An epic sendoff

Yesterday, the mister and I attended the funeral of our dear friend and marriage sponsor Eileen.

I don't actually remember when or how I met Eileen and her husband Larry. I'm the accompanist for the morning choir at my church, and my best guess is that Larry came up to me after Mass one day to compliment me on my playing - because that's the type of person he is. I DO remember very clearly that even before I met the mister, they told me several times, "When your time comes, we will do your marriage prep." 

You see, the Catholic church requires every engaged couple to go through some form of marriage preparation before they get married. At many churches, this takes the form of a class spanning a few weeks, or one weekend retreat with a group of other couples. The course takes you through topics such as family, communication, conflict resolution, and intimacy.

At our church, Eileen and Larry have been running the marriage prep program. Fortunately, our wonderful community has so many volunteer couples that they are able to match up engaged couples with volunteer couples to go through the course on a 2-on-2 basis. We got to know them well during our sessions and they became wonderful role models to us of a married couple whose love continued to grow until death parted them.

Anyway, mister and I were also honoured to do the music for the funeral. As the closing hymn, Larry requested The Holy City, which apparently is a party favourite among them and their friends. Their friends sang it with gusto - it was like having a choir of 200 voices - and it was a wonderful sendoff. Eileen, I hope we did you proud!



Last night I lay asleeping, there came a dream so fair,
I stood in old Jerusalem beside the temple there.
I heard the children singing, and ever as they sang,
Methought the voice of Angels from Heav'n in answer rang;
Methought the voice of Angels from Heav'n in answer rang.

Jerusalem! Jerusalem!
Lift up your gates and sing,
Hosanna in the highest! Hosanna to your King!

And then methought my dream was chang'd, the streets no longer rang,
Hush'd were the glad Hosannas the little children sang.
The sun grew dark with mystery, the morn was cold and chill,
As the shadow of a cross arose upon a lonely hill,
As the shadow of a cross arose upon a lonely hill.

Jerusalem! Jerusalem!
Hark! How the Angels sing,
Hosanna in the highest! Hosanna to your King!

And once again the scene was chang'd, new earth there seem'd to be,
I saw the Holy City beside the tideless sea;
The light of God was on its streets, the gates were open wide,
And all who would might enter, and no one was denied.
No need of moon or stars by night, or sun to shine by day,
It was the new Jerusalem that would not pass away,
It was the new Jerusalem that would not pass away!

Jerusalem! Jerusalem!
Sing for the night is o'er!
Hosanna in the highest, Hosanna for evermore!
Hosanna in the highest, Hosanna for evermore!