Goodbye #04

Canadian Armed Forces Engineer Crest

As we come together, may we find ourselves wrapped in the care of Love. The Love that brings all life into being and the Love that we all return to in death. We remember that the veil between the living and the dead is thin and that Love keeps us close to one another forever.

In times of sorrow, we stand together as a community, supporting each other with compassion and care. Just as the embrace of loved ones brings comfort, may we find peace in the gentle presence of those who share with whom we share grief on today’s journey.

In the midst of the Universe’ Immensity,
As companions in death’s journey, we come together seeking peace and comfort so that it will dwell among us.
As we open our hearts to you, to grief, to one another,
may we have the courage to embrace what we need to feel or not feel,
casting no judgment upon our souls.
With respect for the complexity of human life,
we welcome differences in practices of mourning
and we honour the varied relationships present here.
May we support one another in word, action, and presence.

May It Be So

The world may never notice
If a Snowdrop doesn’t bloom,
Or even pause to wonder
If the petals fall too soon.
But every life that ever forms,
Or ever comes to be,
Touches the world in some small way
For all eternity.

The little one we long for
Was swiftly here and gone.
But the love that was then planted
Is a light that still shines on.
And though our arms are empty,
Our hearts know what to do.
Every beating of our hearts
Says that we love you

Author Unknown

Royal Canadian Chaplain Service

"We are all one energy, one soul, one song and one drum," writes Richard Wagamese, drawing on the wisdom of Ojibway Grandfather Teachings and inviting us into the great circle of Life. Today, as we stand here to honour and commend this precious being, we stand within that circle together, holding grief, love and remembrance side by side.

Across cultures and faiths, people have sought words to speak of our deep connexion to one another. For some, this is understood through the mystery of the Trinity and the promise of reunion beyond death. For others, it is known through the land and through our ancestors, who remain close and attentive to us. Different paths give language to the same longing, the hope that love endures and that relationship is not ended by death.

Places like this are sacred because they give us permission to pause. Here, we acknowledge the pain of absence and the strength required to carry it. Within military families especially, discipline and courage walk alongside tenderness and loss.

As we entrust this child to the care and the embrace of Creation, we hold fast to the truth that they remain part of our shared song. We are still connected, still in communion, and never alone.

Into the darkness and warmth of the earth,
Being held with the care of our Ancestors and the Universe
we commit the body of this beloved child.
Into the freedom of the wind and sunshine we let them go.
Into the sadness and smiles of our memories and hopes we commend her.
Into the cycle of living, dying, and continuing to live in the earth itself they take their place.
Little One, rest in peace and love. May you be held in the embrace of creation, and may we know your presence in the 4 elements.

May it Be So

Canadian Armed Forces Coat of Arms

The peace of this ancient earth to you…
The Peace of the Cosmos which embrace it,
and the winds which blow freely over it.
The peace of splintered light sparkling on oak leaves,
and gentle rain falling on parched earth.
The peace of star-jewelled skies and full-orbed moons,
of breathless dawns and splendid dying suns.
And the peace of the universe – may its loving energy surround you.

Adapt. Elizabeth Howie/grpe