Monday, January 5, 2009

Celebrations of Life

I attended two very different celebrations of life on Friday and Saturday. Friday I attended the funeral of a friend's husband who could no longer face life and so took his own. On Saturday I attended the wedding of a beautiful young couple.

The priest who celebrated the funeral mass reminded us that it was the beginning of his eternal life. At the funeral friends told stories of the joy his family brought him and sang songs he loved.

The priest who celebrated the Nuptial Mass reminded us that the couple were together now until parted by death. At the wedding friends told stories of when the bride and groom met and the band played songs from high school and we danced.

At the funeral tears of sadness were shed as memories were recalled .
At the wedding tears of joy were shed as memories were created.

At the funeral the children were reminded of their father's love.
At the wedding the couple were reminded that their love would bring forth children.

At both, endings were mourned and new beginnings rejoiced over, focused on the true presence of Jesus in the Eucharist and that our faith is all we have in the beginning and in the end.

I never thought two seemingly dissimilar events were at all similar, but they are because of Christ and the Father's infinite love for us.

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