On the Way

 

Louise Hively Funeral - May 30, 2013

The Rev. Kenneth R. Elkin

 

From the little bit that I know, I gather that Louise was a venturesome person, one who was eager to use her facility with languages in meeting people and traveling.

It is pleasing to have the opportunity and the desire to go beyond the classroom where she served for so many years and to do so many different things.

When any of us have such opportunities, we should ask if there is any point to all of the travel and activity.

Is it busy-ness without aim?

Are we headed anywhere in particular?

Is the whole of our life just aimless wandering?

 

One of the reasons that we gather this day is to remind each other in the context of God's promises, that we are not engaged in a pointless meander.

We are on a journey with both an origin and a goal.

even if we do not know all of the twists and turns of our journey, we still do know how it will turn out.

 

Sometimes when driving through Pennsylvania's mountains, when one reaches the crest of one mountain, the driver can see where the road reaches the top of the next mountain.

What the driver may not be able to see is all of the twists and turns, bridges, dangers, and wildlife that must be negotiated before one reaches that next peak.

Now, using that word-picture  for a moment, the first crest on our trip is Holy Baptism.

That is where and when the reason and purposes of our life-journey are announced to us:

and they include...

--to praise God for his continuing blessings.

--to know that we travel where Christ has prepared the way.

--to be assured that the outcome is secure.

--to have confidence that the goal is full communion with the Lord Jesus Christ in community with his whole gathered people.

--to share all of this with everyone around us in as many ways as are revealed to us, so that they join us on the way with joy and gladness.

 

That is what got started when Louise was baptized long years ago.

What has her journey been like across the years?

In the months since her death, those who have known her have likely been thinking about some of those things where you have personal knowledge.

--the happy times, and difficult circumstances,

--her years of teaching in the Abingdon schools, and the volunteer years of making children's clothes;

--her enjoyment of travel in so many countries,

--her friendships, and all the rest of the things that you know and I do not.

 

To help us keep it all in perspective, and so that we do not get lost along the way, Christians gather as often as we can as the church family, and especially at the Holy Communion.

That special time gives us food for the journey,

food that reminds us where we started out, in God's determination to be God for us,

food that is given in anticipation of the Great heavenly Banquet which will be the joy of all eternity.

 

Holy Communion is like a pause on a trip to climb a tree in order to get one's bearings.

“Oh yes, now I see whee we are going.”

 

In the lessons and hymns today there are a bunch of “on the way” images.

These images are available for our encouragement , because even though Louise's journey is complete, ours still continues.

She does not have to worry about hunger or thirst, because she is fully now at the banquet table that lacks nothing good.

Those are good things to remember in the midst of feelings of loss.

The journey is complete for her, and all that she had is left for us to use as our journey continues.

The most precious thing, as Paul says is the knowledge of the love of God, which calls us and sustains us all along the way.

So our prayers are made this day with joy as well as in sorrow:

Thank you God, for the life of Louise and all of the ways in which she touched the lives of those gathered here.

 

Thank you God that her journey is now complete.

Thank you  God, for the gifts that she has passed on to us.

Thank you God, for making traveling companions for her.

Thank you God, for the gift of life now, and life to come.

 

and most especially...

Thank you God for Jesus, who calls us together and connects us with each other through himself.  Amen.