Though we grieve for those we love, we have such faith in their rest in the Kingdom of God.
Today, I have been praying most sorrowfully for the repose of the dearly departed soul of my husband’s young cousin, Yolla, who passed away this morning in the early hours of this Eve of the Feast of the Epiphany.
At only about sixty years old, after a years’ long battle with cancer, on the other side of the world, in a hospital in Lebanon, in fact, Yolla finally breathed the last breath of her Earthly life today...
The Feast of the Epiphany is a significant Feast in both the Roman and Eastern Catholic Churches.
While the Feast commemorates the Baptism of Christ in the Eastern Catholic Church, in the Roman Catholic Church,it commemorates not only the Baptism of Christ, but also the visit by the Magi and Christ’s First Miracle at the Wedding Feast at Cana.
The word “Epiphany” means to illuminate, discover, reveal and expose. And it is because of the definition of “Epiphany” that this Feast commemorates so many different things, for there were many revelations of Christ during His lifetime…
You see, the Baptism of Christ reveals the Obedience of God the Son, “…the Spirit of God descending like a dove, and lighting upon Him: And lo a voice from heaven, saying, ‘This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.’” (Matthew 3:16-17).
The journey of the Magi was God revealed to the Gentiles who, “…saw the Child with His mother Mary, and they bowed down and worshiped Him.” (Matthew 2:11).
And the First Miracle at the Wedding Feast of Cana revealed Christ’s Divinity, “This, the first of His signs, Jesus did at Cana in Galilee, and manifested His glory. And His disciples believed in Him.” (John 2:11).
I met Yolla about fifteen years ago during my one and only trip to Lebanon as a young bride, where I spent a great deal of time talking with Yolla, who spoke English, Arabic and French, and spent her weekends at her parent’s home, which neighbours my husband’s family home in the village there. Little did I know at the time what would be revealed to me through the life – and death – of this woman.
Yolla was a big sister to them all. She cared for her elderly parents. She cared for her widowed brother’s children after the passing of their mother from cancer several years ago. And she cared for me – a new Australian bride in the country of my ancestors where I was no more than a stranger in a strange land...
And Yolla did this in her sheik, trendy, and apparently carefree way. Though I was never very close to Yolla in this life – distanced as we were by time and space and the necessary limitations of language where she was speaking her third language to me, and I replied in my first – my memories of Yolla remain very dear to me…
And in remembering her life, I have now to remember the manner of her death...
It was during this last season of Advent that Yolla was first admitted to hospital for treatment. She remained in hospital through the days of the Christmas season and through the welcoming of the new year. And for those weeks, Yolla, who was ever the obedient daughter, waited – enduring her final temptation – for her Eternal Father to call her home.
And in reflecting on the life and the death of this young woman, I am reminded of the purpose of this Earthly life – for we are born to die to be born to Eternal Life.
And now, on this Eve of the Epiphany, it gives me great comfort to know that Yolla is at peace in Eternity. For the Lord God in His mercy allowed Yolla to offer one last sacrifice in the long list of sacrifices that she offered during the course of her Earthly life… And it was the sacrifice of her Earthly life itself and the torment of her final days and weeks that Yolla was allowed to offer to her Beloved…
And I am comforted to know that those who we love – those like Yolla – rest not in a hospital bed – but rest in the Holy and Eternal Kingdom of God.
For through HIS death WE have life.
It was unto this that He was born.
And THAT revelation is really what the Feast of the Epiphany commemorates, and THAT is what I shall remember as I pray for the repose of the beautiful soul of Yolla, whose Earthly life ended far too soon…
For with prayers for Yolla and all the dearly departed, everything is clear. Here. At the Foot of the Cross.