"Post Funeral Reflection" - 10/14/25

Scripture Reading
“Teach us to number our days, that we may gain a heart of wisdom.” - Psalm 90:12 (NIV)

“For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.” -Romans 8:38‑39 (NIV)

Today at Vincent...
We come to this time of devotion in the wake of loss, having gathered for the funeral of a dear church friend. In bereavement’s quiet, it is natural to pause and reflect: Where have we been? Where are we going? And above all, how does God’s love traverse the boundary between life and whatever lies beyond? This meditation is offered as a sacred space to dwell in mystery, accompanying one another in shadow and in light, trusting God’s enduring mercy.


Reflection
Life is a pilgrimage. From the fragile breath of infancy to the fading twilight of old age, we trace a line drawn by time. Along that line—garden paths of delight, desert stretches of sorrow, steep slopes of uncertainty—we come to learn what it means to be human under God. The Hebrew Psalmist prays, “Teach us to number our days” (Psalm 90:12) not as a counting of days in dread, but as a call to see each day as gift. Each sunrise matters; each breath matters.

In the sorrow of loss, we feel time’s weight. The absence of one we loved reminds us of mortality, the frailty of flesh, and the pull of homeward longing. Yet the Christian pilgrimage does not end at a tombstone. In Christ, death is not the final word. Paul’s bold affirmation that nothing “will be able to separate us from the love of God” (Romans 8:38‑39) echoes as a defiant promise in the face of grief. Even when human ties break, the divine tie remains unbreakable.

Consider the image of a river flowing from hidden springs, surging forward, twisting through valleys, pressing toward the sea. Our lives are like that river: we do not always see where the source begins or exactly where it ends. But we trust the current. In God’s mystery, we are borne forward by love. In seasons of confusion, we may not know the map, but we know the Shepherd who walks beside us, guiding our feet, steadying our hearts.

Our departed friend now rests in the broader sunset that draws near to eternal dawn. Their journey continues beyond our sight, yet is held in God’s hands. This does not erase sorrow; it softens it, casts it in hope. The grief we carry is part of love’s cost, and love’s memorial. In remembering, we honor a life and also affirm that we, too, are passing through this fragile corridor.

In Korean Christian poetry, the concept of 길 (gil, “path” or “way”) often evokes both journey and destiny. The Christian 길 is Christ‑way, the way that leads through death into resurrection. Though we walk through valleys, we do not walk alone. Even at the threshold of death, love’s lamp is lit; mercy’s hand is extended. In that place, time bows, eternity beckons, and God’s grace is our eldest companion.

So let us open our hearts to both mourning and hope. Let tears fall when they must, let silence sit with us, let prayer rise without words. But let us also remember that death is not a severing, rather it is a passage into another dimension of God’s presence. The One who knit us in our mother’s womb, who knows our every step, will not abandon us in the dark.
Number your days, yes, but live as though each day is consecrated. Love deeply, forgive fully, seek God’s face in ordinary moments. And when the final dusk comes, your life’s thread will be caught by the Weaver who holds all things together. That is God’s unfathomable mercy and steadfast love.


Prayer
Gracious and Eternal One,
You who set the stars in place and number our days,
Give us eyes to see life’s fragile beauty,
And courage to hold loss tenderly.
When grief presses heavy, be our comfort;
When fear whispers of separation, be our assurance.
Let your love surround us, your mercy sustain us,
And your presence guide us on the road ahead.
May our friend rest in your arms until we, too,
Find our home in you where death is swallowed in life,
And your love reigns forever.
In Christ’s name we pray, Amen.