Margaret Carswell Funeral Homily
This morning we gather as a family of faith to celebrate the Requiem Mass of Margaret , our dear sister in Christ.
A couple of days after Margaret passed from this life to eternity, Pope Francis put out a document to the entire Church. The document was entitled 'Christus Vivit' - Christ. Although in many ways the document is aimed primarily at young people, it speaks to all of us who are on the journey of faith. One of the ideas, Francis explores in that book is the idea or notion of beauty. The Pope asks what does it mean to be beautiful? Whee we do encounter beauty where encounter it? This may sound a bit abstract but the Pope is making an important point. He exhorts young people not to confuse beauty with appearances.
For him beauty isn't encountered in the pages of a magazine or in a picture on social media. Beauty is something more. For Pope Francis there is beauty in the laborer who returns home grimy and unkempt, but with the joy of having earned food for his family. There is extraordinary beauty in the fellowship of a family at table, generously sharing what food it has. There is beauty in the wife, slightly disheveled and no longer young, who continues to care for her sick husband despite her own failing health. Long after the springtime of their courtship has passed. There is beauty in the fidelity of those couples who still love one another in the autumn of life, those elderly people who still hold hands as they walk. There is also a beauty in all those men and women who pursue their personal vocation with love, in selfless service of community or nation and in the hard work of building a happy family. For Pope these things should be the yardstick of we measure and decide what is beautiful.
Over the last few days, when I've reflected over the story of Margaret's life that idea of beauty has come again and again. In Margaret's love of Bill, in her devotion to her family and this community of faith, in her journey of faith and embrace of suffering, we were privileged to see something special, something remarkable and something beautiful. Margaret was truly exceptional lady whose life lit up and touched so many lives. Her life was a gift, a precious gift - something beautiful to behold.
The academics and scholars tell us that beauty is never simply an end in itself. Beauty always points to something else and it beckons us onto another journey. Beauty, above all, is a sign of God's presence, His love, and His grace. The mystery of God's presence in Magaret's life, in our lives and our community is precisely what we celebrate this morning. Today the hymns that we sing, the readings we hear, the rituals we perform and the Sacrament we receive powerfully remind us that God is present - present to Margaret and present to we who mourn for her. The beauty which was so evident in Margaret's life now beckons her on to a different stage in the pilgrimage of life.
Our faith, shared by so many saints, martyrs, and prophets down the centuries, tells us that she is now traveling to a place far beyond the cares and concerns, shadows and ambiguities of this world - a place of light, happiness,
and peace. A place where all is forgiven and all is made new. The story of his life isn’t over – it has only just begun.
For over a thousand years the Church has hailed the Virgin Mary as the Star of the Sea – the one who guides us through all the storms and tempests of life. With faith, we entrust Margaret to her maternal care and we pray that she may come to us at this offering the comfort and consoling presence of her Son.
May Margaret, our dearest sister, rest in the peace of Christ.
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