The Heavenly Welcome

“Beholding the sea of life surging with the storm of temptations and taking refuge in Thy calm haven we cry out to Thee, raise up my life from corruption O blessed One” (Funeral hymn)

How many times have we sung that awesome mystical song? How beautiful and poignant is the image. I can smell incense just as I write it. Always with the censer we chant it at every funeral and requiem. And what comfort it brings. It announces the end of life’s journey, or to continue the sea image, life’s voyage. The key term “haven” has a double meaning: “harbor,” and “introduction” [prosagonii].

A. It refers to a harbor or port where ships dock. Imagine the feeling of having been on a long journey in troubled water, with the ship jostled and tossed about in the surging waves ever lapping at the sides, tilting and rolling about without respite. For one like myself given to mal de mer, this is not a happy thought. Then ahead the breakwall and beyond are the calm waters. The prow is aimed at the pier. The marine scenario is most appropriate for seafaring Greeks but comforting to us all.

B. The same word is used for “introduction,” presenting somebody to royalty. Who is there to greet us at the pier? None other than our Lord, God and Savior, Jesus Christ. He welcomes us with outstretched arms. We think of Him on the cross. He takes us by the hand to steady us after our passage from this world to the next, and then He escorts us to His heavenly Father. This is what St. Paul is describing to the Romans. Unworthy as we are, nevertheless, it is the Lord Jesus who appears in the humble role of usher. He greets and welcomes us, taking us to be presented to the Lord of Lords and King of Kings, the Almighty who is also His Father. Why does He do this?

“Therefore having been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom also we have access by faith into this grace in which we stand, and rejoice in hope of the glory of God” (Romans 5:1-1).

Because we are in a proper relationship with God, the result of our faith, what joy it is to enjoy the peace which we have always yearned for throughout our lives, which seemed to have always eluded us. What do we find, but grace. We have deserved nothing, and yet we are blessed with everything, not because of some good deeds we had achieved, but because of the inconceivable love of God, a love we will never comprehend, not even in eternity. But there is no need to figure it out. Just stand fast in it and enjoy it, this fulfillment of the hope of God’s glory. With that in mind, we may dare to come to terms with so many negative troubles that afflict us while we are on earth. Can we find a reason to give glory even for those problems? We know that traumas offer opportunities to exercise courage, and courage brings out the best features of character, and with such character we evolve into persons of hope. Hope is not empty dreams and delusions, but rather expectation of the Holy Spirit poured into our hearts. By the Holy Spirit we come to the realization that God does indeed truly love us. Yet with each gift comes an obligation—at least we must learn to appreciate these overwhelming spiritual gifts with which we are blessed. You don’t give a computer to a three-year-old.

But we, having heard and read the good news of Christ’s message to mankind, have learned how to sort out what is true, noble, pure and uplifting from all that is polluted, shameful, harmful and decayed. When we arrive at the harbor of heaven, our values are in place; and we shall be prepared to progress in the virtues that we began to practice in our earthly life time.