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Death: Mystery and Possibility

Sister Kathie McLaughlin, March 25, 2007

Brief description

When my father died, I thought I had lost him.  But in some mysterious way, he became more present to me than ever.  I will share this story with you and explain how my experience has shaped my theological interpretation of death and resurrection.  At the heart of it, I believe that death, whether our own or that of someone we love, is an opening into Holy Mystery, sacred journey.

Sermon

As I was reflecting and making remote preparation for the words I would speak to you this morning, I especially noticed this quotation from Krista Tippett's book, Speaking of Faith.
"… faith is as much about questioning as it is about certainties.  It is possible to be a believer and a listener at the same time, to be both fervent and searching, to nurture a vital identity and to wonder at the identities of others."   P. 3…and also
"I define a fundamentalist as anyone who not only has the answers for himself, but has them for all the rest of us, too."  P. 14
Basically…I believe

  • deep questions about human life, there are no certainties—about lesser realities there can be more certainty
  • that we are surrounded by and immersed in Holy Mystery
  • this kind of mystery—not something we may solve; it is an adventure; sometimes ecstasy and sometimes agony (sometimes both…)
  • when we experience great life mysteries, not in control—this is their very description: EX: cannot make someone love you; cannot escape failure; cannot control death, or even birth (though we talk about "birth control…"); even the beauty of nature is simply given: can't make the sun rise or set, the breezes blow, the rains, etc…

That much said, I share with you the story of my father's death

  • my father died of a heart attack, suddenly, in 1972, at thanksgiving time
  • I had been in religious life for 16 years already
  • originally, my father had objected to my entering: we made a deal….
  • part of his objection: our community had been his teachers; he had some hard experiences; another part, carrying on of family line
  • after a year, I entered community—with his "blessing…"
  • visits:  "I hate this damn place"
  • over years, his attitude softened: haircut story; yet still some ambivalence for me
  • so, when he died, I felt bad; we went to mortuary; family reviewal: Marge, Phil, Pat
  • then, everyone came: nuns by the hordes—"are they or aren't they…"
  • next day: the sophomore class, formed an honor guard along middle aisle of church at beginning and end of liturgy
  • and somewhere, along the way, thru the interweaving of these experiences, I came into a different communion with my father
  • I knew in a deep place inside myself, that everything was all right
  • from that time on, my father has been intensely present to me, inside of me, walking with me, understanding, being connected
  • what does this say about death as mystery and possibility?

The reading that I provided was from Denis Edwards' book offers this thesis: there are experiences in human life in which we find ourselves open to more than the ordinary.
two kinds:  experiences of richness and experiences of limit;  I have found these profoundly helpful in my life
arbitrarily, (because there could be many others) he chooses 5 examples of richness experiences:

  • interpersonal love
  • childbirth
  • creativity
  • forgiveness
  • beauty of nature

and 5 examples of limit experiences:

  • vulnerability (recognition of our contingency)
  • death
  • failure (confrontation with our finite condition)
  • loneliness (not always because of absence of people around us)
  • alienation (a sense of being out of touch)

These are all breakthrough moments in which we connect with Mystery…
When I leave here today I go to choir practice for the Echoes of Peace choir concert which is this afternoon at 3:00….
There this sermon will continue, because here are the words to the chorus of a song which we will be singing:
O Mystery, you are alive; I feel you all around.
You are the fire in my heart; you are the holy sound.
You are all of life, and it's to you that I sing;
O grant that I may feel you, always, in everything.  (sing this last line…)
This is my hope for all of us. May it be so. 

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