The service for Boyd was beautiful as we celebrated his 86
years and his spirit of generosity and faithfulness.
Though I have heard these words from the burial service in
the Episcopal Book of Common Prayer many times before, including at Daniel’s
service, they jumped off the page at me as I read them again at Boyd’s service:
You only are immortal, the creator
and maker of mankind; and we are mortal, formed of the earth, and to earth
shall we return. For so did you ordain when you created me, saying, "You
are dust, and to dust you shall return." All of us go down to the dust; yet
even at the grave we make our song: Alleluia, alleluia, alleluia.
“Yet even at the grave,
we make our song” –– we are able to sing and we can choose to sing – “alleluia,
alleluia, alleluia”!
What amazing words and what an amazing invitation to make our
song, even at the grave, a song of hope and a song of praise to God.
On days when I still miss Daniel with an intensity and
yearning too deep for words, I cling to the hope that this can be my song, even
at his grave, alleluia, alleluia, alleluia!
God: give me grace to make
this my song.
