Sermon preached by The Reverend Dr. Harold T. Lewis

SERMON PREACHED BY THE REVEREND DR. HAROLD T. LEWIS AT THE PONTIFICAL REQUIEM MASS FOR THE REPOSE OF THE SOUL OF DONALD WILSON IN SAINT LUKE'S CHURCH, NEW HAVEN, CONNECTICUT WEDNESDAY 15 FEBRUARY 2006


"Let not your hearts be troubled." (John 14:1)


It does not seem possible that nearly fourteen years have passed since I stood in this very pulpit and preached at a mass offered for the fiftieth anniversary of the marriage of Donald and Emily Wilson. At the end of that sermon, I prayed that "they may continue to bring joy to one another and to all of us whose privilege it is to know them. May they go from strength to strength in the service of him who adorned and beautified the sacrament of matrimony." And they did just that. They continued to be a support to one another and an inspiration to those with whom they came into contact. At their marriage sixty-four years ago they promised to love each other "until death us do part." Those words were no mere formula, no simple rote expression. They were a solemn vow, and they knew in their heart of hearts that death would be the only thing that could sever their sacred bond. And now, that death has come, and today, we have returned to this hallowed place to give thanks for the life of Donald Wilson, and to commend him to the provident and never-failing care of Jesus Christ, who is the bishop and shepherd of our souls.

In some ways, we are never ready for death. Even a protracted illness does not prepare us, does not absorb the shock. The transition from life to death seems so final, so irrevocable. So when death comes, we rely on words. Inadequate though words may be, in and of themselves, they are expected to soothe our pain and lessen our sorrow. The consoling words of a friend, the uplifting words of a prayer, the melodious words of a hymn all help us to cope. As a preacher, it is my job to offer the words of Scripture, and I ask you for a moment to focus on Jesus' words from the first verse of the fourteenth chapter of St. John's Gospel: "Let not your hearts be troubled."

Jesus uses these words as he speaks to his disciples in a moment of crisis. Gathered together in the Upper Room he tells them that he will be departing from them, but he admonishes them "Let not your hearts be troubled." The disciples didn't know or understand where he would be going, and it was not at all certain if they could go with him. But Jesus tells them nevertheless, "Let not your hearts be troubled." Jesus himself had cause for concern; he knew that one of his disciples would be a traitor, and that even Peter, his chief lieutenant, would deny he even knew his Lord. Yet he insists on encouraging them with the words, "Let not your hearts be troubled."

Everything seemed to be on the verge of collapse, but Jesus told them not to worry, not to fear, not to fret. Jesus was warning them of the type of fear that leads to paralysis, when we worry so much (often in the time of crisis) we become so depressed we are unable to function. Worry, as someone once said, is like rocking in a rocking chair; it gives you something to do, but it doesn't get you anyplace.

I think this verse is especially appropriate this morning because we can hear Don mouthing these words. Don did not let his heart be troubled. Don didn't fret. He didn't worry. He took things in his stride. He gave new definition to being laid back. Don was virtually unflappable. It was Don whom Rudyard Kipling had in mind when he wrote: If you can keep your head when all about you Are losing theirs and blaming it on you, If you can trust yourself when all men doubt you, But make allowance for their doubting too, If you can wait and not be tired of waiting, Or being lied about, don't deal in lies, Or being hated, don't give way to hating, And yet don't look too good, nor talk too wise.

Don had the patience of Job, whether he was waiting in the car as Emily navigated the aisles at Stop 'n Shop, or he was doing some household repair job at Charles' and Donna's home in Baltimore, for which purpose he had been especially flown in. Don was absolutely incapable of speaking ill of anyone, and he had a sense of humor that can only be described as infectious. While some begrudged the good fortune of others, Don went out of his way to be kind to people. And this was not a recently acquired trait. Lest we forget, it was Myrtle Stanley, Don's mother-in-law of blessed memory, who encouraged her daughter to marry Don because she believed that anyone who treated his mother so well would do no less for a wife!

So today we are encouraged not to worry about Don's passing, but to give thanks for his life, a life which surpassed the Psalmist's prescribed lifespan of threescore years and ten, and even the lifespan of fourscore years for the especially fortunate. Don would want us to rejoice that he had had life and had it abundantly, and that he has departed this life, as that majestic prayer reminds us, "having the testimony of a good conscience, in the communion of the Catholic Church, in the confidence of a certain faith, in the comfort of a religious and holy hope, in favor with you, our God, and in perfect charity with the world." What more can we ask? We can say to Donald Wilson, "Well done, good and faithful servant. Enter into the joy of the Master."

But there's more. It has oft been said that people die in much the same way as they lived. And so it was with Don, who died quietly, peacefully, yet resolutely. When it was determined that there was no hope of recovery, the family consented to remove Don from all means of artificial life support. The physicians, those seemingly omniscient purveyors of medications and prognostications, declared that it would be a matter of hours until Don breathed his last. Hours passed, hours turned into days, and it became clear that Don wasn't ready to leave this earth and that his Lord wasn't quite ready for him. Don's heart, that loving and compassionate heart, from which had flowed unbounded affection for his beloved Emily, and unbridled love for his family and friends, continued to beat --- read my lips! --- for six more days!

Now some would say that the Lord gave Don this little reprieve so that, having promised that in his father's house were many mansions, was putting the finishing touches on Don's heavenly abode, so that it be to his liking. We know this isn't true, because the Lord is smart enough to know that when Emily arrived, she would rearrange everything anyhow! No, rather, these few days gave Don time to set things right with his Maker, and gave Emily time to sit at his bedside and have a series of final conversations. And when all these things were accomplished, and not a moment before, Donald Wilson departed this life.

And we can well imagine that when all was in readiness, Donald Wilson was received at the heavenly gates with a choir of angels, singing: When peace like a river attendeth my way, When sorrows like sea billows roll, Whatever my lot, thou hast taught me to say, It is well, it is well, with my soul.

To which Don will take up the chorus, and shout, It is well with my soul. It is well, it is well, with my soul.

+Rest eternal grant unto Donald, O Lord, And let light perpetual shine upon him. May his soul and the souls of all the faithful departed Through the mercy of God, rest in peace. AMEN.