Bible Study - Mk. 5:42 A Gospel Illustration of Faith.

Let It Be : 

Let It Be A Death in the Family Author: Unknown Copyrighted material that appears in this article is included under the provisions of the Fair Use Clause of the National Copyright Act, which allows limited reproduction of copyrighted materials for educational and religious use when no financial charge is made for viewing.

The Phone Call : 

The Phone Call I was on the phone the morning of May 13, 1993, when my secretary handed me a note saying that my sister Judy was holding on the other line. I remember thinking it’s odd that she didn’t just leave a message, but I picked up her call with a cheery, “Hi!” I heard her sobbing, as if her heart were broken, as she struggled to gain enough composure to give me her news. “Oh, Sunny, our Tommy was killed in a car wreck this morning.” It couldn’t be true. Tommy was in his next-to-last semester of graduate school at the University of Missouri.

Support : 

Support He was an athlete, and had majored in “sports marketing.” He had two sisters Jen and Lisa and they had always had a case of hero worship for their big brother. We all adored this tall, handsome young man with his easy laugh and gentle nature. Tommy’s whole life stretched out before him, and my mind wanted to reject Judy’s words. As the family gathered together during that time we clung to each other for support. I don’t know what hurt worse: the loss of Tommy or seeing my sister act bravely when I knew her whole world was shattered.

The Arrangements : 

The Arrangements The day we made the funeral arrangements was especially hard. No mother should ever have the awful job of selecting a coffin for her child. Judy had so wanted to see her boy one last time, to touch his hand or brush his hair back. But the funeral director had told us she would not be able to see him. Her good-byes would have to be said to that lovingly selected coffin.

That Afternoon : 

That Afternoon That afternoon, I stood in the front yard of my sister’s home and asked my nephew to send us a sign that he was okay. . . To somehow let us know that he had gone on to something even more wonderful that the life we had envisioned for him here. I can’t say that I even believed in such things as “signs.” But when the heart is in enough pain it will seek comfort in its own way. Tommy’s favorite baseball team was the St. Louis Cardinals, so I asked him to send us a cardinal. A cardinal will be the sign I’ll watch for.”

Singing : 

Singing Judy carefully planned her son’s funeral to be a celebration of his life. At my request, she had included Paul McCartney’s beautiful song, “Let it Be.” His cousins served as altar boys and bravely read the scripture. The young priest who said the Mass fought tears throughout the morning. The priest paused to regain his composure, a bird suddenly began singing somewhere outside. It was loud, and insistent song that lasted throughout the remainder of the service.

A Friend : 

A Friend A close friend called to comment on the beauty of the funeral Mass, and then said, “When that bird began singing so loudly, I jerked my head around and saw the most beautiful cardinal sitting in the window of the church. I had my sign. Two weeks later, Paul McCartney came to our city for a Memorial Day concert. We had already bought tickets for Tommy and several other family members, and decided to go ahead with our plans. On the morning of the concert, Lynn was dressing for work and listening to the radio. She heard two disk jockeys talking about the interview they hoped to get with the former Beatle.

Let It Be : 

Let It Be She phoned the station and found herself telling the story of Tommy and our tragedy and his great love for the Beatles. Could they get the story to Paul? They couldn’t promise, but they would try. That night, we all settled in for the outdoor concert. Over 30,000 had gathered. Paul opened with an enormous fireworks display and song. Then, when the song ended, he waited for silence and said, “Now, ladies and gentlemen, our next song is for a very special family. This is for Tommy’s family.” Paul sang “Let It Be.”