'We entrust you to God' A family prays together before the mother's respirator is removed My parishioner, whom I’ll call “Harriet,” had been healthy and strong through most of her 83 years. But for the past few months she had lain in a hospital bed, her body weakening. Until recently she still had that twinkle in her eye, but had been increasingly in pain and now was unresponsive.  Almighty God, look on Harriet, whom you made your child in baptism. Comfort her with the promise of life with all your saints…* Her grown children, seeing even that twinkle gone and watching her labored, assisted breathing, began to wrestle with a painful question: Was it time to let her go? Give us grace now to accept the limits of human healing as we commend Harriet to your merciful care. During my final visits Harriet always enjoyed hearing Psalm 23, her favorite. We didn’t know if she heard it now, but we all needed to hear it again. … Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil … It had been a difficult, emotional decision to remove life support. There was disagreement. But we agreed to gather for the comforting words of the “Commendation of the Dying” service as we released her to God’s loving embrace. God our wisdom, bless the decisions we have made in hope, sorrow, and love, that as we place our whole trust in you, our choices and our actions may be encompassed by your grace; through Jesus Christ who died and rose for us. As we prayed the Lord’s Prayer in a circle of children and grandchildren, their love surrounded Harriet with God’s love flowing palpably in their tears. Harriet, our companion in faith and sister in Christ, we entrust you to God. Go forth from this world in the love of God who created you; in the mercy of Jesus Christ who died for you; in the power of the Holy Spirit who strengthens you. … I made the sign of the cross on her forehead, repeating the promise made to her at baptism that God was about to fulfill. … at one with all the faithful, living and departed. May you rest in peace and rise in the glory of your eternal home, where grief and misery are banished, and light and joy abide. Amen. After we were done, the respirator was removed. Shortly thereafter a heart stopped beating as one person in that room received the ultimate healing. But for the other hearts that remained beating and wounded by loss, the service brought healing too. *All quotations are from Life Passages: Marriage, Healing, Funeral. Renewing Worship, Volume 4, Healing (Augsburg Fortress, 2005; www.augsburgfortress.org). |
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