Seeking Authentic Voice

  One sunny cold day in February, Mary Jo and I met at Panera Cares for lunch. We spent a couple of hours over salad and coffee talking about home repair, the harsh winter, and her anticipated move into Henry Ford Village. She felt good that day and our conversation was filled with joy. The next time I saw her was Ash Wednesday; she was in the hospital with shingles. I brought her ashes and communion. Little did we know, then, that her body was failing quickly, and she’d leave us seven weeks later.   Like the rest of you Mary Jo has played a significant role in my life. Mary Jo was one of the wardens of the Vestry when I arrived here in May 2011. Along with Pete Kenney, who was the other warden, she anchored me in the ways of this parish and guided me with wisdom, humor, and insight.   Mary Jo lived a remarkable life, and all of it right here in Dearborn. The Dearborn Patch has a photo of Mary Jo and some of her friends meeting at the Good Times Café in August of 2012. They we...

Who would have thought, just a few days ago, that we would be here tonight?  This has been an especially difficult few days.   Days like these remind us that life is so very fragile.   One moment all seems well, and the next moment a sudden heart attack strikes. Or a moment of distracted driving and an accident happens. Or an historic tornado blows through town. Or a there’s a bombing or a shooting. Lives are lost in a moment of time. Life is fragile. For S, his life too was fragile, and now, in an instant, he’s gone. And no one could have predicted just how vulnerable S was.  Perhaps some of you are feeling guilty or questioning what you could have done to help S more? The truth is, everyone did the best they could.  S didn’t die because you failed.  S died because of his illness.  You, his family and friends, did the best you could.  S didn’t die because you didn’t do enough.   Some anger at S, shoul...