Psalm 100

Make a joyful noise to the Lord, all the earth. Worship the Lord with gladness; come into his presence with singing. Know that the Lord is God. It is he that made us, and we are his; we are his people, and the sheep of his pasture. Enter his gates with thanksgiving, and his courts with praise. Give thanks to him, bless his name. For the Lord is good; his steadfast love endures forever, and his faithfulness to all generations.

Colossians 2:6-7

As you therefore have received Christ Jesus the Lord, continue to live your lives in him, rooted and built up in him and established in the faith, just as you were taught, abounding in thanksgiving.

Let us pray…

O God, source of comfort and hope, may these words bring comfort and hope to your people and may they honor you.  In Jesus’ name, Amen.

These two passages from scripture provide us a guide for living our life – much the way that Maud lived her life.  We are to praise and glorify God in our lives, making joyful music, entering into God’s presence with praise.  We are to live our lives rooted in God’s love, abounding in thanks and praise for all God has done. 

It is very difficult to think about praising God and making joyful noises at a time like this, when we mourn the loss of one so dear.  It seems more like a time of crying than of singing, a time of asking “Why God?” rather than saying “Thank you.”

While neither of these texts was written for such a time, they help us to remember at times like these…they help us to keep perspective on some very important things….

The Psalmist tells us to make a joyful noise, to approach God with thanksgiving – a hard thing to do in times like this.  This is what Maud wanted us to do, though.  She herself chose the hymns for us to sing – Morning Has Broken, a hymn of praise for our Creator, Be Thou My Vision, a request for God’s guidance, and For All the Saints, giving thanks for those who have gone before us.  These are not songs of mourning but of joy and praise.  We are given the opportunity to make a joyful noise to honor God and to give thanks for God’s gifts, including the gift of Maud Tucker.   

We remember that it is God who made us – God who created each of us; God who loves each of us, just like a shepherd cares for his sheep.  This is the same God whose love for creation was so great that he sent his Son to us, the Son who suffered and died and was raised from the dead for us.  It is for this we give thanks.

We give thanks for God’s love for each of us, as Maud gave thanks for God’s love and as we give thanks for her life.  As Charles shared, Maud lived a full and happy life, surrounded by people who loved her and people she loved.  She was devoted to her family and devoted to God from an early age in life.   She was a true example of Christian faith for her family and those around her.  Perhaps the verse from Colossians was one she took to heart…

“As you therefore have received Christ Jesus the Lord, continue to live your lives in him, rooted and built up in him and established in the faith, just as you were taught, abounding in thanksgiving.”

As we gather to celebrate the life of Maud Tucker and to give thanks to God for her, we too can take comfort in the faith that sustained her throughout her life.  We too are called to live faithful lives, rooted in faith in Jesus Christ.

What does this faith look like?  It is facing challenges in life with the confidence that God is present.  It is living life focused on the needs of others – being there to listen to them, caring for people when they can no longer care for themselves, sharing what we have and who we are.  It is giving thanks for what God has done for us.  It is using our gifts and our lives to praise God. 

This is how Maud lived her life, and through her life and her death, we are challenged to live the same way. 

We are saddened by the loss of this lovely woman who cared for so many and who gave so much.  But as we celebrate her life, we can give thanks to God and recognize God’s presence in her life and in our lives.  In the way Maud lived her life and the legacy she leaves us, let us make a joyful noise – praising God, and living faithful lives, abounding in thanksgiving, in the name of the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit.  Amen.