This week, I had the opportunity to do the graveside service for a person I hadn’t met. Here’s a bit of what I said.

+++

On Jesus’ last night, he was talking to his followers. The disciples.

Here’s part of what he said:

“As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you. Now remain in my love. If you keep my commands, you will remain in my love, just as I have kept my Father’s commands and remain in his love. I have told you this so that my joy may be in you and that your joy may be complete. My command is this: Love each other as I have loved you. Greater love has no one than this: to lay down one’s life for one’s friends. You are my friends if you do what I command. 

What’s clear to me is that L—, and each of us, is loved by God and valued by God.

We each have our own life.
We each have the opportunity to love God and to love each other.

In all the complicated things that people do with the Bible, and do to others in the name of God, there is this simple invitation from Jesus on the night before he died.

If you love me, keep my commandments. And here’s my commandment. Love one another.

When I read through the obituary,
the things you said she loved to do involved other people. Games. Dancing. Caregiving.
It’s living with an awareness of other people.
And finding some delight, some meaning, in community.

That’s at the heart of those words from God.

Now, of course, we don’t do that caring all the time.
And often, not very well.
But it’s what we’re called to move toward.

And it’s what we have hope in for times like this.

If we want to know what God cares about, it’s people.
Every time.
He cares for us, cares about us, is with us.
Even in times of grief and sadness.
Like this.

Not to fix things. Especially like we would fix them.
But to be with us. Now and always.

Amen.

+++

When I’m doing a funeral, or a related kind of service, I usually start with Giving a Life Meaning: How to Lead Funerals, Memorial Services, and Celebrations of Life. I wrote it to describe what I do; others have found it helpful.