Death of a "pillar of the church"

The meditation text is John 14:la: "Let not your hearts be troubled . . ."

That's difficult advice to follow on a day like this: "Let not your hearts be troubled." Behind it is the same kind of faith that lets us take comfort from praying, "Our Father," for if we have a heavenly father, we need not have a troubled heart. Loving fathers mend broken hearts.Behind the advice of our Lord's words as recorded by John are other admonitions. Christ has invited us, for example, with the words, "Come unto me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest." More importantly, however, are two messages that appear to contradict each other. Often, when we gather on occasions like this, we pray to God asking that strength be given not to grieve like those…