Easter: death and resurrection

Do not ask for whom the bell tolls.

Let there be no wailing at the bar.

Yea though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death.

Is life but the valley between our existence as souls? Does that shadow of what is to come enter our daily existence? No, it is such a surprise. Unexpected death at age of 91. Although  have to credit both my parents for their death prep. Yes, preplanned prepaid funeral plans. Special instructions. Mother gave me an envelope marked “Keep for death”. Or something like that. Had some nice quotes. Then my dad called me over about 5 Weeks before his death to tell me he would be going soon. Not eminently but soon. Had me write down his list of assets. I scoffed. And then he was gone. But so organized with nicely labeled files. And in the funeral plan folder was a handwritten note from my lovely mother. What death meant to her. Such a comfort and we used it in his funeral as a reading and so did Gerry when her mom passed a month later .
I watched both my parents take their last breath. It was so peaceful. And they both looked at peace and young. My mother’s face looked like she was 20. My dad’s face did the same. We asked the death doctor and he said it had to do with fluids. I like to think  it was because they were free from the bonds of this life and looking into the face of God. Peace be with you, my Peace I give to you. 

On this Good Friday Eve I am thinking about how Jesus was betrayed, beaten, nailed to a cross and left to die.

 Life can be really hard, so hard that the in Lord’s Prayer we ask to not be led into temptation and to be delivered from evil.

I thought this Lenten season had been lost to me: I didn’t give up anything, made no sacrifices, didn’t even make it to church on Palm Sunday. But I realized I have spent the last 40 days in a desert, feeling orphaned by the deaths around me, by the loss of my dad, my next door neighbor, my city Council person and by others who have retired or changed jobs. But then I remembered. The stone rolls away. In those very darkest hours when all is lost and all hope is gone, the stone rolls away. 

So to all of you I wish you a joyous Easter as we celebrate the promise of the Risen Christ.