Let Your Light So Shine

It was just a few days before Christmas last year.  Ron, a long-time member of the church, had battled health issues for several years, and finally the battle had come to an end.  Ron passed away.  I cherished my visits with Ron, because he was always so thankful for the visit, and I often felt I had benefited more from the visit than he.  And no matter how he was feeling, we closed every visit with the same words - "God bless you, Ron."  "God bless you too, Pastor."  What beautiful words to hear, knowing that the one sharing these words means what he says.  Even in his final days as he was battling for every breath with an oxygen mask on his face, he never failed to share those words. 

The day came for Ron's funeral at the church.  Just down the road from the church is the church's cemetery.  Ron and his wife had planned for years to be laid to rest surrounded by family members and friends.  The grave had been dug, and following the funeral we were planning to proceed as we always do to the cemetery for a short graveside service.  That was the plan.  But two days of steady rain and more rain that morning caused us to make other plans.  The cemetery was just too wet for the burial, let alone walking from the cars in to the cemetery.  So we decided we would share the words we share at the graveside at the back of the church instead.

In my sermon that day, I recalled how Ron had shared the blessing with me every visit.  I reminded those gathered of the promise God made at Ron's baptism so many years ago - this one belongs to me - marked with the cross of Christ and sealed with the Holy Spirit forever.  I shared the words of Jesus that we often speak at the baptismal font, "Let your light so shine before others, that they may see your good works, and give glory to your Father in heaven (Matthew 5:16)."   

I shared the following story, which you may have heard before:  A young boy about nine-years-old went with his parents to Europe one summer. Part of their tour was visiting the great old cathedrals of the past. As he visited cathedral after cathedral, he saw the massive stained glass portraits of the disciples and of other saints. He was so impressed as he stood in these great, empty halls looking through the beautiful stained glass windows. Upon return, when asked by his Sunday school teacher what he liked the most about the great churches of Europe, he said, "the windows of the saints." She asked what his definition of a saint was. As his mind went back to those massive, beautiful stained glass windows, he said, “A saint is someone God shines light through.”

Ron was one who let God's light shine through.  I was blessed by his blessing.  I was not alone.

As we ended the service, those gathered joined me at the back of the church under the "Good Shepherd" window.  The funeral pall was removed and the flowers placed back on the casket.  I began the service of committal that is usually read at the graveside.  A couple of Bible readings and a prayer, and then the committal and blessing.

"In sure and certain hope of the resurrection to eternal life through our Lord Jesus Christ, we commend to Almighty God our brother Ron, and we commit his body to the ground; earth to earth, ashes to ashes, dust to dust.  The Lord bless him and keep him, the Lord make his face to shine upon him..."

It was at that very moment, I tell you the truth that the three days of rain ceased, and the sunlight streamed down from the window above the casket - the Lord made his face shine upon Ron.  I continued...

"...and be gracious to him, the Lord lift up his countenance upon him, and give him peace.  Amen.  Rest eternal grant him, O Lord, and let light perpetual shine upon him."

 

That is when the sun shone even brighter through the window - people literally gasped.  I was unable to speak because of the lump in my throat.  It was an incredible and awesome moment.  Someone asked me after the service how I did that.  We both knew I had nothing to do with it.  God is good, and God blessed us with that gift.  It was as if God was saying, "I bless you, too, Ron.  Always have, always will." 

 

This Sunday (first Sunday in November) we will remember the saints who have gone before us.  Who are the ones who have let God's light shone through them to you?  Thank God for the saints in our lives!

 

Peace,
Pastor Charlie