A joyfully celebratory day

Tom’s funeral on Wednesday evening was wonderful beyond belief. It was really a love-Tom-fest with about six hundred of his closest friends. It is amazing how deeply he touched the lives of so many people with his teaching and example. It was a joyful celebration, though often through tears, of an amazing life. Like St. Therese of Lisieux, Tom didn’t really do anything spectacular or huge; rather, he was just always kind and gentle, loving and giving in little ways. I never heard him say a crabby word to anyone, ever. He was tolerant of even the most annoying (and we know how many of them there are!). Sometimes later however, he would be gently ironic, and always witty about them, but never unkind.
The homily was brilliant, as Father Ryan’s homilies always are, and the music, with his friend Dan as cantor, sung by the Women’s Schola whom Tom loved, selected and conducted by our Jim, was celestial. And…… it was all composed by Tom himself. How many people do you know who compose the music for their own funeral? Afterwards, there was a fabulous pot-luck. How Tom did love pot-lucks! I prepared some focaccia and as you can see, it had a problem. It tasted yummy anyway. Rebecca made three types – red pepper, potato, and olive, and hers – as one might expect – had no problems and tasted superb.