Good Rocky's Revival

a man from St. Margaret's died today. He was pretty old and pretty ill. He breathed his last in prayer, I'm told.

...O Holy Trinity, one God;
Graciously hear us.
Behold, O Lord, this thy servant, and in thy loving mercy,
Good Lord, deliver him. ...
To receive him to thyself,
We beseech thee, good Lord. ...

He was an important man; he was a man of the cloth. He'd been ill for quite a while; I really only met him once. But what's funny about churches is that some people, even if they haven't dawned the threshold in years, leave their mark in the stones, in the books, in the windows. I only shook his hand once but I meet him there, in that holy place, under those glowing windows, amid the thewy pews, in the pages of the common prayers, in the people who flood the sanctuary. He was important; many of my friends will be mourning tonight.

...Depart, O Christian soul, out of this world,
In the Name of God the Father Almighty, who created thee;
In the Name of Jesus Christ, who redeemed thee;
In the Name of the Holy Ghost, who sanctifieth thee.
May thy rest be this day in peace, and thy dwelling place in the Paradise of God.



I think I shall go for a walk and a frozen salute.