Matthew 11:28-30
“Come to me, all you that are weary and are carrying heavy burdens, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me; for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.” Mt 11:28-30
I am never quite sure when the transition happens, but rarely have I walked alongside someone nearing death and failed to realize that they were the one bringing comfort into my life. Maybe it happens when we realize how desperately we avoid death, the lengths we go in order to pretend it won’t reach us. Walking along side someone facing death so often becomes a gift, a chance to overcome a fear which eats away at too many of life’s wonderful experiences.
As has happened so many times in the past, Carol gave that gift. She was grateful for the treatments initiated out of the hope it might provide a little more time, and she hoped and prayed for more time. But, as is so often the case, she is the one who spoke the words which brought comfort and peace into discussions about life and death.
Carol left us a list of scripture readings and an even longer list of songs. Unwilling to choose, we are trying to read all of the lessons and have Charlie play the hymns we won’t be able to sing. The Gospel lesson she requested are those brief words from Matthew, Chapter 11.
“Come to me, all you that are weary…… Take my yoke… and learn from me; you will find rest for your souls.
Life does tend to make us weary. Some of that is the simple necessity of staying alive – work, house-hold maintenance. Another part of it is navigating our way among others – relationships with neighbors, friends, companions. There is also the wearisome work associated with our devotion to spouse and family. We do take this on willingly, but it does wear on us. Surely more so when the one we love develops a crippling disease.
Walking alongside someone who is losing their ability to pretend death is a stranger, there are moments when death is seen in the ways so often repeated at funerals. A “blessed rest,” an “eternal rest.” A “well deserved rest” is surely true for one who has cared so deeply for one whom they loved so fully.
I think this is what we learn, when we take on that yoke. I have come to realize that this is the vision which takes hold in the heart and mind and eventually works its way into the words spoken by one who knows what is it like to have their strength renewed.
Carol knew she was dying. Surely this is why she wrote on her list of scripture
that passage from 2 Timothy: “As for
me, I am already being poured out…. I
have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith… “The time for my departure has come.”
I will not assume that everyone of Carol’s travel companions experienced a calming as the end drew near. What I will do is encourage you to hear Carol’s words to you in the lessons she asked us to read this afternoon.
And not only in the lessons. But also, in the hymns. Among her stack of things to give the pastor was the hymn, “Peace Be to this Congregation.” Carol wanted it sung – as a gift to all of us. We thought we knew the tune but didn’t. We are grateful to Julie Gibson who will sing it for us.
I will not assert that everyone of Carol’s travel companions experienced a calming as the end drew near, but I will assert that peace of heart is what she wanted most to leave behind; that this is what she wanted us to experience as we gathered to celebrate her life and thank her God for welcoming her into her eternal home.
Amen.
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