Revealed and Recognized
A Funeral Homily for Frank Litts
April 15, 2013
As you know, we’re currently in the midst of the beautiful, glorious season of Easter – a time for us to reflect upon, celebrate, and rejoice over Jesus rising from the dead, conquering death and making everlasting life with him a possibility for us – a reality that Frank lived his whole life in the hope of, a reality that he now enjoys. Over the past few Sundays in our liturgy, we’ve heard the accounts of the post-resurrection appearances of Jesus, those times after the Easter event, that he appeared to his disciples alive, proving to them the validity of his teachings, proving to them the validity of who he had claimed to be, proving to them that the hope that they (and we) had in him was not in vain. The Gospels record five such appearances, but they allude to many more.
Yesterday at mass, I was struck by that fact that in each of these appearances, Jesus revealed himself in a different way, and it was through the disciples faith that they were able to recognize the presence of the Risen Lord in their midst. Last night, as I was preparing this homily, I realized that the ways Jesus revealed himself to his disciples after his resurrection are the same ways that he makes his presence known to us today, but, just like the disciples two thousand years ago, it takes faith to be able to be able to recognize his presence in our lives. Today, we honor and celebrate a man of tremendous faith, our beloved Frank. So, for a few minutes, let’s reflect upon those five post-resurrection appearances of Jesus, the unique ways that Jesus revealed himself in them, and the similar ways that Jesus revealed himself to Frank throughout his life.
On Easter Sunday, we heard the account of how Mary Magdalene went to the tomb early in the morning to anoint the body of Jesus. But when she arrived there, she found that the stone, which sealed the tomb, had been rolled away and the tomb was empty. Distraught, she ran to someone she mistook to be a gardener and asked him, “Please sir, can you tell me where they have taken the body of Jesus?” Mary Magdalene’s eyes were blinded to the fact that the very person she was speaking to was, in fact, the person whose body she sought. And it was only when Jesus spoke her name, “Mary,” that the blinders were removed from her eyes and she realized that the person she stood in front of was her beloved Lord; and she was filled with great joy. Can you imagine the great joy with which Frank was filled last Thursday when he heard that same voice call his name, “Frank.” As we will hear in this coming Sunday’s gospel, Jesus tells us that he is the Good Shepherd and that his sheep know and recognize his voice. It’s a voice that Frank recognized. It was the still, small inaudible voice that he had heard and followed throughout his life, but on Thursday, Frank heard this voice in a new and marvelous way, calling his name, calling him to himself, calling him into the place that he had prepared for him.
Later, that first Easter Sunday, we’re told of two men who were travelling from Jerusalem to a town about seven miles away called Emmaus. Jesus, whose appearance was once again hidden from these disciples, came and accompanied them on their journey. He asked what they were talking about and what made them so sad. They answered by asking him if he were the only person in Jerusalem who hadn’t heard about what happened to Jesus of Nazareth, the one that they had hoped would be the Messiah. And that now, some in their group had claimed that he had risen from the dead. As they walked together, Jesus, in the guise of the stranger, opened up the scriptures to them, and taught them how it was necessary for the Messiah to suffer and to die. Upon arriving at Emmaus, the men invited this stranger to have supper with them. And at the meal, Jesus repeated what he had done the previous Thursday. He took bread, blessed it, broke it, and gave it to them. And suddenly, they knew! They knew that this “stranger” whom they had walked with those long seven miles was their resurrected Lord! Even though it was late, even though they were tired from their day’s journey, they ran back to Jerusalem to tell the Apostles that they had seen Jesus – that he revealed himself to them in the breaking of the bread. The “breaking of the bread” – that was the original way that the early Christians described what we call the Eucharist. Frank certainly recognized his Risen Lord in the Communion that he received each Sunday, in the Eucharist that he so loved to distribute as a Eucharistic minister. That truly was one of the greatest joys in Frank’s life! Whether he was assigned or not, Frank arrived at this church every Sunday wearing his Eucharistic Minister’s cross, hoping that, even if he wasn’t assigned, he would have the opportunity and privilege to serve. Nothing, not even illness, not even wearing an oxygen tank, stopped Frank from participating in this ministry that he dearly loved and serving his Lord, whose presence he, like the disciples, recognized in the breaking of the bread.
Scripture goes on to tell us about the occasion when Jesus appeared to his Apostles and revealed to them that it truly was he by showing them his hands and his side, the marks of his suffering. And I’m sure that over the past year, as his health began to decline, Frank recognized our Lord in his sufferings and recalled Jesus’ words, that to be a true disciple of his it necessitates that we, like Jesus, take up our cross daily and follow him.
Yesterday at mass, we heard the account of Jesus appearing to his disciples after his resurrection at the Sea of Tibereas. Once again, the disciples didn’t initially recognize Jesus. Even though they had been fishing all night and had caught nothing, Jesus tells them to set out again and to drop their nets. And when they do, their effort results in a catch so large that the nets were at the point of tearing. John yells to Peter, “It is the Lord!” How did John now realize that this stranger on the shore was Jesus? Because he recognized him in the memory of that same exact thing happening three years before when Jesus first called them to be his Apostles. Over the past several months, I’m sure Frank had many occasions to review his memories, but now to see them in a way he never saw them before - and to see and appreciate all the times that Jesus was present to him in the events and in the people of his life, especially in his beloved wife Hildegard, and in his children and grandchildren, in his friends, in the men with whom he served in the military, and in his co-workers at the Morris County Parks Department.
The last time Jesus revealed himself to his disciples was the day that he ascended to his Father in heaven. At that time, Jesus was revealed to them his glorified self as he was taken up in a cloud out of their sight. This is how Jesus reveals himself now and forever more to Frank! Frank now has the reward of seeing the Lord that he served so well for 84 years, as God, in all his glory, in his kingdom. Scripture tells us, “Eye has not seen nor ear has heard of the riches in store for those in the Kingdom of Heaven.” What a sight that must be! What a sight Frank now has the privilege to behold.
Yes, during this Easter season we hear the wonderful accounts of the times and ways that Jesus revealed himself to his followers after his resurrection. But it took people of faith to recognize that Jesus was in their midst. It takes a person of faith, like Frank Litts to do the same today. There is no doubt that Frank was a man of faith. So many times Frank said to me, “I just love God so much!” . . . and we could tell that he did, that those were not just words. Frank was blessed by God in so many ways. But a great man of faith is not only blessed but becomes a blessing to all those around him. And Frank demonstrated that faith and that love constantly in the joyful way he lived his life, in the optimistic way he met every situation, in the perpetual smile on his face, in the kind words that he offered to every person he met.
Hildegard, the priests and deacons, the parishioners of St. Therese, share with you the great sense of loss and grief that you are experiencing. But we also share with Frank the tremendous joy and peace he now experiences in the presence of the God he loved so much, the God he served so well.
As Frank was a blessing to us during his life, may he continue to bless us . . . through the memories that we have of him, and through his intercession to God on our behalf.
