A Listening Funeral

There aren’t many times when we as a people will stop and really listen. No, I mean, REALLY LISTEN. Life is lived at such breakneck speeds and our ears aren’t tuned for this kind of pace. We need to slow to hear. Slow to hear from family, to hear from friends and to hear even from those we don’t like all that much. Slow especially to hear from God.

I think one of the unsurpassed ways God uses to get our attention, to slow down in life, is death.

I was in a Roman Catholic Church today for a funeral. I was encouraged by all of the ways that this particular community had for people to hear. The art on the walls, scenes in the stained glass windows, the Priest that spoke with compassion, the many symbols in the gathering time - all aided thirsty ears. I cried when the alumni from the school came forward to sing and honor their former classmate who had suddenly passed.

Funerals are such a great opportunity to be awestruck by the love of God in Jesus.

My friend and co-worker Peter said to me recently that no one wants to hear a sermon at a wedding but everyone listens at a funeral. I like the statement so much I have adopted it into my life. From now on my wedding messages are going to be happier and short! And funeral talks will speak so aching ears, that have slowed for a moment, can experience the love of Jesus, maybe for the first time.