A Sad Duty
I have only been a priest for about 19 months, so while I cannot say I have done hundreds of funerals, I am not a rookie either. Today I officiated at the saddest funeral I have done so far in my priesthood. It was the first child funeral I have done.
Little Jaime Lynn was only two years old. I did not know the family. That is one of the more difficult things about being a priest in this day and age in the Northeast. Our parishes are often so very large, that it can be a challenge to get to know most of one’s parishioners. Of course I have only been at OLS-St. Anthony’s for a week, so it would not be likely that I would know the family. I met Jaime Lynn’s parents for the first time just a few minutes before the funeral. From the many pictures they had at the funeral parlor, Jaime Lynn certainly seemed like a beautiful, happy child — very much loved by her parents and older sisters. From what I am told she got sick in the Spring, and then passed away this week. The turn out for the funeral was very large. Even grown men were moved to tears. The father’s cousin, a deacon from Philadelphia, assisted me.
Since this was my first funeral for a child, I had never read the prayers that the funeral liturgy has for children. They are very beautiful and comforting. The image of the Good Shepherd carrying His lamb in His arms is very promenient. One of the Gospel readings you can choose is the passage where Jesus tells the apostles to let the children come to Him, and how He then embraced them and blessed them. It is the Gospel selection I use for baptisms.
Please pray for Jaime Lynn, although since she was baptized and really below the age where she could commit mortal sin I think we can be fairly certain that she is with Christ Jesus in paradise. Pray also for her parents, sisters, and the extended family.
