On Thursday the Requiem Mass will take place here at Holy Saviour and after Luke's coffin has been blessed with holy water, as a reminder that in baptism Luke died with Christ to rise with him to new life, his body will be brought into church. As I think of this I think of three processions that take place in our church each year: at Christmas; on Good Friday; and on Easter Sunday.

On Christmas Eve and on Christmas Day the baby Jesus is carried into the church and the more we think of what this says the more amazing it is. God the creator became the most vulnerable part of His creation, a new born baby, to be Emmanuel, God with us. God chose to become part of His creation, to walk this earth, to show His great love for us by becoming one of us in Jesus Christ.

On Good Friday the cross is held up three times as we pray 'This is the wood of the cross on which our redeemer hung. Come; come let us adore the Saviour of the world!' God made man, Jesus Christ, has gone through suffering and death because it is something that we have to go through on our journey. He has gone ahead of us to show us the way to live and the way to die.

At the Easter Vigil, the Paschal candle, the symbol of Christ risen from the dead, is held aloft three times as we proclaim 'Christ our Light! Thanks be to God!' Christ is risen from the dead: death is not the end and Christ is now with us on our journey. And this Paschal candle will be lit at Luke's funeral this Thursday and at every baptism and funeral throughout the year.

Whenever we face a situation which challenges us or devastates us then it is a time for us to rely on the tradition of well known prayers of the Church and to try to remember that Christ is with us. It is certainly something that we should try and remember when walking with those who are in pain and sorrow. On the 'Road to Emmaus' the disciples stunned with grief failed to recognize Christ until the breaking of bread. When we gather for a Requiem Mass we listen to the scriptures and celebrate the Eucharist so that we rely on the prayers of the Church and recognize that Christ is present with us in the scriptures and in the Eucharist. Remembering this, please keep Luke and his family in your prayers.