Christ
is Risen! Alleluia!
In
the Name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.
For
the mountains may depart
and
the hills be removed,
but
my steadfast love shall not depart from you,
says
the Lord, who has compassion on you.
Many
years ago, this verse - Isaiah 54:10 - was given to Walter Henry
William Thies as his confirmation verse. It has stood him in good
stead throughout his life, and it now provides a message of great
comfort and peace for us who mourn his death.
Mountains
may depart and hills may be removed. Think of how the landscape
around you has changed throughout the years. Think of how your
families, your communities, your congregations have changed
throughout the years. Time, like an ever-rolling stream, so quickly
and silently carries the world through the ages. Nothing stands still
in this life. As King Solomon said, there is a season for everything,
and a time for everything under the sun. There is a time to live and
a time to die, a time to laugh and a time to mourn, for all of us.
