I don’t think I’ve ever been to a Catholic mass… until today.
It was a lot of what I expected. It was rich with tradition. It emphasized the holiness and majesty of God. And it was the perfect way to celebrate the life of my Great Uncle Chet.
I knew he had been a teacher and principal. I knew he loved to fish and garden. I knew that (perhaps second only to my grandpa–his brother) he gave the best hugs in the world.
But I didn’t know that he had been baptized a Catholic as an adult. And I didn’t know that he had attended mass regularly, and sat on the right side of that little country Catholic church for many years.
And I didn’t know that during the season of Lent, Catholics refrain from singing the hallelujah. It is part of the long, slow march towards the remembrance of the crucifixion of the Lord.
So, that’s why Father Ron made it a point to explain his choice of song, sung before and after the reading of Scripture at Uncle Chet’s funeral today.
“Hallelujah is not normally sung by Catholics during Lent,” he explained
in his quiet, humble voice, for the benefit of the Protestants also gathered. “We will bring it back in all it’s glory at Easter… but today,” he said with a crack in his voice, “today we sang hallelujah because Chet has gotten to Easter ahead of us. He has experienced the resurrection already.”
It is the essence of the already, but not yet.
Christ is already risen, but we have not yet experienced the resurrection in it’s fullness.
It’s true, we live in a reality much like the long, slow march to the crucifixion. We live in a sometimes dark, often difficult world. But those of us who have put our hope and trust in Christ don’t have to wait to sing hallelujah! We can sing it today.
We can experience it now. We can have hope today. We can rejoice today. and we can worship God today.
And we can live in such a was as to inspire others to do the same.
And I think that’s what Uncle Chet did with his life.
Many years ago when I started attending a new church, I met ‘Grandma Jean’. She was a dear lady in a wheel chair who had the brightest smile and gave the best and sweetest hugs, even for brand new people who happened to say hello.
As I learned more about Gma Jean, I learned of MANY hardships she had endured, both physical (one leg amputated) as well emotional and relational. But those hugs… And that smile!
Resurrection Sunday morning Gma Jean awakened in the presence of Jesus! Oh my! Resurrection Sunday has been a poignant Hallelujah for me ever since!!!
My heart’s desire is to love others with the love of Christ that I learned through Gmail Jean!