As I write this, we are already in the first week of Lent.

In recent days we
have suffered through an advance experience of Good Friday, as individuals and as
a parish community. I refer to the deaths of Joe Rouleau (Delma’s husband) and
Ken Kessler (our school principal).
By the time you receive this we will be well along towards Easter with spring
soon to follow after. Somewhere in that time between Joe’s funeral and Ken’s, I
was telling Delma about a conversation I had had with Chrissy Kessler, about
planning Ken’s funeral liturgy. Chrissy wanted something “upbeat,” she said.
Delma immediately added: “I absolutely agree. You can never have enough
resurrection.”
Those two liturgies, coming so soon after each other, were “prayer-full.”
Parishioners who had a chance to be part of the celebrations witnessed how death
never has the last word. Certainly there were tears, but there was a lot of joy too as
we prayed our departed brothers home.
I’m sure Delma will forgive me the indiscretion of noting that the setting of
the offertory song at Joe’s Mass, was one Delma herself had arranged years ago,
and which she had directed at a community choir sing where she met Joe for the
first time. The powerful rendition of the Battle Hymn of the Republic at the end of
Mass was one of Joe’s original settings. People actually remained until the end and
actually applauded. That was the first time I had ever seen that happen at a funeral
liturgy.
Ken’s funeral brought together the school and parish community in a very
special way, as volunteers came from everywhere to see to it that Chrissy and the
kids would be cared for and that the school would march on. In the end we did it
without missing a beat. I have never been prouder to be part of both St. Mary’s and
Bishop Flaget School than I was during those trying days.
Ken’s parents were overwhelmed by the impact he had on our community.
Like all parents, they send their kids off and they never really know what they are
doing after that. Parents might make the occasional visit to see their children and
grandchildren but how would they ever know the importance they would have to a
community of strangers. During those days we showed what a loving community of
friends we are and his parents were deeply impressed and grateful. They wrote later
“The outpouring of love and concern from the Catholic Community in Chillicothe
was very touching. We didn’t know that he had touched so many lives.”
 The lesson for us from the wisdom of these two great women, Delma and
Chrissy, is clear. The liturgy, rightly understood, and properly celebrated, with full-
throated singing and carefully and thoughtfully chosen readings, powerfully
proclaimed, is the ritual celebration of the Christian proclamation that death does
not and will not have the last word. We really mean it when we proclaim “Christ
has died; Christ is risen; Christ will come again.”
The experience of Christ in the liturgy is quite real. I’m not just “going to
Mass” when I go. I really am participating in the death and resurrection of Christ.
My life as a Catholic is constantly being formed by Christ in the proclamation of
the Word made flesh and reformed in the sacramental experience of Christ’s body
and blood. It is mystery to be sure, but it as real as rain.
These two grieving ladies sensed this and because of their own faith, we were
all better able to deal with the deaths of their husbands. As we rush towards Holy
Week and Easter again we have an opportunity yet again to ponder this great
mystery. Death will never have the last word. Christ, the Word among us, does.
May the souls of the faithful departed, through the mercy of God, rest in peace. And
the people said, AMEN.