Memorial Sermon for Daniel James Reid, based on Psalm 103:13-17 & Romans 8:31-39, by Pastor Garth Wehrfritz-Hanson, at Skudesness Lutheran Church, two o’clock, August 4, 2021.
Death comes to us all. As many of you know, there are different kinds of death. Some deaths are expected after a long life, or a long period of suffering caused by chronic illness. Such deaths are regarded by many people as a blessing. Other deaths are not expected and unpredictable, as well as unwanted. Daniel James Reid’s death was an accident; it was not expected or predicted; nor was it wanted. One day Daniel was very much alive. The next day he was no longer with you.
At first you may have been stunned; shock deadens the blow. Then the anesthesia of shock wears off and we begin to feel the awful hurt and heartache of bereavement. We would fall apart if it were not for the presence of those who care: mom, dad, children, sisters, brothers, other relatives, friends, neighbours and God. They come quickly to take us in their arms and breathe comfort in our ears. Remember too, that there are many people whom we do not even know—strangers--who read or hear of our bereavement and lift prayers to God in our behalf.
The Bible, in Psalm 103, speaks about the shortness of human life. The psalmist compares our human life with grass or wild flowers that quickly bloom, then a strong scorching wind makes them wither and die. Most, if not all of you, I expect would say that Daniel’s life was way too short. Why did he have to fall off that roof? He was only in his 30s, too young to die. I cannot answer your question why. However, I can point you to our Bible passages that speak of a God who loves us all and is with us, even in death.
As the psalmist assures us: Just as parents have compassion for their children, the LORD has compassion for all who worship him. The English word compassion is from the Latin words “com” meaning “with” or “together,” and “passio” or “pati” meaning “to suffer.” We are always within the reach and sight of God’s compassion. Even though we do wrong, mess up, make terrible mistakes, God our Parent still has compassion for us. Daniel’s parents had compassion for him, even when he did wrong and made mistakes; and Daniel had compassion for you Taylor, Jordyn and Jack. That compassion is a gift that God gives us. Because of that compassion, the sadness and suffering seem at times so great.
After the loss of Daniel perhaps you felt that everyone and everything was against you. Such feelings do come to us, since just as there are life-forces there are also anti-life forces at work in the world. However, listen again to these words of promise from the apostle Paul’s letter to the Romans, he writes: “What then are we to say about these things? If God is for us, who is against us? The One who died for us, Jesus—who was raised to life for us!—is in the presence of God at this very moment sticking up for us.”(The Message)
In other words, the answer to whoever or whatever is against you is that they shall not have the last word; they shall not win because God is on your side. God has the last word, and God will win in the end. Why? Because it is kind of like playing a game of ball or hockey. The team with the best players will win the game. You and I are on the winning team, since we have the very best player who ever lived, namely, Jesus. He has already won the game for each and every one of us by the life he lived; by his suffering, atoning death on the cross; and by his victory over death through his resurrection-life three days after he died.
Paul goes on to say with great confidence: “Do you think anyone is going to be able to drive a wedge between us and Christ’s love for us (or condemn us)? (Do you think anyone has the power to separate us/divorce us from Christ’s love?) There is no way!”(The Message) Just as your love for Daniel went with him when he travelled so far away from you; and just as Daniel’s love for you remained with you even though he was working on the other side of the world in Saudi Arabia; so Jesus’ love is always going to be in us, with us, and for us.
Paul is even more confident when he answers his questions about Jesus’ love, he tells us this: “Not trouble, not hard times, not hatred, not hunger, not homelessness, not bullying threats, not backstabbing, not even the worst sins listed in Scripture:
They kill us in cold blood because they hate you.
We’re sitting ducks; they pick us off one by one.
None of this fazes us because Jesus loves us. I’m absolutely convinced that nothing—nothing living or dead, angelic or demonic, today or tomorrow, high or low, thinkable or unthinkable—absolutely nothing can get between us and God’s love because of the way that Jesus our Master has embraced us.”(The Message) His loving embrace by suffering and dying on the cross and his victory over death by his resurrection from death is his unconditional gift to each one of us; that after we die, we too may share in a resurrection like his.
What wonderful GOOD NEWS this is for you and I! The BEST NEWS EVER! I happen to believe it. I hope and pray that you do too. It makes all the difference in the world to live and die trusting in and knowing that God’s steadfast love (God’s constant love, God’s reliable love) is from everlasting to everlasting. To be loved by our LORD and, in response, to love others, that is the ultimate meaning of life. May it be so for all of you! Amen!
