Beth Boudreaux-Funeral: March 9, 2009
A child enters this world with much love. As we know from the scriptures, a child is conceived in the heart of God before even she is knit together in her mother's womb. She comes as a gift to her parents, to her brothers, to her cousins, to her aunts and uncles, and to her friends. She adds a dash of innocence, purity, and joy to the family and friends. Remembering her ways bring smile to our face, even when there is so much hurt and suffering.
In the early morning of March 7th friends and family were gathered at Gilbert and Lisa's house. There was much deafening silence occasionally broken by sobbs. No words could describe this loss. Even short prayers of an Our Father, a Hail Mary, and a Glory Be could not console the tragedy which had no adequate answer to the question: why? Why did it have to happen to her? Why do the parents have to bury their own child? Why did God take away our beloved daughter, sister, niece, cousin, and friend? Why did God stand by on the sidewalk and let this tragedy just happen. No one in the room was able to answer these questions, therefore there was only silence.
Then a glimmer of light came in to the room, a little girl by the name of Maia. She was Beth's niece and Lisa and Gilber's granddaugther. First, Maia's granddad walked toward her with a box of Kix cereal. The silence was broken by laughs and wonder at the beauty of the child. Then someone asked Maia if she wanted to watch TV. Then granddad grabbed the TV remote and turned it on, just for her. Everyone's eyes were fixed upon Maia; they wondered if she was having fun. Maia glanced back at everyone, probably puzzled at why there were sad faces on everyone. She turned her attention back to the television to watch a kid program. This was as if it was a gift from Beth, letting us know that there is joy and blessedness where she is. Momentarily, the sadness and suffering lifted from our midst.
Could there be joy and blessedness in Heaven while at the same time sorrow, confusion, and even anger here on earth? Jesus mentions the blessedness or happiness of those who experience the Kingdom of God. "Blessed are the pure of heart, for they will see God." The family and friends mentioned how Beth had radiated purity and innocense. Could it be possible that Beth is experiencing the greatest joy of her life--seeing God face to face? For those of us here who are mourning for the loss of Beth, could we experience that same blessedness that she experiences? Yes, Our Lord said, "Blessed are they who mourn, for they will be comforted." If Jesus told those of us here mourning that we are blessed and comforted, why does it still hurt so much? Could there be joy in this hurt? As someone said, Christians rejoice even while we truly sorrow...because our rejoicing is in the hope of heaven...while joy overcomes sorrow, it does not put an end to it.
We turn to Our Lord and Our Savior Jesus who is both the Lord of the dead and the living. We ask him to comfort us in knowing that whether we live or die, we are the Lord's.
And we turn to the Mother of Jesus who lost her only Son through a tragedy. We turn to her because she understands what it is like to experience a profound loss here on earth. We turn to her because even though such tragedy should have made her bitter, angry, and sad, she believed in the promise of her son. So we turn to her in our prayer of Salve Regina, "O Mother of Mercy, our Life , our Sweetness and our Hope. To thee we cry, poor banished children of Eve, to thee do we send up our sighs, mourning, weeping in this valley of tears. Turn then most gracious Advocate. Thine eyes of mercy toward us, and after our exile show us the Blessed Fruit of thy womb, Jesus. O clement, O loving, O sweet Virgin Mary. Pray for us, O Holy Mother of God, that we may be made worthy of the promises of Christ."
In the early morning of March 7th friends and family were gathered at Gilbert and Lisa's house. There was much deafening silence occasionally broken by sobbs. No words could describe this loss. Even short prayers of an Our Father, a Hail Mary, and a Glory Be could not console the tragedy which had no adequate answer to the question: why? Why did it have to happen to her? Why do the parents have to bury their own child? Why did God take away our beloved daughter, sister, niece, cousin, and friend? Why did God stand by on the sidewalk and let this tragedy just happen. No one in the room was able to answer these questions, therefore there was only silence.
Then a glimmer of light came in to the room, a little girl by the name of Maia. She was Beth's niece and Lisa and Gilber's granddaugther. First, Maia's granddad walked toward her with a box of Kix cereal. The silence was broken by laughs and wonder at the beauty of the child. Then someone asked Maia if she wanted to watch TV. Then granddad grabbed the TV remote and turned it on, just for her. Everyone's eyes were fixed upon Maia; they wondered if she was having fun. Maia glanced back at everyone, probably puzzled at why there were sad faces on everyone. She turned her attention back to the television to watch a kid program. This was as if it was a gift from Beth, letting us know that there is joy and blessedness where she is. Momentarily, the sadness and suffering lifted from our midst.
Could there be joy and blessedness in Heaven while at the same time sorrow, confusion, and even anger here on earth? Jesus mentions the blessedness or happiness of those who experience the Kingdom of God. "Blessed are the pure of heart, for they will see God." The family and friends mentioned how Beth had radiated purity and innocense. Could it be possible that Beth is experiencing the greatest joy of her life--seeing God face to face? For those of us here who are mourning for the loss of Beth, could we experience that same blessedness that she experiences? Yes, Our Lord said, "Blessed are they who mourn, for they will be comforted." If Jesus told those of us here mourning that we are blessed and comforted, why does it still hurt so much? Could there be joy in this hurt? As someone said, Christians rejoice even while we truly sorrow...because our rejoicing is in the hope of heaven...while joy overcomes sorrow, it does not put an end to it.
We turn to Our Lord and Our Savior Jesus who is both the Lord of the dead and the living. We ask him to comfort us in knowing that whether we live or die, we are the Lord's.
And we turn to the Mother of Jesus who lost her only Son through a tragedy. We turn to her because she understands what it is like to experience a profound loss here on earth. We turn to her because even though such tragedy should have made her bitter, angry, and sad, she believed in the promise of her son. So we turn to her in our prayer of Salve Regina, "O Mother of Mercy, our Life , our Sweetness and our Hope. To thee we cry, poor banished children of Eve, to thee do we send up our sighs, mourning, weeping in this valley of tears. Turn then most gracious Advocate. Thine eyes of mercy toward us, and after our exile show us the Blessed Fruit of thy womb, Jesus. O clement, O loving, O sweet Virgin Mary. Pray for us, O Holy Mother of God, that we may be made worthy of the promises of Christ."
