I am off to do a funeral today. Contrary to most people, I find preparing for funerals uplifting. In the face of death, I discover anew the joy of life. Re-reading the texts, I am comforted that as pleasant and good as life may be, there is more to come. And somehow, death brings us together like nothing else. We share our vulnerabilities and affirm our need for human community.

3 Important words to leave with mourners:
1. Presence: God is with us all through life and in death (Ps 23)
2. Life: death does not have the final word. Jesus does and that word is...
3. Resurrection: Jesus graciously shares his victory with us.