A Jon Post
Yes, we remember him well.
I remember when I played my violin for him and he smiled and clapped along. His eyes lit up as he sang, his little hands keeping rhythm to “Joy to the World”.
I remember when Layne hopped out of our car and he ran up and hugged her tight and called her “Tia Elayna” (Aunt Layne) and held her hand for the next hour.
I remember when he sat with me and slowly rubbed my arm hair, mystified by the strange quantity of hair that grew on my arms.
I remember him smiling often.
I remember returning from Angola and sitting with him on his bed reading a Children’s Bible to him. Showing him all the animals climbing into Noah’s Ark and roaring, tweeting, trumpeting, barking as we pointed at each different animal. Explaining that Zacchaeus was so short so he had to climb a tree to see Jesus pass. Telling him the glorious news that Jesus didn’t stay in that grave he was buried in. Rejoicing with him that Jesus waits for us in heaven.
I remember praying through tears that God would redeem the suffering.
I remember holding his quivering foot as he heaved his little shoulders back for one last tremendous effort to breathe.
I remember feeling him relax and stop fighting.
I remember little José Manuel.
And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love.
(I Cor 13:3)
See I believe that the reason that love is the greatest of those is that love is all that remains after this life.
Faith – Little José and his faith. He spoke of his faith, that he believed by faith that Jesus truly is waiting for him and that Jesus’ death was what paid the price of his sins.
Hope – Hope is born of suffering and José suffered. He suffered. The tumor that started so small, grew and eventually squeezed his airway shut. The cancer didn’t actually kill him. He suffocated. In suffering, we hope… we hope that there is something greater than this, something beyond this life, something we wait for. In Portuguese the word for hope is the same word for wait. José waited… and he hoped… and he suffered.
Now, José has no more need for Faith or Hope. His Faith in Christ redeemed him from his sins and has made real the salvation of his soul. His Hope for a life beyond this, a life of no suffering, a life of deep breaths, strong legs, big smiles, and immense hugs, has been made real. He doesn’t hope anymore. He doesn’t have faith anymore. He is where he hoped to be and where his faith led him.
Now… he is simply surrounded by love.
He lives… in an endless love.
And though we miss him, though we love him, though we honor him and weep.
We rejoice.
His faith is fulfilled, his hope is real.
And love is all that’s left.
Weep with us dear friends.
Now rejoice.
