Ruth Cleaver, 12/7/17
Ecclesiastes 1:1-8
Psalm 23
John 6:37-40
In the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Amen.
You are here today because you knew Ruth Cleaver. Or, perhaps, because you know her family. By the time she reached the age of 90, Ruth had touched many lives, and was deeply loved. When I met Ruth for the first time, it was the day before she passed away. She knew she was dying, and she was at peace with it.
As I held Ruth’s hand that day, I asked her if I could anoint her with oil and pray for her, and she said yes. But she wanted me to know where she stood on a visit from a priest. She looked at me, and then over at Nancy, and then said to me, “I’m . . . a realist.” I knew what she meant, and just kept holding her hand. But she let me pray for her anyway. Maybe it was because it meant something to her family. Or maybe because it meant something to me. Or maybe because she figured it couldn’t hurt. But I am fully aware that she didn’t have to accept my feeble prayers or the smudge of oil on her forehead. And yet, she did. And I know it is an intimate honor that she allowed me into her space at such a transitional moment.
In the gospel reading we just heard, from John, Jesus says, “this is the will of him who sent me, that I should lose nothing of all that he has given me, but raise it up on the last day.” In Baptism, Ruth was given to Jesus, and Jesus has promised not to lose what is his. Ruth was a realist. And Ruth was baptized. A realist who was claimed as God’s own forever.
As we go through life, we all become disillusioned about some things. I know from firsthand experience that it is easy to find ourselves giving up on God, either because of what we experience in life, or sometimes because of what we experience in the Church. But, what matters is that God does not give up on us. God’s love is relentless and will chase us down. And when we think we have let go of God’s hand, we find that we are still safely nestled in the palm of God’s hand, the very place we have been all along. We do not hold onto God: God holds us.
Jesus says, “this is the will of him who sent me, that I should lose nothing of all that he has given me, but raise it up on the last day.”
Amen
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Dear Father George,
ReplyDeleteThank you for coming to Afinity Hospital, meeting with my mom, praying with us and for your lovely sermon after her death. You were so kind and really seemed to understand the kind of woman mom was. My sisters and I truly appreciate how gracious and kind you were to all of us during this most difficult time in our lives. However, I want you to know that I especially loved what you said at the end of the sermon....
"As we go through life, we all become disillusioned about some things. I know from firsthand experience that it is easy to find ourselves giving up on God, either because of what we experience in life, or sometimes because of what we experience in the Church. But, what matters is that God does not give up on us. God’s love is relentless and will chase us down. And when we think we have let go of God’s hand, we find that we are still safely nestled in the palm of God’s hand, the very place we have been all along. We do not hold onto God: God holds us."
That last line will stay with me for the rest of my life. It brought me comfort & peace for mom and a renewed faith in my understanding of the life ever after. Thank you again on behalf of myself, my sisters and entire family. Nancy Jobe
Dear Father George,
ReplyDeleteThank you for coming to Afinity Hospital, meeting with my mom, praying with us and for your lovely sermon after her death. You were so kind and really seemed to understand the kind of woman mom was. My sisters and I truly appreciate how gracious and kind you were to all of us during this most difficult time in our lives. However, I want you to know that I especially loved what you said at the end of the sermon....
"As we go through life, we all become disillusioned about some things. I know from firsthand experience that it is easy to find ourselves giving up on God, either because of what we experience in life, or sometimes because of what we experience in the Church. But, what matters is that God does not give up on us. God’s love is relentless and will chase us down. And when we think we have let go of God’s hand, we find that we are still safely nestled in the palm of God’s hand, the very place we have been all along. We do not hold onto God: God holds us."
That last line will stay with me for the rest of my life. It brought me comfort & peace for mom and a renewed faith in my understanding of the life ever after. Thank you again on behalf of myself, my sisters and entire family. Nancy Jobe