Funeral homily (Lam 3:22-26, 31-33; Ps 121; Rev 21:2-7; Ps 23; Jn 6:37-40)

The fundamental fear that every human being eventually faces comes from mortality, human finitude, or simply put, death. Death produces lots of thoughts and feelings, which we consider unpleasant and negative. If I name a few, they are anxiety, fear, sadness, sorrow, and grief. I would say any kind of death would evoke such thoughts and feelings, but when it comes down to our loved ones, its depth is so much deeper, almost leaving a wound that makes us grieve for a while. And this morning, as we celebrate and remember the life of E, we also mourn and grieve for her loss.

I’ve never had a chance to meet her in person, but one aspect of her life that stands out to me is that she was a mother of seven children: E, J, K, C, K, A, and R. Being a mother, as we know, is not simply a matter of giving birth to a baby. Out of all kinds of things that a mother can do for her baby, there’s one crucial fact and truth that only the mother can provide. That is, becoming a home to her baby. If we reflect on English words such as womb and home, we can easily hear how these two words sound similar to each other. Every human being’s first home is a mother’s womb. So, every mother’s vocation begins quite early in her womb being a home to her baby. In this sense, E became the very first home to her seven children.

There’s an interesting word play between womb and compassion in Hebrew. The Hebrew word, ‘rechem’ means womb. When this singular word becomes plural, which is ‘rachamim,’ its meaning changes to compassion. If we use this word play in our second reading, where St John the Evangelist hears the loud voice from the throne, “See, the home of God is among mortals,” the home of God can be understood as the womb of God. And this womb of God incarnate is Jesus of Nazareth. He is the divine compassion becoming flesh. And in this divine home of compassion Jesus brings to the world, death becomes a path to the way of the resurrection, not the end of everything.

In this divine home incarnate in Jesus, no one is lost. Jesus raises up all, including all our loved ones who have gone before us, especially E. With sorrow, grief, and tears in our eyes, Jesus brings hope, joy, and wipes every tear from your eyes. Let us listen to what Jesus speaks to us this morning, “See, I am making all things new. It is done! I am the Alpha and the Omega, the beginning and the end. To the thirsty I will give water as a gift from the spring of the water of life. Those who conquer will inherit these things, and I will be their God and they will be my children.” And to this promise of Jesus, we say, “The Lord is my portion, therefore I will hope in him.” And we will hope for the resurrection in which we are united together with E in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.