here and everywhere

Today marks six months since my dad was promoted from this life to the life to come.

I originally intended to do something sacramental. Alas, the day came and went, without much rememberance at all. I didn't even have time to visit the graveside, as I rushed through traffic to my class tonight.

But on my way, I remembered that earlier today, after the singing of our usual lunchtime grace "Be present at our table Lord, Be here and everywhere adored, These mercies bless and grant that we, May feast in paradise with Thee," my daughter unknowingly asked, "Is granddad singing, too?"

"Well, yes I believe he is." I answered, somewhat uncertainly at the time. But the more I thought about it, the more convinced I was.

Of course he is! Here we are on earth, "mystically representing," as we say in church, the celestial beings in their worship of God. We adore and bless God as do the angels and saints above us. And when we do, time and space no longer separate us from Love. Indeed, despite physical separation, there is communion between us when our souls sing praises to God. As Metropolitan of Nafpaktos Hierotheos says,

"The souls of those who have fallen asleep remember the people with whom they were connected in life, they are concerned about them, but they are in a different dimension of space and time. Through God, the souls of the saints are aware of our condition, because they have love and are in communion with God. They hear us, they receive our prayers and pray to God for us. This is by grace, because of their unity with God."

What a joy to believe this. I no longer have to feel guilty for "talking" to my dead dad. He isn't, afterall, "lost" or "gone" but dwelling with God in the great cloud of witnesses, which is substantially closer than I am.

People who knew dad joked that he was up there conducting the heavenly chorale. While I'm not sure who's holding the baton, I do trust that my dad is participating in the paradisical feast as his illumined soul sings the thrice holy hymn. And if he has any connection to us in the here and now, why wouldn't it be at our own table, the very place where we break bread and give thanks in song?

"Did your dad teach you that song?" Emmanuel was prompted to ask after Eden.

"Why, yes, he did." He taught me at table to give thanks to the one who gave His own body up as food, that we might never die, but live to "feast in paradise with Thee."

For this I am eternally grateful.

Earth Angel

We celebrated the first birthday of our little Angel, Evangeline, with a celestial tea party. Can't believe we've had our precious gift from heaven in our lives for a year already. And so thankful that we are blessed to be surrounded by a playful family who don't claim "too old" for dress up parties - way to go uncle andrew and uncle tim for sporting your wings n' things!