It was around Easter last year when Steve learned that “cancer” was the reason he wasn’t feeling well, cancer that at first looked like it might be manageable, but later turned out to be a battle of life and death. Steve was well into his 60’s, but was youthful and “in good shape,” cheerful and full of hope; all of which made him live well and strangely helped him die well, too.
When it became apparent that Steve was in the last stage of his life, his last hours on earth, the seminary community gathered to pray for his family and for him. Steve knew they were gathered and joined the community he loved so much—joined them by way of text--reassuring them in so many ways that, “all would be well; all manner of things would be well”*...the dying man, a pastor and a friend to those who gathered to mourn him. Steve signed his text as he signed much of what he wrote-- with the single word that said it all: “joyfully.”
In life and in death, we belong to God—scripture says it, our confessions say it and Steve said it with his life; and nothing...not a blessed thing... can change that. If anything is good news—it is that. It is the news of Easter that holds us in every Good Friday; it is the news of life that holds us in death.
*Julian of Norwich
