Thanksgiving

Our friend Ross died on 4 September 2015. It fits the character of the man that he ended his days with us well past best medical estimates. But if ever the comment was made to him that it was his determination that had him still enjoying the sound of the birds each morning, he'd say, not me, but God. (He'd own up to being bit stubborn, or cantankerous as he'd put it.)

There was not to be a funeral. A memorial service made him uneasy too. Focussed on him, that wasn't the point. It's about God. What about us getting together one Sunday, in his memory, honouring God and the wonders of creation? Yes, that would be okay, but keep the focus where it belongs.

I appreciate a reminder like this, and a clear and forthright one at that, like all of Ross' input. It was not something we could ignore, and to respect is our surest way of respecting the person it comes from. Years back there was a minister who'd retired to Clyde in Central Otago who spoke to me of his funeral instructions. He had an envelope with instructions outlined: hymns and readings, and the note “there will be no address”.

No eulogy. No speaking about the person. Just praise and thanks to our God.

I appreciate the reminder because I think we can get out of balance. As a really positive response to the needs of people in grief, funerals have become more personalised. We speak about what has been special for us. We share memories that draw all who are present into the experiences that make up a human life, this one in particular, but often connecting with our own experiences. We gain insight into our shared life as it has been, which in large part has made us who we are.

But it's important that we remember for the purpose of giving thanks. That's the attitude of faith, however it is expressed in detail. What makes us spiritual beings is that we don't focus only on the facts before us. We think about them, we evaluate them. We think about what makes life good, gives strength, makes us positively human. We catch again the vision to be nurtured in the generations.

We look beyond the facts to the source. The wonders of nature, of creation, the joys of family, in thinking of such things what strikes is their sheer givenness and how extraordinary these gifts are. Acknowledge this and we're acknowledging what's totally beyond our own powers and ability to produce.

Praise and thanksgiving to the Creator of life is first and foremost this: it is an act of wonder and gratitude. It is not a scientific statement about the nature of reality – that's another arena of human activity. To speak of the Creator is not locking us into believing there's a man in the sky or any particular thing that goes by the name God. Who or what God is is beyond our kind of knowledge, so I'd say let's not go there. But let's keep going in the direction that looks well beyond ourselves when it comes to celebrating life on this planet earth, and how amazing it is that it actually is.

Rangimarie Peace Shalom, Robyn