The Day I Realized I Was the Young Rich Man
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I recently participated in the funeral choir at my parish for a lady in our choir whose mother passed away. I have only been to a handful of funerals in my life, and it had probably been 7 or 8 years since my last one, which was my grandfather’s.
For some reason, I felt like I was called to be there that day.
Sure enough, this funeral touched me in a special way. Not only was it a blessing to sing and honor a faithful woman and support our fellow choir member -- a dear, lovely woman -- but it taught me a lesson of how to live as such a woman.
This woman had a chronic disease for many years of her life, as do I. The readings and homily echoed this woman’s spirit of perseverence and determination; warmth, care and love for those around her -- namely her family and friends; her sense of being alive -- using her gifts and what she had to serve others; and letting her faith touch and heal her.
Any time I’ve encountered death at funerals, in graveyards, or pondering the death of loved ones in my own life, I am taught something about living.
The faithful people who pass on to eternal life teach us how to live.
May we, the living faithful, learn from them.
Katie Zalany lives in Cleveland Ohio. She is a Third Order Secular Franciscan (OFS), spiritual director, benefits/wellness leader, certified health and life coach, and volunteer. She is the creator of the ministry Women in Waiting | Made for Fruitfulness and is a published author. Her writing interests and focus areas include Gospel reflections, Franciscan spirituality, women's spirituality, prayer, and integration of faith and daily living.
