Funeral mass

Peter H. Davids

Catholic Funerals • Sermon • Submitted 9 months ago • Presented 9 months ago

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A funeral is a time of mourning and loss, but it is also a time of hope, for it reveals God's steadfast love, it gives us hope for the deceased, and because in our hope for the resurrection we are hoping in Jesus who is the resurrection and is the living connection between the departed and us, for we experience his presence both spiritually and in the eucharist.

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Obituary

Ronnie Lee Rieger

OCTOBER 1, 1956 – JULY 18, 2023

📷

IN THE CARE OF Condra Funeral Home

Ronnie Lee Rieger, 66, of Beyersville, TX, passed away on Tuesday, July 18, 2023.

Ronnie was born in Taylor, TX on October 1, 1956 to the late Otto and Millie (Fojtik) Rieger. He graduated from Thrall High School and continued on to receive a degree from TSTC in Waco in Building Trades. Ronnie married Lyn Curry on May 19, 2007; they were married for 16 years. He worked on the family farm side by side with his father. After graduating from TSTC, he worked for various companies building track homes, duplexes and apartment complexes. Ronnie worked many years for Meritage and Legacy Homes, winning awards for excellence in construction and high volume. He started his own company in 2012. Star of Texas Custom Homes was his dream job and he built some of the most beautiful custom homes in the area, making so many lasting close friendships along the way.

Ronnie was a proud member of the SPJST (Slovanska Podporujici Jednota Statu Texas). He served in many capacities: President of Taylor Lodge 29, District 2 President, and Chairman of the By-Lays at the state level. Ronnie is survived by his wife Lyn, his son Tommy Harrison (AmyJo), daughters Nikki Leschber (Clint), and Kristen Rieger. He treated his step-children as his own: Brady Teat, Travis Franks, and Stacy Franks. Ronnie loved his grandchildren and was so proud of them: Paige Leschber, Wyatt Leschber, Garrett Harrison, Ethan Harrison, Izzy Harrison, Bradyn Teat, Andylyn Teat, Caitlyn Layne, Kristen Chick, Lee Ann Stricklin, Ashley Hallmark, Tyler Hallmark, Jerry Sephus and Brock Stricklin, as well as three great-grandchildren–Karlee, Cole and Jax. He was proud to be their PoPo.

He is survived by his sister Bonnie Wolf and brother-in-law Jodie, aunt Dorthy Hirt and uncle Robert, aunt Loretta Treadwell, nieces, nephews, cousins, and the many friends he considered family.

Ronnie is preceded in death by his parents and one infant brother, Bobby Gene. Pallbearers are his grandchildren: Paige, Wyatt, Garrett, Ethan, Izzy, Bradyn, Andylyn, Caitlyn, Kristen, Lee Ann, and Brock.

In lieu of flowers, the family asks you to consider making a memorial donation in Ronnie’s name to the Tom Harrison Benefit at the Eagle Bank in Taylor, TX.

The family of Ronnie Rieger thanks everyone for the outpouring of love, prayers, and support.

Fond memories and expressions of sympathy may be shared at www.CondraFuneralHome.com for the Rieger family.

Outline

A funeral is a time of mourning, of loss

We see that in our first reading, e.g. “my soul is bereft of peace, I have forgotten what happiness is.” The loss is palpable, real, and we must never forget that. Many of us have such holes in our lives that we live with, even if time has dimmed the sense of loss.

Paul had many losses and when he wrote of wearing a chain it is because he was headed (eventually) to his own execution.

Martha is speaking out of loss when she says, “Lord, if you had been here, my brother would not have died.” She trusts in Jesus, but is saying, “If only you had gotten here sooner I would not have this loss.”

A Christian funeral is also a time of hope

First, because God’s loving presence is often revealed even in tragic situations

Lamentations says, “The steadfast love of the LORD never ceases, his mercies never come to an end; they are new every morning; great is your faithfulness.”

Second, because there is hope for the deceased:

Paul writes, “If we have died with him, we shall also live with him.” Funeral masses are for the post-mortem benefit of the deceased as well as for the good of those who survive.

Third, because we expect the resurrection

When Jesus says, “Your brother will rise again.” Martha takes it as eventual hope, “I know that he will rise again in the resurrection at the last day.” Now this is true, but the last day is from our perspective a long way off. Jesus responds, “I am the resurrection and the life; he who believes in me, though he die, yet shall he live, and whoever lives and believes in me shall never die.” Jesus is the resurrection; those who die committed to Jesus live, even if not physically before our eyes, for already in this life they participated in the life Jesus is, including sacramentally in the eucharist.

From our point of view Ronnie Rieger is gone

We speak of that part of him that we can still see and experience as “the remains.” And that is helpful, for we do not want to deny our grief.

Yet he also lives. Because he lives we can ask God to show us where his mercies are in this sad situation. Because he lives we can say that since he died with Christ in baptism, he also lives with him. We can therefore speak to him and ask him to pray for us. Because he lives in Christ who is the resurrection and the life, he not only will live, but Jesus is the living connection between us. The closer we draw to Jesus to closer we are to the Ronnie Rieger as Jesus knows him.

Let us comfort one another with these truths.

Readings

FIRST READING

Revised Standard Version, Second Catholic Edition Chapter 3

17 my soul is bereft of peace,

I have forgotten what happiness is;

18 so I say, “Gone is my glory,

and my expectation from the LORD.”

19 Remember my affliction and my bitterness,k

the wormwood and the gall!

20 My soul continually thinks of it

and is bowed down within me.

21 But this I call to mind,

and therefore I have hope:

22 The steadfast love of the LORD never ceases,l

his mercies never come to an end;

23 they are new every morning;

great is your faithfulness.

24 “The LORD is my portion,” says my soul,

“therefore I will hope in him.”

25 The LORD is good to those who wait for him,

to the soul that seeks him.

26 It is good that one should wait quietly

for the salvation of the LORD.

27 It is good for a man that he bear

the yoke in his youth.

PSALM

SECOND READING

Revised Standard Version, Second Catholic Edition Chapter 2

8 Remember Jesus Christ, risen from the dead, descended from David, as preached in my gospel, 9 the gospel for which I am suffering and wearing chains like a criminal. But the word of God is not chained. 10 Therefore I endure everything for the sake of the elect, that they also may obtain the salvation which in Christ Jesus goes with eternal glory. 11 The saying is sure:

If we have died with him, we shall also live with him;

12 if we endure, we shall also reign with him;

if we deny him, he also will deny us;

13 if we are faithless, he remains faithful—

for he cannot deny himself.

GOSPEL

Revised Standard Version, Second Catholic Edition Chapter 11

17 Now when Jesus came, he found that Lazarusx had already been in the tomb four days. 18 Bethany was near Jerusalem, about two milesy off, 19 ¶ and many of the Jews had come to Martha and Mary to console them concerning their brother. 20 When Martha heard that Jesus was coming, she went and met him, while Mary sat in the house. 21 Martha said to Jesus, “Lord, if you had been here, my brother would not have died. 22 And even now I know that whatever you ask from God, God will give you.” 23 Jesus said to her, “Your brother will rise again.” 24 ¶ Martha said to him, “I know that he will rise again in the resurrection at the last day.” 25 ¶ Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life;z he who believes in me, though he die, yet shall he live, 26 ¶ and whoever lives and believes in me shall never die. Do you believe this?” 27 ¶ She said to him, “Yes, Lord; I believe that you are the Christ, the Son of God, he who is coming into the world.”