Pondering Life, Death and Eternity

No stranger to death, there is a well worn trail that we have walked with others --family, friends, and once in awhile with someone we don't know well. The journey has mostly been with those who share our faith.

But I am a foreigner in the land of loss paved with other traditions.

Today I attended a Jewish funeral service. Our friend died -- a faithful husband, family man, community servant and philanthropist among other things. His life was well lived. His death was unexpected. The service was comforting with readings from the Psalms and meaningful eulogies. There was mention of this life and the next; of God--the shepherd and judge; spoken Hebrew-- prayers perhaps. At the burial site, the rabbi spoke the familiar words, "dust to dust," and then he said, "his (our friend's) righteousness goes on before him, leading him into eternity."

As the casket was lowered into the ground and the family rose to shovel earth over it, the words continued to resound in my mind and I thought, if it were my righteousness going before me to lead me into eternity, the procession would not go very far. Thanks be to God that nothing depends on my righteousness.