On Monday this week, I attended the funeral of a well respected Elder in the Mohawk community of Kanesatake.
In Indigenous communities, it is not unusual to find family members of the bereaved torn between elderly parents who choose to be part of the Christian community and their children and grandchildren who have opted to return to the traditional way of expressing their spirituality.
Christian funerals are somewhat different in Indigenous communities. There remains still the need to “wake” the deceased before the actual celebration of life ceremony. And, quite often, those who now embrace more traditional spirituality, will stay outside the service, close enough to be supportively near to the deceased and the family – but not actually participating in the prayers and hymns.
In fact, my first funeral in an Indigenous community entailed going to the home of the deceased, where the body was on display, and sitting in silence for what seemed like hours before offering prayer. It was simple, personal and real. Something our grandparents and great grandparents would have experienced. And, traditionally, cremation is not part of the ritual.
So, why am I telling you all this? Well, for two reasons; first I guess I am feeling nostalgic and second, the joy I felt in singing “I’ll Fly Away”, a gospel hymn written by Albert E. Brumley in 1929. I think I may have been the only one in attendance who was clapping their hands in time to the music.
Many artists have recorded this hymn over the years; Johnny Cash, Reba McEntire, Alan Jackson, Allison Krauss and others. But my favourite happened in our own SouthWest several years ago at one of our concerts (perhaps the Duram County Poets?, or the Cowgirls? or any of those homegrown groups from around the Franklin/Ormstown area)……..everyone clapping and tapping their feet in time to the words.
The words sung yesterday I offer hereunder:
Some glad morning when this life is over
I’ll fly away
To a home on God’s celestial shore
I’ll fly away
I’ll fly away, oh, Glory
I’ll fly away (in the morning)
When I die, Hallelujah, by and by
I’ll fly away
When the shadows of this life have grown,
I’ll fly away
Like a bird from prison bars has flown
I’ll fly away
I’ll fly away, oh, Glory
I’ll fly away (in the morning)
When I die, Hallelujah, by and by
I’ll fly away
Just a few more weary days and then
I’ll fly away
To a land where joy shall never end
I’ll fly away
I’ll fly away, oh, Glory
I’ll fly away (in the morning)
When I die, Hallelujah, by and by
I’ll fly away
Yeah, when I die, Hallelujah, by and by
I’ll fly away
Yes, good old songs which are a source of comfort in times of need, times of craving what we have lost or what we might indeed lose.
I leave you with the following words from Ephesians 5: 19-20
"Speak to one another with psalms, hymns and spiritual songs. Sing and make music in your heart to the Lord, always giving thanks to God the Father for everything, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ."
In peace
Pastor Beryl, DLM