Anniversary Weekend

The call came early
around 6:30 AM on a Sunday morning before church.
Sylvia's voice was on the other end
I think.
So much has become blurry in this year.
Ron passed away a little while ago.
That's all I remember now of the announcement.
As Ron's friend Ginny heralded the beginning of our friendship
so an impersonal voice on the telephone heralded its end.

Quickly I dressed and drove my tearful self to Pearland.
He was dead all right
lying in his bed hugging his pillow
as I had seen him so often
but the despair was gone.
All darkness had vanished.
On his face was the touch of unmistakable glory.
It was peace, deep and full and overflowing.
He was radiant,
more radiant than I had ever seen anybody anywhere
and I knew at that moment
that he had finally discovered for himself that God is love,
profound, abundant, glorious love.
He had sought love earnestly his entire life
and now it finally had grasped him.

There were tears in my eyes then for his passing from my life
but also for joy that he had finally come into the peace and love
that had eluded him on earth.

Days later I sat with him alone in a funeral parlor.
He was still bathed in peace and love
despite all the probing and testing that had happened in the morgue.

If the Bible were not true
If I had never been to church
If I had never heard of the Christian faith
I still would believe in a loving, merciful God
because of God's beauty filling my friend's face.

I shall always be grateful for those moments of intimacy in death
when God confirmed to me the majesty of His love and grace.