Mickey, Tom, and John, family and friends of Pat, brothers and sisters in Christ, grace to you and peace from God our Father and from our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.

I wish that I had known your mom the way that you remember her best.

I wish that I had met the woman who would dance in the aisles of the grocery store and break into song at the drop of the hat, the woman who was outgoing and a friend to all, the woman who was full of life and energy and enthusiasm, especially when it came to her family. 

That’s not the Pat that I knew.

By the time that I met Pat, she was nervous, and anxious.  She had trouble finding her words and her steps.

And yet there were still parts of her that age and illness could not take away.  When we celebrated the Lord’s Supper together, she could still speak the Lord’s Prayer and the Apostles’ Creed; she could still sing the liturgy and her favorite hymns with that sweet voice of hers.  It was a sign that deep inside of her, her faith was still there.

Pat’s faith, her trust in Jesus saw her through good times and bad, through moves, changes in jobs and in her family life, and through the death of her beloved husband.

Today is not just a day to remember Pat and the wonderful person that she was. 

Today is a day for each of us to reflect on our own faith, our own relationship with God almighty.

None of us know when our last day or hour will come, whether we will see fifty years of marriage, eighty years of life, and see our great-grandchildren as Pat did, or whether the end will come sooner.  Whenever someone we love dies, it reminds us that life is fragile and unpredictable, and that we all need to be ready.

And the best way to be ready is to turn to God’s Word, and listen to what He tells us about life and salvation.

In our Gospel lesson today, we heard Jesus’ words to Nicodemus. Nicodemus was an older man who had questions.  He came to Jesus at night to ask Him who He was and what He was all about.

And in these verses we have the clear, simple statement of the gospel, that God so loved the world that He sent His one and only Son, that whoever believes in Him would not perish, but have everlasting life.

God loved Pat.  Not just because she was such a joyful and caring person.  He loved her unconditionally.

Pat made her share of mistakes.  She had her moments of weakness and doubt.  And still, God kept loving her.

And God loves you in the same way.  No matter who you are or what you’ve done, God loves you.

And nothing can separate you from His love.  You heard that in the Epistle lesson.  Nothing in this life, no spiritual forces, nothing in creation can separate you from the love that God has for you.

God loved Pat and you and me so much that He gave what was most dear and precious to Him, His only Son, Jesus Christ, to die for you.

Jesus took all of our sins and died in our place on the cross, that we would have forgiveness.

You told me that Pat was always one to give a second chance, or a third chance, or however many chances it took.

The reason why Pat could be so loving and forgiving is because she herself had been loved and forgiven in such a way.

And because of Jesus’ death, we have the promise of everlasting life.

This is not the end for Pat.  We know that not even death can separate Jesus from the ones He loves.

So, we trust that she is with Him.  And when Jesus returns, He will raise all the dead, and He will transform our bodies to be like His.

You had to watch Pat’s body and her mind slowly deteriorate over the years.  Imagine having her back, not the way she was at the end, but the way that you remember her best, and even better.

No more sickness and seizures, no more sin or suffering of any kind.  That’s what Jesus promises those who trust in Him.

And that promise is what will sustain you in the days and weeks ahead.

It’s going to be difficult as you gather around the Thanksgiving table.

It’s going to be difficult as you decorate the tree and prepare for Christmas.

It’s going to be difficult not having Pat with you, at least not in the physical way that you’ve been used to throughout your life.

But if you remember our Lord’s promise, and trust that you will have that same gift of everlasting life, you can face the future in peace and hope, knowing that death is not the end, and that our Lord will bring His people back together one day, to live in peace and joy forever.