Celebrating the Life of Veronica Perez
Music: Hold You in the Light by Kit Holmes
Greeting - Bob Gillespie
Prayer - Rev. Birdie Shawker
I invite you to bring to mind the God of your understanding or a virtue you believe in and take up whatever your normal posture of prayer is as we turn to the Source of comfort. Let us pray. Infinite Presence, we acknowledge you are with us now and always, blessing us with your love and strength as we bid goodbye to the physical presence of one who is dearly loved. It is through experiencing you that we recognize our eternal life and know that in Spirit there can be no separation from those we love. Today we honor a life well-lived, but more importantly, we celebrate, support, and love her into a new and fresh dimension of life, a life after life, a closer walk with the Infinite. And in this Truth, we find great comfort. It is in this faith, gratitude, and in all your name that we pray. Amen.
Hebrew Scripture (Old Testament) Reading—Psalm 34:18 Misty Leija:
The Lord is close to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit.
New Testament Reading —Romans 8:28 Heather Ramirez:
And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.
Remembering Veronica [I invited family and friends share stories and memories.]
Litany of Remembrance – Rev. Birdie and People
(A litany is a group prayer with a call and response structure.)
Leader: Loving Presence, from whose heart we come and to which we return, we gather today to remember and give thanks for Veronica Perez.
People: We pray that, encouraged by her example and strengthened by her legacy, we may be more deeply aware of the goodness and fragility of human life.
Leader: In the rising of the sun and in its going down, we remember her.
People: In the blowing of the wind and in the chill of winter, we remember her.
Leader: In the opening of buds and in the rebirth of spring, we remember her.
People: In the blueness of the sky and in the warmth of summer, we remember her.
Leader: In the rustling of leaves and in the beauty of autumn, we remember her.
People: In the beginning of the year and when it ends, we remember her. Leader: When we are weary and in need of strength, we remember her. People: When we are lost and sick at heart, we remember her. Leader: When we have joys we yearn to share, we remember her. All: As long as we live, she too shall live, for she is now a part of us, as we remember her. Amen.
Words of Hope: Rev. Birdie Shawker
Veronica was simply amazing. I'm grateful to all of you who have shared with me in private and publicly today your love and admiration of her. Given how she passed, it is natural to experience a myriad of feelings. Her loss is literally palpable in the clinic system. I've heard in the days since she passed from more than one person, "What will we do without her?"
For many, she was a source of knowledge, strength, inspiration, and courage. When training staff, she had a remarkable instinct for when to challenge a person and when to be tender. She was an excellent mother, never missing appointments for children in her care and keeping. She worked two jobs and yet got her children to various activities, including the children's church at El Mesias. She had what appeared to be endless energy and time for anyone who faced hardship. She was there to support them. And so, it's no wonder those who knew and loved her have shared with me many strong emotions.
From John Chapter 14, verses 1-4, we recall one of scripture's most beautiful and comforting promises: "Let not your heart be troubled; Believe in God, believe also in me. In my Father's house are many mansions. If it were not so, I would have told you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I come again, and will receive you unto myself: that where I am, there you may be also."
I've always been curious about one aspect of the scripture: how on earth does one fit a mansion into a house? In my study of scripture over the years, I found that one way of looking at it is that there are many different planes of existence.
No doubt there are people here from many faith traditions today. One Universal notion about life after death is……. that there is life after death. Our life force, this life energy that we all possess, does not simply disappear when we die….. it is transformed or changed.
Our experience of Veronica, therefore, has changed … and our work going forward today is to get to know her in this new way. Part of this work, in my opinion, is grief.
Let us allow the God of our individual understanding, or a virtue we believe in, to provide us strength and comfort through the trying experience of grief. Let us not judge ourselves or others harshly if we question our faith or ask….. "Where is God in this situation?" Or, if we doubt life's goodness. It is normal to do so as we grieve.
Let us understand that grief is an individual experience, and everybody expresses grief in different ways, from tears to laughter and everything in between.
Let us be candid about what is going on, to resist easy answers or explain away the agony of those who grieve. In this way, we support each other in cultivating a more profound and genuinely authentic understanding of the Divine.
And let us Present for each other as we grieve, whether with practical help or in listening with empathy and without judgment.
It is not easy to simply listen at times because people may say things we disagree with. We may want to "correct" them.
Being a calm, loving presence in the midst of grief is one of the finest ways we can answer the question where is the good in this world? Or "Where is God in this situation?" Without words, our action of simply listening states, "Right here."
Poem: Don’t Cry for Me by Christy Anne Martine - Lucy Estrada:
Don’t cry for me, I’m not gone.
My soul is at rest
my heart lives on.
Light a candle for me to see
and hold on to my memory,
but save your tears
for I’m still here,
by your side through the years.
Instructions for Departure - Rev. Birdie Shawker
In the summer of 2010, photographer Brandon Stanton set out on an ambitious project: to single-handedly create a photographic census of New York City. Armed with his camera, he began crisscrossing the city, covering thousands of miles on foot, all to capture New Yorkers and their stories. The result of these efforts was a vibrant blog he called "Humans of New York," in which his photos were featured alongside quotes and anecdotes.
One of those antidotes included the story of woman of mature years. Alongside her sweet image was this beautiful story in a mere two sentences:
When my husband was dying, I said: 'Moe, how am I supposed to live without you?' He told me: 'Take the love you have for me and spread it around.'
So many of you have told me, “I don’t know what we are going to do without Veronica!”
Well, I think if she were here she’d probably give us all a hard time, “You’ll be fine, get back to work,” she’d probably say in the wonderful way only she could put it.
And I’ll add something she wouldn’t. What we can do without her is take all the love we have for her and spread it around.
Ladybugs traditionally represent love, so as you leave the building, Heather will assist you, if you want to participate, in symbolically spreading some of the love we have for Veronica. You’ll do so by spreading and releasing ladybugs on the plants in front of the building.
You can also tell Veronica’s family about the love you have for her; they are here today.
Benediction:
An Indigenous People's Prayer
I give you this one thought to keep:
I am with you still I do not sleep.
I am a thousand winds that blow;
I am the diamond glints on snow;
I am the sunlight on ripened grain,
I am the gentle autumn rain.
When you awaken in the morning’s hush,
I am the swift, uplifting rush of quiet birds in circled flight.
I am the soft stars that shine at night.
Do not think of me as gone,
I am with you still, in each new dawn.
Blessing
Receive this blessing: Go forth into the world in peace. Be of good courage. Hold fast to that which is good. Render to no one evil for evil. Be sustained by and take comfort in a virtue you believe in. Strengthen the weak, help the afflicted, honor ALL people. Take the love you have for Veronica and spread it everywhere. And the blessing of a loving Creator rest upon you this day and forevermore, Amen.
Music: Thank You by Bliss
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