Categories: lord-have-mercy, friends, other-churches
Date: 10 August 2009 05:42:00
A dear friend's grandmother died last week. The Memorial and Thanksgiving Service was today at St John's Anglican Cathedral, Parramatta. While I never got to know her very well [her speaking little English; me zero Cantonese], she was always a joyful presence when I visited my friend's house -- and could cook up a storm.
The majority of service was in Cantonese, and while my Cantonese is zero, what you can get from people's stance, gestures and tones communicates a great deal: and it was clear this was in many senses a thanksgiving and celebration of a life, though of course sadness at the separation by death was of course there too. One of her grandsons, whom I know, is a priest and gave the message, and there were a good number of remembrances and reflections, with two hymns as well. It was good to see my dear friend again [she lives overseas now], as well as many other people from my time at Cabramatta Anglican: while our lives are on different paths which means we do not see each other often, it is a great blessing and joy when we do catch up.
As we say in Orthodoxy: Eternal be her memory! And may God grant comfort to those who are feeling her absence.