CODA10/28/2022 After a fitful night of sleep, I woke early this morning to begin to prepare for the arrival of JA’s family and Canadian friends. As I was thinking about his wake this afternoon, a family dinner this evening and the funeral tomorrow, the word “CODA” came into my mind. It feels like these few days right after death with all the rituals involved are a “coda” to one's life. A “coda” in music is the “cconcluding passage of a piece or a movement, typically forming an addition to the basic structure but also a reiteration of some of the musical themes.” Thinking about a “coda” I remembered the poem I wrote earlier last year when I went to the Y and encountered a two year old who kept asking his father “Why, Dad? Why? Why? I didn’t look at the poem right away but started reading my entries for the feast of Saints Simon and Jude. I had forgotten that three years ago I had used the photo of two “gourds” given to me by ny friend Jean Mulder. This is what I wrote: It’s the feast of Saint Simon and Jude and the best I can come up with is a reference to the child’s game, “Simon says.” Ironically Simon the apostle, also called the Zealot says nothing in the Gospels. As a zealot, maybe actions spoke louder than words. And then there is Jude. Hey, Jude! He’s the person to pray to as a last resort. He’s supposed to take a “sad song and make it better.” He most likely got the rep for being the person to pray to when you were desperate because his name was similar to Judas. Guilt by association! The photo below is of two gourds. Let’s call them Simon and Jude, two “gourd guys.” What if I reverse their direction? Here “two gourds are better as one.” Sum days, it’s ok if things don’t add up. Sum days, one plus one makes one. “Remember to let God into your heart, then you can start to make it better.” Some days, when you’re “out of sorts” you may just have to re-sort and it may make the day better. Then I reread the poem “CODA” and I was blown away by who made an appearance in the poem! The two-year old’s name, when I asked was “Jude!”
When I saw that, I couldn’t resist a smile and wondered if that was a sign from JA with a “thumbs up” (In his last days when he could barely speak, he would wave, smile and make a thumbs up.) Here’s a link to the poem. It was written at the same time the movie, “CODA” appeared. coda.docx I also attach the obituary I wrote for JA if you’d like to get to know him better. On Sunday I’ll post the homily I’ve written for him. ja_loftus_obituary.docx The photo above is of JA on an autumn trip in 2015. His nickname in highschool was “the eloquent pumpkin.” And of course, a pumpkin is a gourd and JA was a very “gourd” guy. )LOL Since we have been friends for five decades, (A rosary of life?) our names were often linked together the way that “Simon and Jude” are linked. I heard people say “JA and Bob” so often that the two names sounded like one.
4 Comments
Brenda
10/28/2022 04:40:24 am
Oh that’s a sign for sure!
Reply
Valerie Forman
10/28/2022 05:30:38 am
❤❤❤❤❤❤❤
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Kerry Maloney
10/30/2022 05:20:20 am
The two shall become one....indeed.
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Leave a Reply.AuthorAs an ordained Catholic priest for 45 years and a member of the Jesuits for 57 years, I've had a great deal of "spiritual" experience! This is a place where I can continue to share my thoughts about God, Jesus, the Holy Spirit and what it means to live the "mystery of God." Categories |
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