Rest in Peace

The monastic cemetery, taken by Sister Nancy Bauer

Ione, please don't rest in peace!

This seems to be the year of losing friends. Losing Ione was quite different. We were the dearest of friends as young nuns. Our lives changed as we went different ways. New friendships formed. New relationships became primary. After 40 plus years, we reconnected. Then, Ione up and dies. I happened to be close by and most everyone who knew us said it was a “God-thing” I was here.

If it's a “God-thing,” maybe I'm here to say what lots of people may be thinking but too close to say out loud.

When people we love die, we miss them.
INCREDIBLY.

Grief can be such a kick in the gut.

It leaves a forever hole.

But our faith tells us death should be a celebration. For the first few weeks, maybe months, I say, “Poppycock!”

How can anyone honestly go about celebrating? Perhaps a body destroyed by sickness is left behind. Maybe dementia/Alzheimer's has already killed the spirit. But, the person we know may be as happy as a lark shedding that body like a cocoon and popping out exploding in colors too intense to describe.

REST IN PEACE.

To say this is really kind of silly, don't you think?

It's you and me and all the friends of Ione who should be told to REST IN PEACE!

That RIP is really for those left behind. We need rest. We need peace.

For God's sake, for our loved one's sake, let's toast them with a new kind of RIP—

RUN INTO PASSIONATE love!

Wasn't that God's goal for all of us?

Pat Pickett, OblSB