Thoughts for the Day

But we do not want you to be uninformed, brothers and sisters, about those who have died, so that you may not grieve as others do who have no hope. For since we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so, through Jesus, God will bring with him those who have died. For this we declare to you by the word of the Lord, that we who are alive, who are left until the coming of the Lord, will by no means precede those who have died. For the Lord himself, with a cry of command, with the archangel’s call and with the sound of God’s trumpet, will descend from heaven, and the dead in Christ will rise first. Then we who are alive, who are left, will be caught up in the clouds together with them to meet the Lord in the air; and so we will be with the Lord for ever. Therefore encourage one another with these words.

(Lectionary, New Revised Standard Version)

Thoughts

As a child our life seems to lie ahead with no end in sight. It seems like an eternity before we become an adult, never mind reach retirement age. The heady days of our twenties seem never-ending - those days before we need to become serious about work and family. But suddenly mortgages and babysitting issues take over, and after that pension-pots and university fees for the kids are discussed. Before we know it we are looking back rather than forward. Life is not an eternity, but more a nano-second in eternity.

The Christians in the new Church at Thessalonica expect Jesus to return at any moment, and that He will gather His faithful to Himself. They are worried what will happen to those who have already died before His Second Coming. Paul says they are not to be as those who have no faith and he then draws a picture of what might happen. Again, in his letter to the Corinthians he says that 'we shall all be changed' (1 Corinthians 15.50-52). We have to leave our perishable bodies behind. In the meantime he tells the Thessalonians we are to live in hope, since the bond between those who loved the Lord Jesus in life cannot be broken by their death.

This means that funerals for Christians, though sad on a personal level, should be times of positive celebration. This favourite commendation from the prayer book says it all:

• Go forth from this world:
  in the love of God the Father who created you,
  in the mercy of Jesus Christ who redeemed you
  in the power of the Holy Spirit who strengthens you.
  May the heavenly host sustain you
  and the company of heaven enfold you.
  In communion with all the faithful,
  may you dwell this day in peace. Amen.
  (Common Worship)

Heavenly Father,
Your Apostle Paul taught us that those who believe in
Your Son, our Lord Jesus Christ,
and in His promises
cannot be separated from Him by death.
Increase our hope when friends or loved ones die -
that You have gathered them to Yourself.
And strengthen our trust in Your plans for our future.
Amen.