Take Your Rest, Ms. Chris

Yesterday in the early morning, a well-loved parishioner at my congregation passed away, a lady who I also grew to admire over the years. Events such as this are hard to swallow, especially as we celebrate Christmas, but I believe whole heartedly that God is fully at work in what is happening. Thus, we turn to scripture:

At the Christmas Eve service last night, the congregation heard the most beautiful story ever told. Mary and Joseph ventured the journey to Bethlehem, only to find every inn full and a stable as their one option. The Christ child was born, and the faithful of every kind came to adore him: cattle, sheep, shepherds, and angels. "Glory to God in the highest heaven" the angles sang! The entrance of God into the world was astounding, mysterious, and all together magical. However, when you really look at what happened, a mother gave birth to a child, and she held him, and kissed him, and rocked him.


As we celebrated the feast of the Incarnation, I knew that Ms. Chris was born in the silent night of heaven, being held by God, kissed by God, and rocked by God. A glimmer of hope in the shroud of darkness.

That is God's work in this situation.

These images of birth and nurturing are difficult to imagine, and so we must allow the poets lead us to understand. James Weldon Johnson does just that with his poem "Go Down Death: A Funeral Sermon":

"And Death took her up like a baby
and there he laid sister on the loving breast of Jesus. 
And Jesus took his own hand and wiped away her tears, 
and he smoothed the furrows from her face, 
and the angels sang a little song, 
and Jesus rocked her in his arms, 
and kept a-saying: Take your rest, Take your rest. 
Weep not–weep not, She is not dead; 
She's resting in the bosom of Jesus."

Take your rest, Ms. Chris, take your rest. Do not be afraid. She is not dead. She's being held, and kissed, and rocked by God. Weep not. She's resting in the bosom of Jesus. 

Take your rest, Ms. Chris, take your rest. And may light perpetual shine upon you.