Valerie's Funeral Homily

You will have noticed that the vestments today are purple. However, in my heart and mind’s eye, they are white. Why?

Because the purple reflects our loss at  Valerie’s' death and departing. The white represents Val's delight at meeting God face to face and experiencing divine love immediately.

I encourage you to bear that in mind so that your bereavement and grief may be somewhat assuaged.

You see, thanks to the resurrection of Jesus Christ, I know that we have three not just two stages of living our lives.

First, there we were, in our mother's womb

Not breathing, just growing until, after some nine months, we are pushed out

and start breathing. Seeing our mother's face for the first time.

Now, here we are, in our second stage of life; breathing, seeing, learning, growing old - not, I hope, as a dog but as a fine wine. 

At death, we come to the end of the beginning - and the beginning of the end. We see God’s face for the first time. We are born into eternity, as Valerie has been.

As some of you know, my autobiography is entitled “A Journey to Eternity” – for that is what all of our lives in fact  are – whether we realise that fact or not.

I, personally, can't wait to die and see the face of God for the first time

And be able to ask so many questions in my mind about creation.

As I can’t go back into my mother’s womb, I cannot  - after I have been born into and am alive in eternity - come back to space-time and life on earth. Nor can Val.

So, I thank God for Valerie’s life, which, I know from personal experience - ever since we first met on the Westminster Diocesan Pilgrimage to Lourdes in 1986 -  was a very fine one.

She enriched so many lives by her kindness, her common sense, inner peace and generosity. My memory of her enriches my life. Thank God.