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Funeral for Claire Louise Brophy
Macquarie Park Cemetery
November 1, 2017
John 14:1-3
‘A means of mourning'’
There are a number of phrases in our gospel we might underline. Not to escape our grief but as a means of facing it, living through it, as a means of mourning the one we love.
Of course, our hearts are in turmoil. “Don’t let your hearts be troubled” can mean don’t doubt the goodness of relationship, the truth of our being for one another. Without denying the pain or simplifying the grieving process at all, we might affirm hearts that hurt as hearts that work.
Keep your heart safe, protect it from bitterness.
“You have faith in God” if you have faith in love – if you believe in love over hate, love over fear, and love as a way of change, growth, strength, healing, openness.
“In God’s house there are many dwelling places” speaks of diversity. There are many ways to live and love. Today we honour Claire’s faith and courage, Claire’s boldness and gentleness; her striving and hoping, her generosity, persistence, passion. Her love for the sun and the water, the flowers and trees. Her love for her children.
When Jesus speaks of coming back and of taking us with him, we might hear a commitment to mercy and to inclusivity. Salvation is not, for Jesus, an individual affair. And faith is not passive praise of Jesus but engaged/active praise – waiting, hoping, discerning together the time for rising – responding to the crucified and risen Christ who says, “No vengeance, no violent scapegoating/blaming/shaming, but more and more vulnerable and perceptive life in the Spirit of compassion.”
“Where I am” means the place of compassion and freedom, the power of love. “Where I am” means wherever there is creativity, wherever there is kindness, wherever there is resistance to cruelty. If we say that “where I am” means the heart of God, we mean never, never to underestimate creativity and kindness.
It’s true for Jesus and it’s true for “you as well”.
There are a number of phrases in our gospel we might underline today. Not to escape our grief but as a means of owning it, moving through it, as a means of mourning Claire, the mum, daughter, sister, friend we love more than we can know or say. Amen.