“I leave you with peace, so don’t be troubled or afraid."
~ John 14:27
He stunk of stale cigarettes and his
scraggly, hair hung as a tangled mop of mousy grey. Weighing no more than 120 pounds, Eddy was
somewhere in his sixties, but years of living on the street, sleeping on subway
grates or flophouse steps, had taken its toll and his mind and body. Today he was going to do something he hadn’t
done in over four decades.
The concrete steps of the St. Joseph’s Cathedral were still wet
from the morning rain, but he waited on them despite the dampness seeping
through his corduroys. Eddy was going to
church today. Well, technically he was
attending a funeral for a man he barely knew; yet a man whose kindness had
enabled a cup of coffee or an occasional sandwich for as long as he could
remember.
“Jonesy” had greeted Eddy nearly every morning on the walk
to his office with whatever money he pulled from his pocket. His eyes were what struck Eddy the most. They seemed to sparkle with a brilliance that
glowed from deep within his soul. They’d
chat briefly. And Jonesy would always
close with “Have a blessed day my friend,” before continuing on his way.
As people started to arrive, Eddy moved to the shadows. He expected hurtful comments about his
appearance so he waited until the service began before entering. Though there was fear in his chest, there was
none in Eddy’s heart when he took his place in the last pew. He so hoped God would understand.
He was immediately surprised by the joyful demeanor of the
congregation. Beautiful music filled the
air without effort; the sound rushing in and around every person in the room.
The tone was happy rather than mournful, celebratory instead
of somber. Almost no one was dressed in
black. Which struck Eddy as strange,
because at the altar was a wooden coffin containing the lifeless body of a 56-year-old
man.
A few spoke about their relationship with Jonesy. Most, if not all of them, made sure to express
thanks to God.
There was nothing particularly sad or mournful about the scripture
readings either. They seemed to provide
a glimpse into a brighter world, a world where all Christians will be reunited,
where the bonds of love shall be made stronger, never again to be severed.
Maybe there is something to this Christian stuff,
Eddy thought to himself. Not only did
this help soothe the pain of losing his friend, but offered hope for a better
world, knowing he’d see Jonesy again, thank him again, and thank God for the
second chance starting right now.
Thank you Jesus, that the sting of death has
been forever broken by Your resurrection, so that by believing in You, we might
have everlasting life. And remind us
that Christian funerals are a joyful celebration of these glorious truths. Amen
