As
a Eucharistic Minister, I bring Holy Communion to the sick and the
shut-ins. After a while, I get attached to them and get to know them.
Over time they minister to me.......teaching and even inspiring me.
Thus I would like to not only honor Mike Hager, but also share some
of the things he can teach us.......especially his courage, his
faith, resignation to God's will, and trust in His kind providence.
Every life, from the rich and the famous to the common man, has a
fascinating story to tell. Mike Hager is no exception and I tried to
include a little bit of that.
A EULOGY FOR
MIKE HAGER
Given at St. Louis
Church August 16, 2012
As
an Extraordinary Eucharistic Minister, I had the opportunity to know
Mike Hager in the last three years of his life. It was an awesome
privilege to bring Christ Himself and His love to him in the
Eucharist, i.e. Holy Communion; to pray with him and Rita; and to
help him in a little way for his encounter with our Lord in eternity.
At first, I actually came for Rita while Mike would also participate
in the Communion Service. He liked to talk about sports and I like
talking about sports. So I would stay there for a good while and Rita would patiently listen. At
that time he seemed to be in robust health, running the family farm,
rounding up the cows, driving the tractor, and taking care of Rita.
But last year Mike took sick and Rita ended up taking care of Mike in
a heroic way. They were so faithful to each other, for better and
for worse.......an example for all of us. In addition their extended
family pulled together to help them.
I
was supposed to minister to Mike, but Mike also ministered to me. He
knew that his time on earth was growing short, but he faced it with
courage and faith, patient resignation to God's will and trust in His
kind providence. He had discovered the Catholic Faith through Rita
and lived it. Mike loved his family dearly and so enjoyed talking
about them. One of his biggest regrets was that he would not be able
to see his grandsons play football this Fall, the game that he loved,
having himself played for North Gallia High School and the Gallia
County Disciples. I would like to think that he'll be watching his
grandsons play and that they'll put in that extra effort for Grandpa.
Mike
was hurting and weak, deteriorating rapidly. I shared with him the
fact that suffering can be very valuable, meaningful, and fruitful.
If accepted in faith with trust in God, suffering can be a wonderful
preparation for eternity. Taken in the right way, the inevitable
crosses of life can make each one of us a saint. One priest
observed: “Those who die of Cancer die like saints” since they
have time to prepare. Every canonized saint suffered and even prayed
to have more crosses. Many times I would say, “You can reap great
fruits with your prayers and by offering your crosses to the Lord as
a dynamic prayer for your loved ones, for the Church, and for our
Country. God knows how much our country needs prayers. In that way
you can be most valuable.” Indeed he was!
Thank
you Mike for serving our Country in the Army combat engineers in Viet
Nam. Thank you for all of your hard work in the mines that supplied
the coal to the power plants that kept our houses lit.
Mike
was ready and will be praying for us. Thank-you, Mike, for your
example and for what you taught us. I'm sure you're having a joyful
reunion with your lovely daughter Cathy. Good-by until we're all
together again in eternity.
In
conclusion, please permit me to read a beautiful hand written poem that Mike kept
from the Bidwell Elementary School, dated 1959 when he was 12 years old.
GOD'S
PROMISE
God
didn't promise:
Days
without rain;
Laughter
without sorrow;
Or
sun without rain.
But
God did promise:
Strength
for the day;
Comfort
for the tears
And
a light for the way;
Rest
from the labor;
Grace
for the trials;
Help
from above;
Unfailing
sympathy;
Undying
love.
In
the case of Mike and his beautiful ever faithful wife, God indeed
kept that promise. May he rest in everlasting peace. Thank you.
No comments:
Post a Comment