Gospel Reading - Mark 10:13-16
People were bringing children to Jesus that he might touch them, but the disciples rebuked them. When Jesus saw this, he became indignant and said to them, “Let the children come to me; do not prevent them, for the kingdom of God belongs to such as these. Amen, I say to you, whoever does not accept the kingdom of God like a child will not enter it.”
Then he embraced them and blessed them, placing his hands on them.
Silleah Strong…
Chances are, if you are here you have heard or saw these two
words.
For those of you that may not be familiar with the saying, “Silleah
Strong”, it was one of the ways that family and friends showed their support
for Silleah while she was sick, whether it was in a hashtag on social media, on
a wristband, or even one of the t-shirts you may have seen being worn over the
past few days, it meant that somehow some way you were touched by Silleah.
I don’t know who chose these two simple words, but they have
some profound meaning. First, that it wasn’t Silleah be Strong, or be Strong
for Silleah, or even Silleah is Strong, but the all-encompassing “Silleah
Strong”.
It encouraged US, not just Silleah, but all of us to be
strong during the fight against the cancer. A fight that she so strongly
fought, but ultimately lost.
It encouraged us to be strong as an example to Silleah, who
at four years old had limited worldly experience, and outside of a few super-heroes
could only look to her mom and dad, and family and those gathered around her, as
examples of strength.
Silleah strong, told us to be strong in our faith and trust
in God that no matter the outcome, -
win or lose to the cancer, death does not win, that we have
eternal life offered to us in heaven.
But now on this side of Lele’s passing we can look at
Silleah Strong as an adjective… as in Our prayers are Silleah Strong… now with
our little saint in heaven, we have someone new to pray to, who undoubtedly
would have the attention of God for any petitions we bring to her in prayer for
her intercession.
You see, as A Baptized Catholic, any original sin born unto Silleah
was washed away during that Baptism, and since she has not yet reached, what
the Church calls the age of reason, she cannot be responsible for her sin. So
let’s say she threw that bowl full of corned beef and rice in the trash can, while
it would upset any parent, God doesn’t hold it against her.
But Silleah Strong also describes Sill and Eunice: They
shared with me that, and allowed me to share with you that just moments after Silleah’s
passing, they felt Silleah’s spirit give them the strength to endure the
challenge of their loss, they became Silleah Strong, strengthened by Silleah’s
spirit.
As I believe all of us are, strengthened by - Silleah having
touched our lives. I know I am a stronger deacon, stronger in my faith,
stronger for having seen the way Sill and Eunice, are journeying through the
loss of their daughter. Stronger for having seen how their family and friends
have come together to support each other. Silleah Strong for having seen how
this one child’s life has affected so many.
But as
we gather here remembering Silleah, reflecting on the many facets of Silleah
strong, and realizing the strength we gain joined together in her memory supporting
each other, let us not forget the source
of all strength. The source of the reason we hold on to the hope of heaven, and
that, is Jesus Christ. The Son of God, who died to give us all the hope of
eternal life. Especially children, as we heard in the Gospel reading just a few
minutes ago.
Let us
remember how he gives us strength, how through the hardest points in our lives,
he is there to carry us when we become weak, how he gives us strength to get
back on our feet when we fall, and how he gathers us in his loving embrace when
we are sorrowful or weary.
With,
Jesus there is a strength and peace that only he can offer. With Jesus, there
is hope for life ever after. With Jesus there is a peace in knowing that our
loved ones who experienced discomfort, no longer are enduring that pain.
I
shared last night at the vigil that it is as if at the conception of a child
that the parents are given all the love they need to raise that child and it
pours out of them to that child through out their life, and when we lose a
child it is as if that compartment of love no longer has its outlet and it aches
as it seems to want to burst. But I believe that lifetime of love is just a small
taste of what is in store for us in heaven, when we sit in the presence of God.
I believe that Silleah is enjoying that infinite love now.
So if
we are to be Silleah strong, we will endure her passing as painful as it is.
But don’t get me wrong, being Silleah Strong doesn’t mean we are heartless and
stoic, quite the opposite. It means that when we are down, when we are sad,
when we are finding ourselves still mourning,
that we can find strength from Silleah, but most of all from
God.
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