"Love binds the virtues together and makes them perfect." (Colossians 3)
As I contemplated what I would want to say today I had a million scattered thoughts. it is not easy for me to stand before so many diverse people, who knew Agnes in different ways, and give a short and meaningful homily. She had different roles to play in life and people knew her in different ways. In her lifetime she was a daughter, a sister, a sister-in-law, a wife, a mother, a mother-in-law, an aunt, a grandmother, a good neighbor, the lady down the street, the mother of one of the friars, the sister of one of the sisters, a parishioner of St. Barnabas and, among other roles, a good friend to many.
As I contemplated on all of this my thoughts kept coming back to one image--that is, the image of the heart. And this image of the heart seems to me to be an appropriate focal point when describing the life and love of Mrs. Agnes O'Hanlon.
You may know that Agnes and many members of her family have struggled with heart problems. The heart and weaknesses of the heart have been significant for Agnes and those whom she has loved. And I think that the physical heart ailments that she endured and the strength of that heart, in spite of sometimes poor prognosis, symbolize the very real emotional pains and joys of her life.
Agnes had a heart. And just like that heart of hers that was stubborn and refused to give up two years ago when the doctors gave her little time to live, so too did Agnes have a determined heart that caused her to remain always faithful to those she loved--and those from whom she was separated.
In our Gospel chosen for today's Mass (a reading that Agnes chose), we are presented with the story of Mary as the faithful and loving mother of Jesus. She was a mother who gave herself totally to the life and mission of her son. She was stubbornly devoted. The Gospel says that, with regards to the events of the life of Jesus, "Mary kept all these things in memory." I believe that we could read that to mean that "Mary kept all of these things close to her heart." Those things close to her heart and in her memory included both the pains and joys of life.
It was the loving Agnes who gave to her children their ability to love and to be loved. She modeled that God-like virtue to them. It is the virtue of love which today's second reading tells us "binds the all the virtues together and makes them perfect."
Because I had the privilege of knowing Agnes both personally, and through the eyes of her son Richard, I had a real sense of this woman's loving determination in life. She was a woman of "conviction and dignity." In the last couple of days I have spent many moments with the family remembering various events in the life of Agnes.
The family recalled with laughter and fondness her determination to stay in her home and her efforts to assure that she would be able to be there. Last night Tom and Richard recalled with a sort of joyful pride how after one of her many stays in the hospital she was able to make it home in spite of a raging snow storm and lack of traditional transportation. She found out how the nurses got back and forth to the hospital through the help of a man with a four wheel drive vehicle. On her own she made arrangements with the man to drive her home. Sure enough, Agnes arrived at the front door of her home at ten o'clock in the evening, in the middle of a snow storm, dressed only in her night gown and slippers. But she was home! This event, while it may seem humorous to us, really demonstrates the character of Agnes. I believe that her home was more than just a place to live or just a secure abode--it was a real shrine and sanctuary which represented all of those in her life whom she loved and held close to her heart. Agnes, like Mary, kept the important people in her life close to her heart. She was stubborn in her desire to stay close to her home--and close to all those memories that she held so dear.
We have something to learn from Agnes. From her we can learn that the heart, while often fragile and even wounded, can be very strong. And a heart that is fueled by love never dies. In spite of pain and sickness, or in spite of anger and division, the loving heart always welcomes reconciliation, healing and renewal.
Richard told me how important the prayer of St. Joseph was to his mother. This prayer is the prayer of someone captivated by the loving presence of God. Agnes prayed this prayer. With faith she knew that God would never abandon her. She, a person so much the model of a loving heart, prayed to St. Joseph: "Press [Jesus] to your heart for me, kiss softly his forehead, ask him to return that kiss when I am drawing my last breath."
Agnes, I am sure that you are in the presence of God's loving heart. I am sure that your heart, so full of love, is now joined as one to the very heart of Jesus. I am sure that in the peaceful way in which you left this life, that Jesus answered your prayer and returned that loving kiss of yours.
May God give us hope that we too will someday know that perfect love which Agnes now enjoys to the fullest.
May God be praised.
