This past week, Former President George H.W. Bush was laid to rest. I don’t recall watching the funeral of any other president, but timing was such that I was able to watch this one.
And maybe it’s because of that. Or maybe it’s because we’ve canceled worship services the past two Sundays due to weather. Or maybe it’s because of something else entirely. But I found myself fully participating in this service, not just observing, but fully participating. I found myself feeling all kinds of emotions … love, admiration, pride, grief, assurance … and weeping through all of them. I guess you could say that I lost myself, I forgot about myself and everything else, in the midst of the scriptures, eulogies, message, and prayers. And in the process, I found myself worshiping our God as well. I thanked God for the life of this man, and for his love for his family, his friends, his country, and his God. If the intent of worship is to let go of our self in order to give our self over to God, well then, mission accomplished. And in this season of Advent, as we recognize and embrace the Holy Darkness even as we await and prepare for the Light of Christ to come at Christmas, I’m sure to be reflecting for quite some time on the scriptures, imagery, and stories shared at a particular funeral. And the reference of “a thousand points of light” given to us by a man who loved God and loved people. Grace and peace … --Pastor Pat
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