new church life: march/april 2016
goes on to say that these spiritually
substantial objects in that world
“are sensed [there] just as vividly as
things are for us on earth, in fact far
more clearly, more crisply, and more
perceptibly . . . [and that therefore]
the appearances that arise in heaven .
. . are called real appearances because
they do actually come into being.”
(Heaven and Hell 175)
Heaven, it could be said, is where
what we love is real. So if they were
used by someone in this life as a way
of showing love and care for others
and of bringing joy to life, we should
not be at all surprised to find that
there are Almost Perfect Oatmeal
Cookies, Gravely tractors and Piper
Cub airplanes in heaven.
We turn our thoughts and our
love today to Reade Genzlinger,
who has passed from this life, and
to his family: to his wife, Lynn
(Pitcairn), and to their children and
grandchildren: Kyle, Aurelle, Aria and Deryn; Nina and Kirk; Lane, Simma and
Isla; Teryn, Derek, Dexter and Hazel; and Owen; and to Reade’s siblings: Leslie,
Stacy, Eric and Kent. Reade’s family and all of us, too, have lost something of
great magnitude. May we all find strength and peace in the love that we share
together and in the love and respect that we all have for Reade.
What we have lost in this world is Reade’s unique embodiment of many,
many exemplary and superb human qualities. As we struggle with this
tremendous loss and the grief and pain it brings, it may be over time that a
source of strength and peace for us will be our memory of these characteristics
that we saw and felt in Reade. And what could be suggested is that it’s not just
memories that we have of Reade’s spirit and spiritual qualities: in a very real
and substantial way they still very much exist and are still being embodied in
the spiritual world, which is very near to us, and they still exist all around us
in this world, too.
Already this past week, many of Reade’s qualities have been talked about
and cherished. After this service we will have the chance to hear about and
savor many more. We will always have an appreciation for Reade and who he
was and who he is.
Heaven, it could be said,
is where what we love
is real. So if they were
used by someone in this
life as a way of showing
love and care for others
and of bringing joy
to life, we should not
be at all surprised
to find that there are
Almost Perfect Oatmeal
Cookies, Gravely
tractors and Piper Cub
airplanes in heaven.
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