Compassionate Community

David intoned this lamentation over Saul and his son Jonathan. 

Your glory, O Israel, lies slain upon your high places!
      How the mighty have fallen!
Saul and Jonathan, beloved and lovely!
      In life and in death they were not divided;
      they were swifter than eagles,
      they were stronger than lions.
O daughters of Israel, weep over Saul,
      who clothed you with crimson, in luxury,
      who put ornaments of gold on your apparel.
  How the mighty have fallen
      in the midst of the battle!
  How the mighty have fallen,
      and the weapons of war perished!
  [2^nd Samuel 1:17, 19, 23-25, 27 NRSV]

      How do we respond when a loved one has "passed away"?   It is never the same for everyone.   Each lose of a loved one is different and somehow unique and special.  Sometimes it can be a true blessing when our loved one has finally received blessed relief after their long term suffering with a terminal illness.   However, most often it is the tremendous and overwhelm grief of an immeasurable lose during an unexpected time.
      But for some of us the most painful and saddest services of remembrance have been the passing of an individual who has been forcefully taken from their loved ones as a direct result of battlefield engagements.   Most individuals who have served their country in the military have been changed in many ways, but also most of them have survived while growing stronger.   Some individuals have not survived their experience in combat.  While we honor their valor and their fortitude, we deeply grieve their pain, their suffering and their lose.   We should also remember that while those that have passed are now at rest in the loving arms of their Creator, those who have been left behind are still with us.   They are grieving their lose, and they should be offered our care and our compassion.
      If we are truly a caring and compassionate community of faithful worshipers of God, then we should be reaching out to all of our sisters and brothers who have lost loved ones. When an individuals within our community has suffered lose, then we need to reach out to them with the same compassion, understanding, and love that we would want for ourselves when it is our turn to say goodbye to a loved one.