Do You Understand The Words Coming Out Of My Mouth?

I didn't get a chance to do any reading or studying yesterday, so I am still without anything profound and earth-shattering to say. Don't worry, I'll get back on the ball soon.

I am doing a burial today that poses and interesting question. It is a last minute deal for a family that is not connected at all with any church. The father (who is being gently laid to rest) never went to church nor did the son. So what can I say and what can I offer? I could just assume they are Christians and use language of life and salvation. Maybe they are in some confused, weird way, but probably not. I could speak in broad and shallow platitudes that will offer just about as much comfort as a Helen Steiner Rice poem on a Hallmark card. Who is Helen Steiner Rice, and how did she become so great? (Ambassador of Sunshine my a**)

The family asked for a minister so there must be something to my presence; something that speaks to an awareness of the presence of God. So I do think it is important to speak to God's presence in one way or another. I will assume that there is some level of grief and I think it is important to speak to that grief. Yet I do not know if I can speak to the hope I find in Christ in a way that they will understand. I will use scripture because that is my tradition and will speak to some hope that is found in Christ, but I do not feel I can speak to eternal life through Christ.

What I think I can do is talk about the love of God, how this man is God's child and is now at rest (or something like that).

MacIntyre, Hauerwas, and others make a big deal over language, grammar, and community and here is where I think the rubber hits the road. These people are not a part of a church community and do not have that language. They are looking for something and I can only answer it with language that I know. However there is an "inner" language that I must withhold to a degree unless moved otherwise.

Of course I could just take advantage and have an altar call during the burial, but I'm afraid of people falling down the deep, deep hole as the come up to embrace Jesus. The idea of someone dying trying to accept Christ is kinda funny.