By Fr. Chinnappan Pelavendran
On behalf of St. Paul’s Parish and myself, I would like to extend our sincere sympathy to Glen John Siverling’s family, His children, his grandchildren, and great-grandchildren. He was born on January 19, 1919, in Bloomer. He graduated from Brush Prairie School, and married Edna Rubenzer on May 30, 1939, at St. Peter’s Catholic Church in Tilden.
After his marriage, he worked on the farm for twenty years. He and His wife raised four children. After they moved to Bloomer he did carpentry work for UBC. After they retired, they enjoyed with his wife by traveling, fishing, hunting, playing cards, and visiting family and friends. He was ready to help anybody at any time. He also made his own sausage with his grandchildren. He liked to listen to music and watch Westerns on Tv until his eyesight went bad. After his wife’s death, he moved to Meadowbrook’s rest home.
We have gathered here to pray for him. We believe that our prayer can help him. We know that prayer is powerful and believe that we can help the departed by praying for them. The best gift you can give to Glen is to pray for him. Prayer has lasting value.
Our Gospel reading today is filled with many comforting words from Jesus. Anyone who feels tired, emotionally empty, disappointed, abandoned, or depressed can easily be uplifted up by the comforting promise of Jesus that He will give rest. The last part of the Gospel is, “Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am meek and humble of heart, and you will find rest for yourselves. For my yoke is easy, and my burden light.” This has been a huge help and consolation to the people. Those who have lost someone in the family, a soul at rest can share the peace of God.
We live in the hope that when our earthly journey is done, we will be at home with God forever. Only God can satisfy the deepest longings of the human heart. St. Augustine’s understanding of this truth led him to write, “You have made us for Yourself, O Lord and our hearts are restless until they rest in you.”
When we die, life is changed not ended. We remember people when they die and pray for them. We can also ask them to pray for us. This keeps us close to them and we will think of them frequently. The people of the church are in three areas, the Saints in heaven, the souls in purgatory, and those of us still living here on earth. We believe that all are united around Jesus’ cross and resurrection.
In the Apostles’ Creed we profess our faith. “I believe in the Holy Spirit the Holy Catholic Church the communion of saints the forgiveness of sins the resurrection of the body, and life everlasting.” The living and the dead are united by praying for each other. This is the communion of saints that we profess we believe in during the Apostle Creed. I believe in the communion of saints. Believing in the communion of saints, believing that life is changed not ended, we pray for Glen John Siverling.
Eternal rest, grant unto him, O Lord,
and let perpetual light shine upon him
May he rest in peace!
Amen.
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