This month our mission was put on pause as we travelled back to Ireland to see my dying mother (Jane Dunne). Sadly she passed away the evening before we arrived. While it would have been nice to see her one last time before she passed from this life and we are saddened at her passing we take great comfort in the knowledge that we will meet again because of the Atonement and Resurrection of Jesus Christ. Mosiah 16:8-9
8 But there is a resurrection, therefore the grave hath no victory, and the sting of death is swallowed up in Christ.
9 He is the light and the life of the world; yea, a light that is endless, that can never be darkened; yea, and also a life which is endless, that there can be no more death.
PAUSE and REFLECT
At the funeral mass the priest mentioned several times the need for reflection. He said as we reflect on the life of Jane we should consider our own lives and reflect on our faith and standing before God. I was impressed that he used this opportunity to teach repentance and invited the congregation to consider what changes needed to happen in our lives that we might truly live our religion. In the catholic funeral mass they now bring items that reflect the deceased lifestyle. For Mam there was knitting, books, music/CD's. The priest talked about these and how they reflected her life, her love for reading her great skill at knitting and the choir she sang with until recently. It was fitting that as the mass ended the choir sang one of her favourites 'Danny Boy'
Almost a century she would have been ninety eight next February. She had a full life with all the joys and disappointments that life brings. Mother of eight children, sadly her first little girl died in infancy and then her youngest son died tragically aged twenty three and then years later within a year of each other her eldest son aged fifty and our Dad passed away.
As we reflect on her life I think we will not focus on the difficulties she faced in life as this was not something she did but rather we will remember her fun and mischievousness. She was full of fun and loved a good prank. As children she terrified us by dressing up and pretending to be someone else a real practical joker. People she worked with at ICC bank talked about how she was great fun and up for anything.
As a young woman she started her career with the Lucan Dairy and with her quick mind, accountancy skills and neat hand she became the chief ledger clerk. In the thirties pioneered the new electric comptometer which eventually was replaced by calculators and computers in the late sixties. But even in her sixties she could tot faster than you could key numbers into a calculator.
A woman of great faith who prayed fervently with real sincerity. I believe she prayed miracles. When Mam was praying for you, you knew things would work out.
Friend, Daughter, Sister, Aunt, Cousin, Nana, Wife but the noblest name we can call her MOTHER We love you and will miss you 'till we meet again.
Pause take a moment to reflect on the life of a loved one that's gone ahead and think what you can do to honour their name.
Pictured below Jane Lennon and almost eighty years later a more recent picture Jane (Lennon) Dunne
Pause think of the life of our Saviour Jesus Christ and what he has done for us, what can we do to honour His Name
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