A few days ago I conducted a funeral. That meant looking at old files for inspiration and liturgy I might find helpful. I got re-reading a sermon contained in one of those files. I loved what it contained. There was little snippets of story, a sense of world history, and ultimately a few lessons I could use. I thought maybe a few others would like to read it and asked the families permission to share it here on the blog. Its not my best writing because it is not meant to be read but presented. That means that things like vocal speed and tone would vary at certain points to get the words across as well as possible. That doesn’t convey in the written speech. The stories are here though and I hope you enjoy hearing about Bridie and her courage as much as I did.
Here is a wee summary of the person being celebrated here. Bridie Sawyer was a resident of Carnduff who lived to the age of 101 years. She died just over a year ago. She was born in Ireland and came to Canada as a war-bride. She had two children and remained in the Carnduff area for the remainer of her days. Last week we watched one of her great grandaughters graduate from high school here in Carnduff.
Here is the sermon:
There are many remarkable stories within Bridie’s life, the one I heard that touched me greatly was her decision to marry Mervyn after very little time available to spend together, and move to Canada in the aftermath of the war. If I had to put one word to that it would be courage. I have wondered if perhaps she was naïve, but she was 24 when these decisions were made, having already moved from her home in Ireland at age 17 to train for and experience several years of war time nursing in Edinburgh, she had been exposed to the realities of life, so I think it is safe to say, she had courage. Was it a bus or a train that first removed her from all that she knew? I have a mental picture of her petite 25 year old self, eyes sparkling, bag in hand, well-dressed, alone, making that momentous first step up onto a bus or train. What was stirring in her heart?
Hopes and dreams and love likely pushed Bridie forward up those steps, but surely none of that would have been possible without the presence of her courage.
As I thought about Bridie’s story it struck me that she acted like she knew that what she had within her was greater than the challenges she would have to face. Having reached the age of 101, the matriarch of four generations of family who stirred love and pride in her, with a nimble mind that defied stereotypes of old age, having travelled many places, well, it would seem she was right.
What did she have within her?
One of the first things said about Bridie when we met to discuss the service was that she was “a fiery little Irishmen and she never lost it.” What did Bridie have within her? Genetics. How she was made and the culture which formed her. So words like fiery, stubborn, bossy, are sometimes used to describe her. These qualities can sometimes rub the wrong way but they also bring with them a certain power to tackle hard things. The genetic code in her and however her culture shaped her informed very clearly what Bridie brought to the world and to the challenges before her.
Bridie had faith. Raised in a Catholic home and clearly maintaining that identity for most of the years of her life she was exposed to many religious teachings. In Ireland was Bridie exposed to Scripture in a way that fuelled her courage? Did any of these teachings come to mind as she faced challenging work in Edinburgh? Were there words that swam in the back of her mind as she stepped onto the boat that would carry her across the ocean?
Words like these from the earliest part of the Bible….
Deuteronomy 31:8 “And the Lord, He is the one who goes before you. He will be with you, He will not leave you nor forsake you; do not fear nor be dismayed.”
Or from the prophet Isaiah at Chapter 41:10
Isaiah 41:10 “Fear not, for I am with you; be not dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you, yes, I will help you, I will uphold you with My righteous right hand.”
Psalms 27:1-3
The Lord is my light and my salvation—
whom shall I fear?
The Lord is the stronghold of my life—
of whom shall I be afraid?
2 When the wicked advance against me
to devour[a] me,
it is my enemies and my foes
who will stumble and fall.
3 Though an army besiege me,
my heart will not fear;
though war break out against me,
even then I will be confident.
Psalms 46:1-3 God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble. Therefore we will not fear, even though the earth be removed, and though the mountains be carried into the midst of the sea; though its waters roar and be troubled, though the mountains shake with its swelling.
Zephaniah 3:16-17 In that day it shall be said to Jerusalem: “Do not fear; Zion, let not your hands be weak. The Lord your God in your midst, the Mighty One, will save; He will rejoice over you with gladness, He will quiet you with His love, He will rejoice over you with singing.”
John 14:27 “Peace I leave with you, My peace I give to you; not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.”
We recently had an excellent sermon offered here at the church, I benefitted from hearing our minister Susan name the fact that statements like “have faith not fear” are not helpful, kind’ve trite and just really not enough. To combat that she offered a quick trip through key Scriptures that spanned the entirety of the Bible, it was clear that the reason we can forge ahead without fear dominating us is because of the way God is, promising to be with us, you get the feeling from hearing the span of Scripture that God is not interested in isolation and distance, but in sharing strength through being present with us humans. Its mysterious, hard to quantify and perhaps easily dismissed, but then you hear stories like Bridie’s, where something is stirring in her heart, maybe simply the back of her mind, and it seems like what was stirring was, “go on, you can do this, I am here.”
So Bridie had genetics and faith messages stirring within her. What else?
I am wondering about the example set by her own Mom. I know so little of her, obviously, but there are some facts, like the ability….strength….courage to raise eight children amid what ever 1920s Ireland held, I understand it was not easy. Then there are some stories. As a ranch wife myself I found it stunning and hilarious to hear the story of Bridie’s visit to Ireland when her Mom was 78 years old. When Bridie arrived at the farm her Mom was walking down the road herding cows and knitting at the same time. Surely one of the biggest truths of that moment is confidence. Her Mom’s confidence in her abilities in the situation. If this was the way Anne McBride tackled life when Bridie was young she surely had an example to fill her mind as she herself approached the moments that required confidence and courage.
Our days are not easy. Inflation, grief, climate change, conflict near and far, pandemic recovery, more grief, and in the midst of all this rapidly rising incidences of anxiety and depression. It kind’ve feels like a balance is tipping, like what is beyond us is becoming greater than what is within us. I wonder if Bridie’s inner space has encouragement or hope to offer us. How did what she had within translate for us?
The good news for sure is that many of you carry much of the same genetic code that fueled Bridie! Her feisty, undefeatable Irish spirit, sometimes known in stubbornness is, I have been told, alive and well in family gathered here. Her action oriented get down to work way of being is available through genetics and of course her example. What do you feel Bridie passed on to you? If you don’t share Bridie’s genetics, her friends, what is the gift within your genetics to help you tackle what is big before you?
With regards to faith I have no idea exactly what was consciously and subconsciously working its power in Bridie’s life experiences, however, it would seem the promised presence of God was hers to know. It is there for us too. One thing that the work of Jesus accomplished was to make clear that no one is outside the circle of God’s care and concern. Noone. Any who seek the assurance and power of God’s presence in their life can ask for it. Seek and you will find. It may be quiet. It may be known in humble ways. Love and compassion are usually part of the package. It’s a real source of guidance and grounding in the chaotic life so common today. It can be a comfort in the midst of grief. There is no price or qualifications required. Do not be afraid, for I am with you.
Bridie had examples of strength in her life. Is it possible that moving forward, as we tackle what life holds, and seek to be filled within, that Bridie herself can be an example to us, fuelling our efforts. Just like there was a story about Anne McBride that offered us a mental picture, there is a story about Bridie. One day Colleen came home from work to find that Bridie had been over cleaning, as she often did. Bridie was proud of herself. She had managed to clean underneath the pool table. The pool table which had been meticulously placed and leveled to make it even had been shifted around to get things really clean underneath. How did Bridie, a tiny woman not exactly young at this point, move a table both bulky and heavy? With strategy. By sitting with her back to the wall, and pushing on the legs of that table until she moved them as far as she needed to. She saw the challenge, she knew her limits and her strengths, she understood some tricks and she rose to the challenge. As we face the hurdle ahead, whether its grief or other things, we would do well to follow Bridie’s example, assess the challenge, estimate our limits, press into our strengths, put a few tricks into action, and act.
“What she had within her was greater than the challenges she would have to face.”
I have highlighted the three obvious things within her that came to mind having heard only a part of the story of Bridie Sawyer’s life. Of course, there is much much more. The joy of the coming hours and days might be in reflecting on and sharing and recording your own thoughts and stories that reflect who Bridie was and what she had within her. May that give you peace, broaden your understanding of her and yourself, and remind you of God’s presence. Amen
As Far As The Eye Can See 