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Some there are who by their living lift us to a higher plane…
Some there are who by their loving lead us far beyond our fears…
Some there are who by their dying draw us closer to the Light…
Thanks to God for those inviting us to live more faithfully…
- First lines of the verses for “Some There Are Who By Their Living”
By the time I met Mary, she could not speak anymore. ALS (AKA Lou Gehrig’s disease) had taken the use of her vocal cords, and lip and tongue control. She would carry around a note pad with her and write what she wanted to say, but even writing was difficult at times because of the loss of fine motor control. So, she didn’t say much. However, that does not mean she didn’t communicate. She could communicate very effectively with her expressions, nods or shakes of the head, and just signaling.
More than that, Mary communicated with her very life. She was the embodiment of that saying commonly attributed to St. Francis, “Preach the gospel at all times, use words if necessary.” Her smile, hugs, and her generosity spoke volumes, along with her encouragement, hopefulness, and vitality! Mary continued to volunteer at the hospital long after she lost her ability to speak; she continued to share her life with everyone she knew.
Mary’s death coincided with the birth of our second son, Mattai. She died a week before he was born. Lori and I had planned to have our baby at home, surrounded by big brother, Toviel, and some very close friends who were there to help take care of things while Lori was doing all the work and I was cheering.
What struck me, and probably why I still hold Mary’s death and Mattai’s birth together in my head is that she died at home just like Mattai was born at home. In the same way no one really knows when a birth will happen, none of us really know exactly when death will occur. So, both a birth at home and a death at home take extra planning and care. Just as Mattai was born surrounded by family and friends, Mary died surrounded by her family and a few very close friends.
The thing is her death was not a moment of hopelessness. Sure, it was sad and there was grief. However, it was also a moment of great celebration. As she died, her family sang to her: They sang “You Are My Sunshine” and “Amazing Grace”, among other songs secular and sacred,
and they said the Lord’s Prayer. Mary met her death with courage and faith and joy that spilled out into her family who met her death with songs of love and life. A week later, Mattai was born to similar smiles and songs of family and friends.
One of my favorite hymns in the Chalice Hymnal is number 648, “Some There Are Who By Their Living”. It reminds me of Mary and so many others who have shown me how to live and even how to die well. The community of faith, the Saints of God, teach us by their living, loving, and
dying to strive to be faithful; to live as those who are set apart for gospel purposes.
On Sunday, November 6 we will celebrate the Saints of God who have gone on before us. We will also remember that we have opportunities each day, you and I, to demonstrate in our life, love, and even when the moment comes: death all the faithfulness and generosity to which we are called. We can be ourselves as people made in the image of God!
Shalom,
Pastor Owen
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