One thing I’ve always noticed when it comes to the death of someone is that everyone will set aside their differences for that moment to mourn the loss and attend the service.
Family members that don’t speak to each other will pause and reflect on the life that is gone.
Those family members that are separated by distance and don’t see each other very often will take off work and travel to also reflect upon the life that is now gone.
Funerals make more family reunions than any other event.
Even in the Bible there is a great example of this.
Abraham’s first born was from a slave girl named Hagar. The child’s name was Ishmael.
Ishmael and his mom were run off by Abraham at the request of his wife, Sarah.
Sarah then had a son called Isaac.
Isaac is the one that will receive the blessing of Abraham; not Ishmael.
So there is going to be some animosity and distance between the two half-brothers.
But it is written then Abraham breathed his last and died in a good old age, an old man and full of years, and was gathered to his people. And his sons Isaac and Ishmael buried him in the cave of Machpelah, which is before Mamre, in the field of Ephron the son of Zohar the Hittite, Gen 25:8-9
The two sons set aside any differences they had to come together and bury their dad.
It didn’t matter how well or terrible they got along, they joined for this common purpose to honor and cherish the memory of Abraham.
My own dad’s funeral is on Tuesday and many relatives will take off work and travel to pay their last respects to him and the family.
Even those that may have had any animosity would set aside those differences for this time.
Why is it we can’t get together more in life and less in death?
Why is it we can’t forgive in life rather than carry it to the grave?
We need to take time to reconcile with the living while there is still time.