Edith B. (Bellin) Pankow Funeral - 2012

Isaiah 49:7-16             Revelation 2:10           Matthew 18:1-5

⁸ Thus says the Lord:
“In a time of favor I have answered you;
    in a day of salvation I have helped you;
I will keep you and give you
    as a covenant to the people,
to establish the land,
    to apportion the desolate heritages,
⁹ saying to the prisoners, ‘Come out,’
    to those who are in darkness, ‘Appear.’
They shall feed along the ways;
    on all bare heights shall be their pasture;
¹⁰ they shall not hunger or thirst,
    neither scorching wind nor sun shall strike them,
for he who has pity on them will lead them,
    and by springs of water will guide them.
¹¹ And I will make all my mountains a road,
    and my highways shall be raised up.
¹² Behold, these shall come from afar,
    and behold, these from the north and from the west,
    and these from the land of Syene.”

¹³ Sing for joy, O heavens, and exult, O earth;
    break forth, O mountains, into singing!
For the Lord has comforted his people
    and will have compassion on his afflicted.

¹⁴ But Zion said, “The Lord has forsaken me;
    my Lord has forgotten me.”

¹⁵ “Can a woman forget her nursing child,
    that she should have no compassion on the son of her womb?
Even these may forget,
    yet I will not forget you.
¹⁶ Behold, I have engraved you on the palms of my hands;
    your walls are continually before me.

Grace, mercy and peace to you from God our Father, through our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, Amen.  Our text today is the Old Testament lesson, especially these words, “Even these may forget, yet I will not forget you.  Behold, I have engraved you on the palms of my hands.”  Thus far our text. 

Dear friends in Christ, especially Kenneth, Paula, Ardith and Sherry, family and friends of Edith.  Again, we gather to mourn.  Again we hurt, again we ask those questions, “Why is Edith taken from us?  Why do we have to hurt?  Why did she have to struggle the way she did?  Why do these things happen to us?”

For Edith did struggle these last few years.  Alzheimer’s had taken a drastic toll on Edith.  Alzheimer’s hurt Edith’s memory.  She struggled recognizing people at times, she couldn’t remember dates or places as well.  Many days she didn’t remember where she was, thinking she was back in school or in childhood.  She spent much of her time sleeping.  The fun, feisty lady was not quite herself for many years. 

That is the way that Alzheimer’s works.  It destroys one’s memories.  It makes you forget.  It makes you confused.  It is one of the most painful ways that sin works in our world.  As you well know, families are left mourning as they watch their loved one’s memory slowly fade.  And you have mourned, as your Ma’s memory faded, you hurt.  As Edith struggled, you too wept with her. 

And now she’s gone.  Now her struggle is over.  Now her pain is ended.  But the mourning continues – now its our turn to weep and hurt and remember.  But even our own memories will fade over the years.  Even our own recollections will disappear.  For we ourselves will age, and weaken.  Our minds will themselves become foggy.  Our lives will go on until we too one day will die.  Our memories of our loved ones who have passed away like Edith may live with us for a time, but one day they will disappear with us.  As Solomon writes in Ecclesiastes, “For the living know that they will die, but the dead know nothing, and they have no more reward, for the memory of them is forgotten.”

That’s sin in us.  That’s its affect.  That we should forget, that we should die.  And yet, there is one who does not forget.  There is one, who shall not forget you, dear friends, just as he did not forget Edith.  For you dear friends, each one of you, and dear Edith as well, are engraved upon the palms of his hands. 

This one who remembers is Christ.  Even though we pass away in this world, he remembers us.  Even though we feel forgotten, even though our memories fade, he does not forget.  We are precious to him.  We are loved by him.  So loved that he willingly forsook his own life on our behalf, and on behalf of Edith.  His hands were engraved with our names, engraved with nails that pierced them through, and held his hands firmly to a cross as he gave up his life on your behalf, and on behalf of our dear sister Edy.  And after lying dead three days in the tomb, Christ arose, and showed the disciples his hands and his feet – as if to say, “You are not forgotten.  You are remembered, and always shall be!”

Dear friends, I remember one day visiting Edith, and in her Alzheimers, the only thing she could say was, “I just want to go home, I just want to go home.”  Christ heard her prayer.  Christ remembered her prayer.  Christ remembered her confirmation, when he told her, “Be faithful unto death, and I will give you the crown of life.”  And today, Christ has kept his promise to her, and has taken her home for the last time.  There she is at peace, there she is with Rudy, Craig, and all other family and friends who have died in the faith.  She rests secure in the arms of Jesus.  She has the crown of life, and will forever more. 

Dear friends, we are left here.  You mourn, we remember, you always will for Edy, your mom, your grandma.  You’ll remember the funny moments from her life, like how she ran over a St. Bernard – a dog who lived to see another day by the way – or how she had trouble hearing so everything needed to be written down for her.  You’ll remember your visits with her, and you’ll remember care.  You’ll remember her becoming more sick, and you’ll remember the last time you held her hand. 

But most importantly, remember that it’s not only you who remember, but Christ who remembers her.  It’s Jesus who has taken her home.  It’s Jesus who promises you will see her again there in eternity.  It’s Christ who remembers her, for she is engraved upon his hands.  And He remembers you as well dear friends.  He remembers you as you mourn, He remembers you while you hurt.  He’ll remember you while you think of Edy, and will remember you all the days of your life here on this earth. 

For you too are engraved upon the palms of his hands.  Amen.