Funeral Homily for a Grandfather - The Road to Emmaus (Daniel 12:1-3; 2 Corinthians 4:14-5:1; Luke 24:13-35)

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

Dear family of [Name], dear friends, brothers and sisters in Christ:

When a grandfather dies, a long road comes to an end. He saw decades of change. He worked, he built, he raised a family and then watched that family grow into another generation. Some of you knew him as a strong man in the prime of life. The youngest here may only remember him with gray hair and a slow walk, a hand on your shoulder, a story you have heard a dozen times. All of those memories are true, and all of them are precious.

We gather today to give thanks for that long road and to commend him to the God who walked it with him.

Those who lead many to justice

The prophet Daniel speaks of the end of time, when "many of those who sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake." He says that "the wise shall shine brightly like the splendor of the firmament, and those who lead the many to justice shall be like the stars forever."

A grandfather's wisdom is rarely written in books. It is passed on in quieter ways: a word of advice before a big decision, a lesson about honesty, the example of keeping a promise. Daniel tells us that this kind of wisdom matters to God. Those who guide others toward what is right are not forgotten. They are destined to shine.

Our inner self is being renewed

Saint Paul writes something that many older people understand very well: "Although our outer self is wasting away, our inner self is being renewed day by day." Old age brings losses: of strength, of independence, sometimes of memory. Those losses are hard to watch. But Paul says that while the outer self weakens, God can be at work within, preparing "an eternal weight of glory beyond all comparison."

He continues: "We know that if our earthly dwelling, a tent, should be destroyed, we have a building from God, a dwelling not made with hands, eternal in heaven." The body that carried [Name] through so many years is now at rest. We trust that God has prepared for him a home that will not wear out.

Walking with the risen Lord

In the Gospel, two disciples walk home from Jerusalem to Emmaus, sad and confused after the death of Jesus. A stranger joins them on the road. He listens to their sorrow, opens the Scriptures to them, and their hearts burn within them. Then, at table, "he took bread, said the blessing, broke it, and gave it to them. With that their eyes were opened and they recognized him."

This is a good Gospel for a grandfather's funeral, because a long life is a long walk. Along that road there were good days and bad days, joys and disappointments, times when faith was strong and times when it was tested. The Gospel tells us that Christ walks the road with us even when we do not recognize him. And at the end of the road he reveals himself in the breaking of the bread.

Our prayer today is that [Name], who received the Eucharist so many times along the way, may now recognize the Lord face to face. And we pray, honestly, for God's mercy on him, because every long life needs mercy. We entrust him to the Lord who knows every step he took.

Your own road

The disciples at Emmaus did not stay at the table. "So they set out at once and returned to Jerusalem," to tell the others. Grief can make us want to stay where we are. But the Gospel invites us to get up and continue the road, carrying what we have received.

What did your grandfather give you that you can carry forward? A work ethic, a sense of humor, a love for the family, a faith that stayed steady? Whatever it is, take it with you. Tell his stories to the children who are too young to remember him. Let his good qualities live on in you.

In a few moments, at this altar, the same Lord will take bread, bless it, break it and give it to us. At Emmaus that was the moment the disciples' eyes were opened. May it open our eyes too, to the presence of Christ in our grief, and to the hope of seeing [Name] again in the Kingdom.

Eternal rest grant unto him, O Lord, and let perpetual light shine upon him. May he rest in peace. Amen.