A Faithful Life Completed - Funeral Homily (Ecclesiastes 3:1-8, Revelation 14:13, John 12:23-26)

*In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.*

Dear Thomas, Michael, Catherine, Patricia, grandchildren, great-grandchildren, and all who gather today to remember our dear sister in Christ, Margaret "Maggie" Sullivan – we come together in both sorrow and faith. As we mourn Maggie's passing, we also celebrate a life beautifully lived in service to God and neighbor.

The Book of Ecclesiastes reminds us today that "There is an appointed time for everything, and a time for every affair under the heavens." In Maggie's 87 years, she embraced many of these seasons – times to be born and to die, to plant and to uproot, to weep and to laugh, to mourn and to dance. Through each of these seasons, Maggie remained steadfast in her faith, allowing the rhythm of God's time to guide her journey.

The author of Ecclesiastes, in his wisdom, doesn't tell us that these seasons are easy. Rather, he acknowledges the full spectrum of human experience that makes up a life well-lived. Maggie knew joy and sorrow, beginnings and endings. She planted seeds of knowledge in countless young minds during her 45 years as an elementary school teacher. She built up her parish community through her beautiful voice in the choir. And in her retirement, she dedicated three decades to serving the poor through St. Vincent de Paul.

In today's Gospel, Jesus speaks to us about the mystery at the heart of our faith: "Unless a grain of wheat falls to the ground and dies, it remains just a grain of wheat; but if it dies, it produces much fruit." These words take on profound meaning as we gather to honor Maggie's life. Like that grain of wheat, Maggie's life has produced abundant fruit – in her marriage of 67 years with Thomas, in her children and grandchildren, in the thousands of students whose lives she touched, and in the countless people she served through her parish ministry.

Each morning, Maggie would attend daily Mass, beginning her day in communion with the Lord she loved. This wasn't just a routine; it was the wellspring from which her service flowed. Her special devotion to the Blessed Mother reflected her own maternal heart – nurturing, protective, and filled with compassion for others.

I can imagine Mary, our Blessed Mother, recognizing in Maggie a kindred spirit – a woman who said "yes" to God's call each day, who nurtured others with patience and love, who stood faithfully at the foot of many crosses throughout her life. Maggie's devotion wasn't just words or prayers; it was embodied in how she lived, how she loved, how she served.

In our second reading today from Revelation, we hear these words of comfort: "Blessed are the dead who die in the Lord from now on... let them find rest from their labors, for their works accompany them." After a lifetime of laboring in the Lord's vineyard – teaching children, lifting her voice in song, serving those in need – Maggie has laid down her earthly burdens. Yet her works accompany her into eternity – not as merits to be counted, but as gifts offered back to the God who first gave them to her.

Thomas, as you say goodbye to your beloved wife of 67 years, we hold you especially in prayer. Your journey together has been a testament to faithful love that endures through all seasons. Michael, Catherine, and Patricia – your mother's legacy lives on in each of you. In your own lives of service and love, we see reflections of her faith and compassion.

To Maggie's grandchildren and great-grandchildren – what a blessing to have had such a woman of faith help shape your lives. Remember her example, her stories, her unwavering faith. She has helped plant seeds of faith that will continue to grow in your lives.

The Gospel today reminds us that following Christ means walking the path he walked – through death to resurrection. Jesus tells us, "Whoever serves me must follow me, and where I am, there also will my servant be." Throughout her life, Maggie followed Christ – in her daily Mass attendance, in her service to others, in her devotion to Mary. And now, we pray that where Christ is, there also may Maggie be.

We do not presume to know the mysteries of God's judgment, but we entrust Maggie to God's infinite mercy, knowing that the Lord she served so faithfully in life will not abandon her in death. As Catholics, we continue to pray for Maggie, that whatever purification may be needed, God will accomplish it in his love, and welcome her into the fullness of his presence.

In times of grief, we often search for meaning, for understanding. The passage from Ecclesiastes reminds us that there is indeed "a time to be born, and a time to die." Death is not a failure or an accident; it is part of the rhythm of life that God has ordained. Yet as Christians, we know that death is not the final word. Through Christ's resurrection, death has been transformed from an ending into a passage – difficult and painful, yes, but ultimately a passage to new life.

When that grain of wheat falls to the ground and dies, it doesn't simply disappear – it transforms into something new and beautiful. So too with our sister Maggie. The physical body that served her so well for 87 years has completed its purpose, but her soul – that unique, beautiful essence that made Maggie who she was – continues its journey toward God.

As we continue this Mass, we offer the perfect prayer – Christ's own sacrifice – for Maggie. We place her in the hands of our merciful Father, trusting in his promise of resurrection and new life. And we draw comfort from knowing that the communion of saints transcends the barrier between life and death. Though separated physically, we remain united spiritually with Maggie and all the faithful departed.

For everything there is a season, and Maggie embraced each season of her life with faith and grace. Now, as she enters a new season beyond our sight, we give thanks for the gift of her life among us. We cherish her memory, we carry forward her example, and we entrust her to God's loving care.

May the soul of Margaret "Maggie" Sullivan, and the souls of all the faithful departed, through the mercy of God, rest in peace. Amen.