One Equal Light

It was my godmother's funeral today. I haven't been to many, but one in Zambia I remember as an awfully dark day. But today was bright and sunny. I was dreading the crematorium part but the chapel was filled with light. Before the lunch we stood outside in glorious sunshine. The church where the thanksgiving service took place later on had a massively wide stained glass window above the altar, so that the stone walls and the arrangements of purple and white flowers glowed in the rays of coloured light.

The main thing that allowed this light to shine and brighten the day was that she was peaceful and confident about where she was going.

This poem was printed in the programme:

Bring us, O Lord God,

at our last awakening,

into the house and gate of heaven,

to enter that gate and dwell in that house, 

where there shall be no darkness nor dazzling,

but one equal light;

no noise nor silence, but one equal music;

no fears nor hopes, but one equal possession;

no ends nor beginnings, but one equal eternity;

in the habitations of Thy glory and dominion,

world without end.

John Donne.