Grace

Today the children and I went to a funeral for a five year old girl named Betsy. She was such a gift in life, I can only imagine the works she will accomplish from heaven. Her little body suffered much, pretty much from the day she was born. And yet everyone remembers how she always smiled and was full of joy in living. Her funeral and burial were so beautiful and moving. Exactly right...sad because she will be so missed but hopeful and rejoicing that her soul is celebrating in heaven. She loved pretending to be a princess. Her father reminded us that now at last she is a real princess before her Heavenly Father's throne. How wonderful! She was a gift. We were so honored to know her for her time on earth. Her family is loving and brave and generous. I thanked her dear mother today for sharing her with us, for letting all of us love her so much. The day was so lovely, almost too much to be able to write up in any meaningful way. Perfect fall weather. The spot where she was buried was shaded by a huge tree that had dressed itself in the most intense shade of yellow. People were dressed in pink, it was her favorite color. There were children of all ages. Everyone placed a flower on her coffin. As she was lowered into the ground children came forward, unafraid to see where her body was going, peering over the edge into the hole. I can't begin to describe the feeling. A musician who has a ministry singing to children in hospitals came from Philly. He had sung to Betsy many times over the years. He sang to her one last time as we buried her.
During the Mass, at Consecration, that sacred moment when heaven and earth come togther, time stands still, I was overcome with the sense of Betsy with us or us with Betsy...I wasn't sure which was true in that moment. It was so powerful and deep...thank you Jesus for that exquisite moment.
Talking with her mother, she shared a moment she remebered of Betsy with my Anna, playing tug-of-war with something on a table at a bowling alley. Anna and Betsy are the same age.
The closest I have come to the grief of losing a child is an early miscarriage a year and a half ago. Five short weeks that little life was given to me. And now I smile to think that Betsy has met my little soul before I have.
God is so good!