Thursday, October 20, 2005
Of Things Divine: Pat Heffernan Funeral Homily
Pat Heffernan, 1932-2005
Funeral: 10/14/2005
Yesterday afternoon, when Pat’s body was first brought to church two things of great significance occurred. Fr. Russ sprinkled the coffin and proclaimed, “As Pat died with Christ in Baptism so may he rise with him to everlasting life,” and the white pall was draped over the coffin.
Both of these actions remind us of the faith that Pat proclaimed and the hope that we share because of the covenant that God carved out with His people.
The sprinkling recalls his baptism when he entered into a relationship with Christ. It was a relationship that was the foundation of Pat’s life and one he reminded himself of every time he entered church, dipped his hand into the holy water and made the sign of the cross. It was a relationship he renewed every Easter when he humbly acknowledged his faith in God and the saving action of the Holy Trinity while rejecting Satan and all his works.
The white pall reminds us that it is by the blood of the Lamb that we are saved and those so saved live for ever, even though their bodies may die, and worship Jesus, the Risen Lamb, at the throne of God in heaven.
As it should be for every Christian, it was his baptismal covenant with God that motivated everything Pat did in this life. He paid attention to God. And he responded in love because he knew that his own love was but a reflection of God’s love for him, whether it be for Jean, his beautiful wife of 48 years, his two daughters, Edie and Colleen, his brothers, and his grandsons, or his love of his Church, his parish here at Holy Rosary, the work of the Christian Brothers, or his beloved Memphis Tigers. He was able to love because he knew he was loved first by God.
Like Job, Pat was able to get past many trials, especially in the past two years, because of his knowledge of God’s plan of salvation. He knew that his vindicator lives, and he knew that he belonged to God, and his life reflected what he believed.
The Beatitudes that we heard from Matthew’s Gospel this morning are often referred to as the “Attitudes of Life” or the “Attitudes of Being.” They go beyond the Ten Commandments in a way that doesn’t just keep us from sinning against God and neighbor but rather compel us to love one another in a Godly way. Who doesn’t recognize Pat Heffernan in these instructions?
To live humbly is to be honest before God and man in such a way that allows us to know what gifts we have received from God and to recognize others’ gifts that complement us, and then to use those gifts to build up the Kingdom of God.
To mourn is not just about grieving a loved one’s death but an attitude that recognizes sin and grievances in the world for which we long for correction. To mourn for someone whose life has gone awry is to long for correction. To mourn for a country torn apart by internal strife is to take her citizens to heart and bear them up to God in our prayers.
To be meek is not to be weak. It is the attitude that allows a person to honestly admit there just may be someone better at doing something and having the wisdom and courage to let it happen.
To hunger and thirst for righteousness is the call of everyone who has heard the Gospel or is in covenant with the LORD. The prophets of old remind us time and time again that the poor must be taken care of, the widows must be tended to, the orphans and homeless must be provided for, and Jesus was straightforward in telling us that whenever we minister to the least of our brothers and sisters we are ministering to him.
To be merciful is to participate in God’s own life. We know well the prayer that Jesus taught us and how we ask God to judge us as we judge others. Showing mercy to those who have wronged us is, in actuality, a living icon of the image of God and what we long for and even expect from Him.
To be clean of heart requires that we have no motivation but the love of God. There can be no desire for public praise. No need for compliments. We live because we are God’s and die as God’s.
To be a peacemaker is a constant struggle in the world. It begins in the family, continues in the workplace and local communities, and ends in a global society.
Whether it be his initiative to help foster understanding between the Protestant and Catholic factions in Northern Ireland … or, his quiet demeanor at the nine o’clock liturgy and a concern for those who weren’t present (“How’s Debby?”) … or, the way he greeted visitors to his bedside at the hospital or at home (“It is so nice to see you, Father, but it is I who should be visiting you.”) … or, the way he helped to support priestly and religious vocations in the Diocese … or, his generosity to those less fortunate than he … Hugh Patrick Heffernan was a living breathing beatitude.
There is an old American Indian saying that there are two wolves that live within us that seek to control us: one hungers for jealousy, greed and power while the other hungers for love, peace and justice. When asked by a young boy which of the two wolves would be successful, the chief responded, “The one you feed.”
Pat Heffernan fed the right wolf. His love of life was best reflected in his desire to serve God above all things and to love his neighbor as himself. He walked through life with the humility of a man who walked in the grace of God. It was an attitude of being that was based on his faith in Christ, a faith we share with him that promises us eternal life, eternal love, and eternal peace.
So today we gather not to say “good-bye” but “see you later.” For just as we bid our farewells to his earthly presence we are confident that one day soon, Pat will be greeting us once again and welcoming us to the mansion God has prepared for us.
And for any of us who think that we can no longer talk with Pat or seek his counsel, remember he IS alive. Only his address has changed.
Funeral: 10/14/2005
Yesterday afternoon, when Pat’s body was first brought to church two things of great significance occurred. Fr. Russ sprinkled the coffin and proclaimed, “As Pat died with Christ in Baptism so may he rise with him to everlasting life,” and the white pall was draped over the coffin.
Both of these actions remind us of the faith that Pat proclaimed and the hope that we share because of the covenant that God carved out with His people.
The sprinkling recalls his baptism when he entered into a relationship with Christ. It was a relationship that was the foundation of Pat’s life and one he reminded himself of every time he entered church, dipped his hand into the holy water and made the sign of the cross. It was a relationship he renewed every Easter when he humbly acknowledged his faith in God and the saving action of the Holy Trinity while rejecting Satan and all his works.
The white pall reminds us that it is by the blood of the Lamb that we are saved and those so saved live for ever, even though their bodies may die, and worship Jesus, the Risen Lamb, at the throne of God in heaven.
As it should be for every Christian, it was his baptismal covenant with God that motivated everything Pat did in this life. He paid attention to God. And he responded in love because he knew that his own love was but a reflection of God’s love for him, whether it be for Jean, his beautiful wife of 48 years, his two daughters, Edie and Colleen, his brothers, and his grandsons, or his love of his Church, his parish here at Holy Rosary, the work of the Christian Brothers, or his beloved Memphis Tigers. He was able to love because he knew he was loved first by God.
Like Job, Pat was able to get past many trials, especially in the past two years, because of his knowledge of God’s plan of salvation. He knew that his vindicator lives, and he knew that he belonged to God, and his life reflected what he believed.
The Beatitudes that we heard from Matthew’s Gospel this morning are often referred to as the “Attitudes of Life” or the “Attitudes of Being.” They go beyond the Ten Commandments in a way that doesn’t just keep us from sinning against God and neighbor but rather compel us to love one another in a Godly way. Who doesn’t recognize Pat Heffernan in these instructions?
To live humbly is to be honest before God and man in such a way that allows us to know what gifts we have received from God and to recognize others’ gifts that complement us, and then to use those gifts to build up the Kingdom of God.
To mourn is not just about grieving a loved one’s death but an attitude that recognizes sin and grievances in the world for which we long for correction. To mourn for someone whose life has gone awry is to long for correction. To mourn for a country torn apart by internal strife is to take her citizens to heart and bear them up to God in our prayers.
To be meek is not to be weak. It is the attitude that allows a person to honestly admit there just may be someone better at doing something and having the wisdom and courage to let it happen.
To hunger and thirst for righteousness is the call of everyone who has heard the Gospel or is in covenant with the LORD. The prophets of old remind us time and time again that the poor must be taken care of, the widows must be tended to, the orphans and homeless must be provided for, and Jesus was straightforward in telling us that whenever we minister to the least of our brothers and sisters we are ministering to him.
To be merciful is to participate in God’s own life. We know well the prayer that Jesus taught us and how we ask God to judge us as we judge others. Showing mercy to those who have wronged us is, in actuality, a living icon of the image of God and what we long for and even expect from Him.
To be clean of heart requires that we have no motivation but the love of God. There can be no desire for public praise. No need for compliments. We live because we are God’s and die as God’s.
To be a peacemaker is a constant struggle in the world. It begins in the family, continues in the workplace and local communities, and ends in a global society.
Whether it be his initiative to help foster understanding between the Protestant and Catholic factions in Northern Ireland … or, his quiet demeanor at the nine o’clock liturgy and a concern for those who weren’t present (“How’s Debby?”) … or, the way he greeted visitors to his bedside at the hospital or at home (“It is so nice to see you, Father, but it is I who should be visiting you.”) … or, the way he helped to support priestly and religious vocations in the Diocese … or, his generosity to those less fortunate than he … Hugh Patrick Heffernan was a living breathing beatitude.
There is an old American Indian saying that there are two wolves that live within us that seek to control us: one hungers for jealousy, greed and power while the other hungers for love, peace and justice. When asked by a young boy which of the two wolves would be successful, the chief responded, “The one you feed.”
Pat Heffernan fed the right wolf. His love of life was best reflected in his desire to serve God above all things and to love his neighbor as himself. He walked through life with the humility of a man who walked in the grace of God. It was an attitude of being that was based on his faith in Christ, a faith we share with him that promises us eternal life, eternal love, and eternal peace.
So today we gather not to say “good-bye” but “see you later.” For just as we bid our farewells to his earthly presence we are confident that one day soon, Pat will be greeting us once again and welcoming us to the mansion God has prepared for us.
And for any of us who think that we can no longer talk with Pat or seek his counsel, remember he IS alive. Only his address has changed.
