April 8, 2002: Funeral of Betty Kongs at St. Bedes

Father Owen's Homilies

Homily for the Funeral of Betty Kongs at St. Bede’s Church, Kelly, KS: April 8, 2002 at 10:30 AM.

First of all I want to offer my sympathy and promise of prayers to Betty’s grandchildren and to her many, many friends. I speak certainly for Sr. Mary Beth and for all the members of St. Bede’s Parish. I have just known Betty (Elizabeth) for only seven years. I knew her as an older woman who struggled with her infirmities, her cats, and with trying to stay out of the care home that she could see on the horizon. Amid all this she was asked to bury her only child, Rosalie. She faced all of these crosses with the same faith, courage, kindness, and vigor that she made evident in Kansas City and in Kelly, Kansas.

Betty worked at Research Hospital, as an LPN but did the things a nurse would do out of the hospital as well. She especially loved the aged. Perhaps that is why she kept her own home as long as she could. She realized how often we pass them by without going in to visit a friend. Not that she had an aged mail carrier, but she always had a sandwich ready for him. When I used to come with Holy Communion she would offer to make one for me. Of course there were her cats around the house that I had to avoid getting to the living room where she would often be saying her rosary. There always seemed to be a large-print Reader’s Digest on the couch or on a table. She kept informed. Frequently I would scan the Daily Capital as we chatted.

Thomas Merton, the very human Trappist Monk and spiritual writer who has influenced millions with the very open disclosure of his own humanity, said that he could not think of a better time to enter a monastery than at Advent. Advent is the beginning of the Church’s year. Perhaps he might have said that there is no better time to enter into the fullness of God’s Kingdom than at Easter.

St. Peter writes of the forgiveness that is ours because of our belief in the Risen Lord! St. Paul laughs at death, which twists in pain because Jesus’ Resurrection pulled its teeth. Jesus has snatched away the victory that Death held firmly in its hands.

But Jesus gives us the testimony of one who has “been there, done that!” Jesus died; Peter and Paul had not done that yet! Jesus says, “Come to me you who labor and are burdened and I will give you rest. You will find rest for yourselves. For my yoke is easy and my burden light.”

His is the promise of the Risen Lord. We all must die. Easter Time is the time to enter into New Life where every tear will be wiped away. Every tear, both Betty’s -- and our own.