Love Conquers Death

In 1943, Sarah's grandparents stood before the altar of the Lord and swore covenant oaths of love, permanent until death.

Last week, after 70+ years of marriage, they stood before the altar of the Lord together again.

 

There is simply nothing else I can add to these striking images, other than to quote Peter Kreeft's magnificent commentary on the Song of Songs:

"Love, being the fundamental spiritual force in the universe, transcends all other forces and their laws.  It especially transcends the principle of physical entropy:  its energy does not decrease but rather increases... love cannot be defeated even by death.  Love is the only thing that can stand up to death.  Death removes everything else.  Even the stars are subject to death.  But billions of years from now, when all the stars in the universe have died, love will still be alive, and if we live in love, if we identify ourselves with love, if we pin our hopes of eternal survival to love, if we glue our spirits to love, we too shall still be alive and eternally young, like love itself.  For love is the very stuff of God.  That is why it lasts forever (1Cor 13:8).  When death destroys the destructible, the indestructible remains... At the point of death, a great battle is waged for the heavyweight championship of the universe:  in this corner Death, and in that corner Love.  But death cannot change love; love changes death.  Love changes the meaning of death, but death does not change the meaning of love.  When fire and water meet, one must die.  'Love is strong as death' (Song 8:6) because 'many waters cannot quench love, neither can floods drown it' (Song 8:7).  Death threatens love with extinction... But love replies, in triumph."

Thank you, Meema and Boompa, for your witness.  Pray for us.

Eternal rest grant unto them, O Lord, and let perpetual light shine upon them.  May the souls of the faithful departed, through the mercy of God, rest in peace.

Amen.