Thoughts for a Memorial Service

Today I am speaking on behalf of my hospice team at a service for a patient who has died. My hope is that the short reflection I share will bring peace to the family and friends gathered and remind them of God’s unending love for all of us. When I was asked to pick a Scripture to read, I immediately turned to the verses that bring me comfort and hope.

21 But this I call to mind,
and therefore I have hope: 
22 The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases,
his mercies never come to an end; 
23 they are new every morning;
great is your faithfulness. 
24 ‘The Lord is my portion,’ says my soul,
‘therefore I will hope in him.’ 
25 The Lord is good to those who wait for him,
to the soul that seeks him.                         -Lamentations 3:21-25

I will talk about how it was a privilege to serve as part of his hospice team as we watched him transition from living at home with his wife to living in a nursing home. I will share how I hold in my heart the stories he shared about his time in the military, raising his family, working hard to support them, and enjoying retirement surrounded by family. And I will remind those gathered that this man’s faith was important to him and helped him cope with the changes in his life. As he is laid to rest today, I hope we all remember the faithfulness of God today and everyday.