Lifting the dead
Jan 28th, 2009 | By Ian Poulton | Category: SpiritualityA colleague once objected that he had been invited to share in carrying the coffin at a funeral, “Don’t they know that priests don’t carry coffins?”
In a rural community, the invitation would have been made to him as a mark of respect. He was taking no part in the ceremony and the lead mourners would have made the gesture out of a desire to show him respect; he did not see it thus. A liberal in most matters, it seemed odd that he would suddenly seize upon verses from …