The funeral was held in a Catholic church; moved by the symbols and the rituals of the parishioners, I watched as each man or woman entered the sanctuary, kneeling at the crucifix before entering the pew and then performing the sign of the cross as they took a seat.
One of the priests lit the incense before the guests arrived and the elements of holy sacrament rested beneath pristine linens ready for Communion.
Communion. -the word's origin lies in Latin and Middle English with a literal meaning of common.
1) "a common participation in am mental or emotional experience.."
2) "the sharing or exchanging of intimate thoughts and feelings, especially when the exchange is on a mental or spiritual level."
3) "the service of Christian worship at which bread and wine are consecrated and shared"
While we are thankful that the sharing of intimate thoughts and feelings rests warm and comfortable against our hearts, how sadly we recognize the commonplace of loss.
It makes me hear the words, "Do this in remembrance of me," with completely uncommon ears - not just the breaking of bread - but the breaking of our hearts - do this - when you break - and remember me.
There is beauty when we come together in faith, the words we speak, the songs we sing, the whispers we offer in prayer.
Death may be the common force that separates us - but faith ties us beautifully together, uniting us in communion with one another - in our sadness and in our hope.
#golighttheworld