I Know that My Redeemer Lives-A Memorial Homily

Frances Skelton 1936-2011



I know that my Redeemer lives.


That memorable phrase from Job, in the Hebrew Bible, was immortalized by George Frederick Handel in his beloved Oratorio Messiah.

Fran Skelton was an exceptional singer, mother, wife, friend, and believer. I met Fran last fall when I moved to Sarnia. And her strong faith was evident from our first meeting.

It was a privilege to be with her a number of times during her last few months, as her health deteriorated. Her faith never wavered. She never complained. She displayed a courage and quiet confidence in the face of suffering which was amazing.

That’s why it is a privilege to offer a brief reflection this morning. In spite of all the suffering Job undergoes, in spite of all the pain, all the loss, Job refuses to deny God. His faith is rock solid.

Facing a terminal illness is a real challenge to our faith. It’s not easy to accept the pain, the suffering and the loss involved.

But our faith allows us to put our hopes and our dreams not only in the challenges of our life on earth, but in God’s promise, through his son Jesus, of eternal life, where there is no pain or suffering, where all tears are wiped away.

Christ offers to take our burdens, our cares. As St. Paul taught the people of the church in Rome so many years ago: nothing can separate us from the love of God, including death.

Those ringing words expressing confidence in Christ’s victory over death, God’s promise of salvation for all who believe, provide us with a way to face our culture’s fear of death.

And make no mistake there is an element of death denial, of science playing God, not only extending life, but creating life in our current secular society. The resurgence in militant atheism, displayed by authors such as Richard Dawkins, argues that once we gasp our last breath, it’s over. It is finished. There is nothing more.

As Christians, we have faith that they are wrong. We owe it to Fran and all those who have faithfully served this parish church through 85 years of its history to proclaim that as long as we are able---to speak truth to the faithless, to show by our loving and caring community and how we support each other that both our faith and the church do matter.

We know that our Redeemer lives. Fran certainly knew that. We give thanks for the privilege of having shared the journey of life with her.