From Depression to Declaration

Have you ever been to a funeral in New Orleans? Or, at least seen one? It is a very different experience because of the cultural understanding of grief, death, and suffering. The experience is truly unique. Rev. Dr. Kimberleigh Buchanan on her blog has a good description:

The brass band begins its solemn procession at the church, playing hymns like “Free as a Bird” and “Just a Closer Walk with Thee”-no improvisation, no frills. Nothing but sadness blown low and blue to the beat of a muted snare drum.

Once the procession arrives at the cemetery, though, after the final words are spoken and the body is lowered into the ground, the mood shifts. Brightly festooned umbrellas burst open, the snare drummer removes his mute, and the funeral procession heads back into town to the raucous strains of “Didn’t He Ramble?” and “When the Saints Go Marching In.” Folks who heard the somber hymns earlier in the day wait for the procession’s return…because they know a celebration’s coming…and no one in New Orleans wants to miss the funeral celebration.

Why all the celebration for death?

A jazz funeral points to a hopeful expression of grief.  It begins somber, but quickly turns to celebration of a loved one.  A celebration of life, instead of a mourning of death.

Frankly, if you think about it, for Christians death is not the end.  Rather, it is the next chapter with our walk with God.  I do not want to discount our existence on earth, but fears of death are based on the unknown.

In our two scripture texts for this Sunday, two great “prophets” bring a boy back to life. In our Old Testament lesson, Elijah brings back the widow’s son in Zarephath.  In the Gospel text, Jesus brings a boy back to life in Nain. You can image the grief and depression that came from from these two mothers who experienced the loss of their son.  No doubt depression set in.

However, the scene quickly changes in both texts when Elijah prays for the child to live in the Old Testament passage and Jesus commands the child to come back to life in the New Testament passage. What was a depressing scene becomes a declaration of God’s power! The people around Jesus say in Luke 7,

and they glorified God, saying, “A great prophet has risen among us!” and “God has looked favorably on his people!” ¹⁷This word about him spread throughout Judea and all the surrounding country.

It’s hard to look at something so depressing, such as death, and see any good.  To see any grace or mercy in death is difficult as well. However, both these stories illustrate God’s grace in the story of creation.  The gift of life is the definition of grace: we don’t desire it, but God gives it to us anyway. Though people are not coming back from the dead on a daily basis, God gives us life every day, yet we take it for granted.

The story of life in these scriptures encourages us to go from depression to declaration.  From death to life. From grief to grace. May you see the grace of God in the dark moments of life.  May you see God’s gift of grace in life.

Pentecost 2c