Hope in the midst of death

Every day we hear that people die, but when it strikes close to home you reflect more on it.

I was listening this morning on my way up from Santa Barbara to Krista Tippett's interview with British theologian/physicist John Polkinghorne. He was talking about the interaction of religion and science -- especially in what he refers to as the cloudy places. When it comes to things like resurrection and after - life -- Polkinghorne (who is in tune with panentheism) is a big proponent of both. Anyway, he was talking about eschatology and after life and our basic intuition that there must be something more. You can't prove it scientifically. You can't necessarily see it, but you know it has to be. Thus our intuition is the key.

Today one of my members died. I spent the afternoon at the hospital as the doctors tried to save this wonderfully gracious and loving woman. But it was not to be. I was there to pray with her husband and her family. I was there to give voice to the hope of the resurrection. Perhaps it is "mere" hope, but I trust that Mary Ann is in the presence of God. What form she has taken I don't know, I just have that intuition, that hope this is true. To speak otherwise would be of no comfort to the one who has lost a loved one, nor much help for me as well.

We can have academic discussions and debates about such things, but as a pastor I must take solace in that hope of the resurrection or else I will have nothing to say when I stand by a loved one.