For Rozanne

And so we gather again as a family to celebrate the life of Rozanne Davenport Koterba. Some of us have traveled from just down the road from here a piece but also from one coast to another and across continents to come to this place.

This is not the first time we have come to this green meadow grown wild with a riot of summer flowers and green grass. We were here 5 summers ago to say goodbye and it is for that reason we gather here again.

There is another whose presence we should invite to be present with us, one who is always with us, our Heavenly Father. Please join me in a prayer of invocation.

Jesus, we ask you to remember the sorrow felt because of the death of Lazarus. You know what is to grieve and feel loss. Send forth your healing spirit to console us today and to remind us there is also joy to embrace even through our broken hearts. Be with us, guide, support us, laugh with us this day and help our tears to dry. Be with us not just this day but always. We pray all this in your holy name. Amen

When we last came together in February, our hurt was fresh but now we have some time to heal, to reflect and to remember. We have learned life will continue on for us and while there is loss there is also a fullness which is given to us through the strength of memories and shared family bonds. Each day love grows to fill the emptiness many of you have felt every day.

The late poet, priest and spiritualist John O’Donohue had some profound wisdom to share with us before his own untimely passing. I would like to share some of the things he had to say because they remind me so much of Rozanne and our family.

Thinking back to those dark days in February, this comes to mind, “Sometimes people are very worried about dying. There is no need to be afraid. When the moment of your dying comes, you will be given everything that you need to make that journey in a graceful, elegant, and trusting way.”

Surely that describes her passing. There was no fear but there was grace and trust.

And there is this, “If you live in this world with kindness, if you don’t add to other people’s burdens, but if you try to serve love, when the time comes for you to make the journey, you will receive a serenity, peace and a welcoming freedom that will enable you to go to the other world with great elegance, grace and acceptance.”

Surely this all describes Rozanne, especially the kindness. She was always unfailingly kind and for that she now knows welcoming freedom.

Today is not just about Rozanne but also about Donny. The life they shared together in this world was interrupted by his death but now they are together again in the next world where they will never be separated again. In the gospel of Mark we are told that in heaven we will become like angels, creatures who exist only to love and serve each other and God. They will not know anger or jealousy or sorrow but will become completely fulfilled by God.

Let us now get to why we have come here today.

When we gathered before on another beautiful sun struck day and we shared together Psalm 121 which is called the Psalm of Ascents.

A song of ascents.

I raise my eyes toward the mountains.

From whence shall come my help? My help comes from the LORD, the maker of heaven and earth. He will not allow your foot to slip; or your guardian to sleep.

Behold, the guardian of Israel never slumbers nor sleeps.

The LORD is your guardian; the LORD is your shade at your right hand. By day the sun will not strike you, nor the moon by night. The LORD will guard you from all evil; he will guard your soul. The LORD will guard your coming and going both now and forever.

John O’Donohue also had this to say, ““At death, this physical separation is broken. The soul is released from its particular and exclusive location in this body. The soul then comes in to a free and fluent universe of spiritual belonging.”


It is time for the releasing.

We come from dust, our physical beings formed by things of this world and we walk upon dirt of the earth all of our days. Upon death, our physical presence is returned to dust and so we return to from where we first came. Our spirit is set free reach out to touch the face of God. We are set free. Knowing the freedom that awaits us should bring us all great consolation.

Now I ask that we each reach out and take the hand of whoever is standing nearby, and raise up our joined hands to heaven as we all together recite the Lord’s Prayer.

It is time to take leave of this place but we should take with us the memory of this day and our time together sure in the knowledge of God’s love for us and our love for each other.

Final Blessing

May the grace, peace and mercy of Christ Jesus the savior, God the Father and the Holy Spirit be with us this day and always through all of our comings and goings. Amen