(108) A Peaceful Day ~ Elder Ephraim's funeral observed ~ prayer and quiet

It's been a hard few weeks in so many ways.

I feel like I can't keep up with the number of people we know

who we heard who have died.

I feel that we are past a certain tipping point where

this is just going to be a lot more common.

We are of that age now I guess.

***

I had a much better day considering how difficult yesterday was.

***

I went on a walk; had good conversations; and watched Elder Ephraim's funeral 

on and off as I could amidst phone meetings and making dinner and such things. 

For those who wish to see it or could not watch it but wished they could have,

one of my friends shared where it is archived.

Here it is:

May Elder Ephraim's Memory be eternal! 

***

I watched parts of it that I missed and when I was watching

the monks and novice monks giving the final kiss

(in Orthodox funerals you kiss the Gospel and also often the 

hand and forehead of the one who has left us)...

I cried.

I cried thinking/feeling that I was seeing my own 

salvation because of the prayers of these present there.

I know/know of a few people who were at this funeral;

my Husband and I prayed for them again tonight;

it is a blessing to be able to share in this small way

in the momentous week for them of loss, of grief, of hope, of prayer. 

***

There is so much grief and loss in life.

***

May God have mercy on us and save us!

+Patrick's funeral and Mercy Meal

I told Mr Husband that +Patrick timed things perfectly:

Funeral Liturgy for Soul Saturday

(a day we pray esp for the departed world wide in

all Orthodox Churches)...

Psalter Reading, then the 6th and 9th hour,

then Liturgy, then the Funeral service,

then the Burial, then the Mercy Meal.

***

The Roses at the funeral were incredibly beautiful...

the icons of St. Patrick (one given by dear friends of Patrick

a few Christmases ago) and St. George from Patrick's icon corner,

were so wonderful to see throughout the service...

***

I am not going into detail about it here, but the Orthodox

Funeral Services, to me, are the most healing,

the most freeing, the most natural way to deal with what

is most unnatural - that a person with an immortal soul dies and 

is put back into the earth he/she came from.

***

I have personally been deeply healed from unresolved grief of 

20 years by having a memorial service done, years ago,

for my dear childhood friend Timothy Mark.

Hard to believe that this summer will be his 30th year since

we lost him on this side of Heaven.

***

It was so wonderful to be at +Patrick's funeral today.

I am deeply grateful to the Lord that He gave me

the strength and health to bake for the

Mercy Meal.

I was able to give the 8 mini-loaves of

Cranberry Orange Cake away in memory of +Patrick

and had good amount leftover that DV will be used 

for the church coffee hour after liturgy tomorrow,

Sunday... 

***

Mr Husband printed the icons of St George and St Patrick for 

dear friends of Patrick and myself...

and let me buy (and pointed out to me!) tins of tea as a 

comfort to them and to me as we grieve...

***

We took a cab to the funeral and from the mercy meal -

they were at different places... 

My Husband is still on the weak side of recovering 

and it was over an hour drive each way.

We had really nice cab drivers....

We ate simple food for dinner,

including Pascha bread from last Pascha,

which somehow seemed deeply fitting,

as the true resolution and healing of all pain and loss is found

in the Lord's Holy Pascha.

{within this week}... a Matuska's passing and final place of rest

Yesterday I was honoured to go to a funeral

of an elderly Matuska who I visited 

at times in a local nursing home;

she was a joy to visit and I will miss 

seeing her and showing her my knitting :)

*

After emailing a friend this morning,

I realized I wanted to write about this before

it fades in the memory of our busy days.

*

It was wonderful to just be in this small little white walled

church with older 19th century icons along with

more traditional Byzantine ones.

It was just the daughter of the Matuska (priest's wife), 

two priests and myself.

Liturgy and then the funeral.

*

Orthodox funeral liturgies and funerals 

(panihidas) are very moving.

*

One of the final things the priest who was

the person's last spiritual father and confessor does

is a final absolution of sins.

When this prayer was said,

I sensed this lightness of the relief of the newly absolved;

even the dear elderly Matuska face in departed repose

seemed to brighten somehow.

I was very moved and must think on this

and the wonder of God's redemption and forgiveness.

You can just see the priest in the very back of 

this picture; we must never underestimate what 

God can do through His priests!

*

The departed's body was blessed afterwards with Holy Water,

the paper (symbolizing the confession and release of sins,

an old traditional way) was placed in the casket

and it was with true hope in Christ and His Resurrection

that we went with Matuska T.'s final resting place on early,

the church cemetery. 

Prayers are done at the grave site as well

and the grave is blessed and sealed, waiting for 

Christ's Resurrection.

*

It was a wonderful event that way,

though many get uncomfortable by funerals,

I have always loved the Orthodox funeral service and burial.

There is so much hope,

so much connection with one's spiritual father's prayers,

and that we can pray for the departed is a sure comfort.

It was an honour to be there on that beautiful autumn day...

*

Please in your charity pray for the newly departed

and also her only daughter who is now

bereft of both parents.