass for a resident named Ed. His wife Edna was there and her pensive gaze made me wonder how the past few days and years had affected her.

They were married for 69 years, 9 months, and 10 days. Edna and Ed were married at St. Jean Catholic Church in Sioux City on Saturday, Aug. 19, 1939. I mused on their wedding ceremony. First the priest asked Ed, “Do you take Edna as your lawful wife, to have and to hold, from this day forward, for better or for worse, for richer or for poorer, in sickness and in health, to love and cherish until death do you part?" Then he asked the same questions of Edna. Sixty-nine years ago there was one difference. They were asked if they would “obey.” (One lady told me she never heard that word! Her husband said it was because the priest was talking in Latin.)

Now I went back 27 years to Ed’s baptism and talked about symbols. There are three symbols that were used during the funeral Mass that were also present at Ed's baptism. Holy water was used to bless his casket to remind us of the waters of his baptism. The white cloth which was placed on his coffin reminds us of his baptismal garment signifying that he was in baptism "putting on Christ." And the Easter Candle, which was also present at Ed’s Baptism, is symbolic of the Risen Christ, for at his Baptism, Ed entered into the death and Resurrection of our Lord. In using them the Church reminds us that it is the reality of our baptism that gives to each of us, to Ed, the hope of Everlasting Life and a claim to Heaven, with all the Saints and angels, with Mary, the Mother of God, all gathered around God's Heavenly throne.

There is another symbol, which was used a little later in this funeral Mass, and that was incense. Incense is symbolic of our offerings and prayers. It is used to honor Ed's body which St. Paul said was a temple of the Holy Spirit during life and was created in God's image. Incense shows our deep respect and reverence for God who created Ed. It's burning signifies our zeal and fervor to serve God, its rising smoke, our prayers ascending to God, the grains of incense personify each of us being poured out and consumed as we serve the Lord.

The Gospel for this funeral Mass was the Beatitudes. It should give us great hope and promise in Eternal Life as we think of our grandparents, especially the Beatitude, “Blessed are they who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be satisfied.”