On Wednesday, Deacon John Cronin was privileged to preach the homily during the Funeral Mass for Jane Schermerhorn, the long-beloved wife of Charles. We are grateful to Charles for giving Deacon John this opportunity:
I cannot improve on the Word of our Savior, Jesus Christ.
He tells us:
“Do not let your hearts be troubled.”
This is a day of pain in the loss of our sister, Jane Sue Schermerhorn.
But for Jane, the pain has ended.
She is at the threshold of her journey home.
A journey into the tender embrace of Jesus.
Jane knew suffering.
She spent the last three months in the hospital.
Rather Helpless.
But Jane was a faithful woman.
And She knew her help was in the Lord.
Like St. Paul, she has “competed well,”
She has “finished the race.”
She has “kept the faith.”
Jesus was never closer to her in this life than when she was suffering.
Jesus wants to come to us in our time of greatest need.
And Jane in her life would come to others in their need.
She had cared for her mother and father: Harriet & Albert Earl,
And for her grandmother.
More recently, she has poured out from herself:
tender and faithful care for her husband, Charles.
Now, Jane is in the tender care of Our Lord Jesus.
On one of Pope Francis’ visits somewhere,
A little girl tugged on his cassock in great distress.
Her dog had just died,
And she wanted to know if she’ll see him in heaven.
The Pope smiled,
embraced the girl,
And said:
“If you need to see your dog to be happy in heaven, he will be there.”
In thinking about heaven, Jesus offers us a comforting image:
A happy house with many dwelling places.
And we pray a dwelling place especially designed for Jane.
In her dwelling, we’d find a Mets game always playing on the TV
except when it’s time for her favorite soap operas!
We’d also find all those cats she loved roaming around
purring with contentment.
And even better we’d meet her mother & father,
and her grandmother too.
But no matter what heaven is really like,
One thing is certain:
It is the dwelling place made possible only by our Savior Jesus Christ.
In a way, Jane died a long time ago.
More than 80 years ago!
She died with Christ in her baptism.
Her old life her mortal life was washed away.
And she was bathed in a new life
In the waters of everlasting life.
The Holy Water Fr. David placed on her coffin today,
Calls us to remember the power of Jane’s baptism
Baptism’s power over death.
Jane accepted Jesus as “the way, the truth and the life.”
This big paschal candle here reminds us of the light of Christ
that never dies.
And this white cloth over the coffin,
It reminds us again of Jane’s baptism
When she was clothed in Christ.
We gather in this Church as one family, clothed in Christ.
We try to comfort each other in our sadness.
But we also gather in great hope of the Resurrection.
Jane joined herself to Christ in her baptism.
So it is with joy that we trust he will hold onto her now
To raise her up along with Him
And with all of us
On the last day.
“Do not let your hearts be troubled.”
Jesus has prepared a dwelling place for Jane.
He has destroyed death forever.
He will wipe away our tears.
Turn to Jesus, and rejoice!
Because he saves his little ones.
We pray for Jane,
Jesus’ little one today,
Who has endured suffering.
Who has tenderly cared for others.
Who has remained faithful in the Lord.
May Jesus Crown Jane with victory over death.
And may we look forward to joining Jane in that victory:
With Jesus our Brother in Baptism
In the eternal dwelling place he has made for all of us:
Our Father’s House.
