I have come home from the funeral Mass for my dear friend,
Jeanette. The image I have of her is sitting on the left side of the chapel in
the Neuman Center for Sunday Mass together with best friends at her side,
Walter, Anne and Fran.
When a family member, Brockport College colleague, student or
neighbor would visit her at her home or the assisted living center, she would
be sitting in her chair with tons of paperwork on her bed. Her first words in
your direction, “Oh, you are so sweet” it was her gratitude for taking the time
to visit and shares stories. Her bed was full of paperwork, she was working on
several projects that included scholarship funding for students. She had a
passion that students should be given every opportunity to succeed in life and
that included getting closer to the Lord. Her passion was a belief that young
people need our support and never leave anyone behind. She wished that each student would grow in mind and
spirit in an environment that nourished their intellectual and spiritual life to
be the best person they could be.
Jeanette shared that she was grateful for her doctors who kept her
going with their medicines and treatments but she told them that she was ready.
This meant that she was at peace with her decision because she had
learned from her Lord to mend the wrongs when relationships gone south. Not
every wrong can be righted, not every relationship can be healed, but she did
her part to convey the mercy and love of her Lord to all her family and
friends.
I firmly believe that all who shared fellowship with Jeanette are
a better person for in her presence we have walked in the house of our God.
We pray… “Lord, now You are letting Your servant depart in peace,
for my eyes have seen your salvation.” Luke 2:29-30.
Now before I ended this reflection, I overheard the local wildlife
outside having a “yelling” match that sent one kitty up a tree, a very tall
tree. Here’s Jeanette smiling and telling me “get that poor thing off the limb
before its hurts itself.” So this priest farmer, gets his ladder, but it’s too
short. Mind you, Jeannette is having a wonderful time telling the kitty to hold
on, “Father Matt will be right up.” Of
course, I climb up the ladder and starts pleading, “please come down Velvie.” Yes,
we have personal names for all our wildlife.
Now I know Jeanette is here because when I pulled the ladder away
from the tree, Velvie gingerly starts her way down the tree. Good kitty, and
finally she jumps off the last branch, while I’m trying to coax her down into a
kitty crate to take her to the vet.
