Today I did something that I haven’t had to do in seven years of priesthood and I would have preferred if I never needed to do it.<\/p>\n
In a little over seven years I have probably done over 180 funerals (some Masses, some services outside Mass, and some simple graveside services).\u00a0 The oldest person\u00a0I ever\u00a0did a service for was 107 years old.\u00a0 Before today the youngest person was in their mid-thirties with the rest all over 45 and most over 60.\u00a0 The younger ones all had health issues for a long time.<\/p>\n
Today I did a funeral for a 17-year-old.\u00a0 A month ago he was a typical 17-year-old but then he was diagnosed with Leukemia.\u00a0 The initial prognosis looked good but in the past two weeks things deteriorated quickly and he passed from this world.<\/p>\n
My Pastoral Associate and I met with his parents on Thursday to plan the funeral.\u00a0 It was not an easy time but it was a grace filled time.\u00a0 Yesterday (Friday) my day started with daily Mass and then a funeral for a 94-year-old woman followed by a couple of emergency anointings.\u00a0 About 3:30 pm I finally sat down to write the homily for today’s funeral of the 17-year-old.\u00a0 It was the most difficult funeral homily I have ever written (even more\u00a0than for my own grandfather and mother).<\/p>\n
Knowing it would be difficult I began with a prayer for God’s help and then looked over the readings his parents had selected and my notes.\u00a0 I knew I did not have an answer as to why God allowed this to happen. I did not know what to say.\u00a0 I haven’t experienced a loss like this in my own family.\u00a0 As I began to actually write the homily I said another prayer asking for God to give me the right words to say.\u00a0 Before long the homily was done and shortly after I left the office.<\/p>\n
With the funeral at 10 am I arrived in the office about 7:45 this morning to tweak the homily and do a few other things. After tweaking the homily, I tried to do some other work but found myself too anxious. By 8:30 I went over to church to putter getting things ready for the funeral and to\u00a0pray for God’s grace to help me.\u00a0 At times during the funeral I was feeling very emotional but made it through.<\/p>\n
A couple of people told me that I did a good job.\u00a0 I don’t know.\u00a0 I already said I don’t know why God allows things like Leukemia. What I do know is that if it was a good homily and funeral, it is because of God’s guidance through the Holy Spirit.\u00a0 All I did was try to listen.<\/p>\n
Peace,<\/p>\n
Fr. Jeff<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Today I did something that I haven’t had to do in seven years of priesthood and I would have preferred if I never needed to do it. In a little over seven years I have probably done over 180 funerals (some Masses, some services outside Mass, and some simple graveside services).\u00a0 The oldest person\u00a0I ever\u00a0did …<\/p>\n