Matthew 6:20-21 “But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moths and vermin do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.”
I have never received much comfort from funerals. One of the moments I dread most is the eulogy. I understand the difficulty in choosing appropriate words that both capture the spirit of the deceased and offer comfort. But I often wonder how some ministers get so much wrong or why they choose to add to the suffering of mourners.
My father’s eulogy was an exception. The priest mostly cribbed his remarks from an obituary written by my nephew but delivered his words with genuine warmth and compassion. He opened a peaceful space in my heart, and I am very grateful for that.
The priest himself must have been in his eighties, but his age seemed to have enriched rather than diminished him. He stumbled over a few words and made minor gaffes when his memory temporarily failed him. But he used his mistakes as occasions for humor. He focused on giving comfort and did not become self-conscious about his performance. Years of prayer and practice must have given him depth, understanding, and a healthy sense of priorities.
Some follow a different path as they grow older. They mourn the inevitable losses that come to everyone. They cannot appreciate or take joy in what they still have. They try to desperately preserve set ways of living even when their habits no longer suit present circumstances. They stop trying to experience and learn new things.
I think that Father Pat sees every day as an opportunity to serve. His outlook remains fresh and active because he stays open to the demands of the moment. While he belongs to a timebound tradition, it informs rather than restricts his actions. His spiritual gifts increase even as his vigor diminishes.
His life offers an example of putting the quoted Gospel passage into practice. Storing up treasure in heaven requires giving up a tight grip on our earthly treasures. Objects, abilities, and relationships come and go over the course of a life. Communion with God, the imperishable treasure, grows deeper when we put heartfelt effort into seeking it.
Some begin to die decades before their bodies cease to function. Others approach heaven long before they take their last breaths.
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