Bill H

Don’t Be Sad. Nothing Ends Here Today

See video of this funeral
Gospel starts at 12:45
Homily starts at 14:45

Today, we’re here to celebrate. This is not meant to be a sad moment. That doesn’t mean that we can’t be sad. But its not meant to be a sad moment. This is a day that we celebrate the life, the love and this person who lived this wonderful life. And even in death, it was a wonderful death. His life, today we can define the whole thing with one word. And that is love.

He loved his parents, he loved his life, he grew up to love his faith, fell in love with a beautiful young woman. He loved her beyond anything that I can stand before you and explain. But he loved his children, he loved his grandchildren, and he loved, always, to be in his family environment. If it meant that he had to build a swimming pool – he built a swimming pool. If it meant he had to do something else, to make his children’s friends feel welcome at his home, he did because it was at his home that he was able to watch over his little chicks – but not just the little chicks, but the mother hen.

His love of his life, his love of his church, his love of whatever came into his life, always took a second seat to his wife and children. Just an amazing story.  And now, today, we come to say farewell. Not goodbye, because it is not goodbye, because we are going to get to see him again. It’s a great part of being Christian. It’s a great part of who he was. Whenever he lost his wife, he knew to just keep living his life because there was going to come a time when he was able, to once again, run across whatever that looks like. When you go through that gate, and his wife is there, standing beside Jesus, waiting to fold him in her arms. That’s the great part about being Christian is that we know nothing ends here today.

But as you listen to that gospel, that gospel is amazing! This is Jesus telling us about today. And today he sang “Do not let your hearts be troubled”. Bill would say the exact same thing! “Guys, don’t worry about it. It’s going to be okay.” He talks about how we all have an opportunity to go to Heaven – “In my Father’s house there are many dwelling places.” So, we have that opportunity to go, and be with our loved ones from before. But I especially like the fact that He says that “I am going before you.” He doesn’t say goodbye to them, does He? He says, “I’m going ahead.” And why is He going ahead? To prepare a place for us. Which means, again, when He says, “And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back again.” Which means that your Mom, when your Dad passed, your Mom was standing right there beside Jesus, waiting to take him in.

“And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back again and take you to Myself so that where I am, you also may be.” That’s his whole life! When you guys were being born. His whole life was about making sure you guys knew you were welcome back home, anytime. So, we take great pride in that.

And then He says, “Where I’m going, you know the way.” And Thomas – thank God for St Thomas because he says, “I’m sorry, Lord, but I didn’t know you were going any place. How can I know the way?” And Jesus says, “I am the Way, the Truth, and the Life”. And the Way, the Truth and the Life only happens because He was willing to lay down on that cross and accept the sins of all of us. Not just the ones that had been committed just prior to, our sins today went away on that cross. We are forgiven. We have an opportunity to be back with him at some time in the future. Because I’m going to honest with you, not that I want to die any time soon, but I would love to meet your Dad whenever I get there. So, y’all, in your prayers, make sure you remind him to make sure to look for Deacon Kenneth. ‘Cause he’s coming – he’s coming.

But again, Jesus took on all of our sins. And so, as we move forward, we have this great joy in knowing that nothing – nothing – ends here today.