REFLECTIONS ON THE MORNING OF A REVIEW by Jean-Marc Duckert, Ormoy la rivière, France
Here are some excerpts from a letter from Jean-Marc Duckert, written the day after the death of his mother Margrit Duckert (who died on 1.10.93).
Yesterday, we were standing there, staring at that lifeless and unrecognizable body, singing: "My soul rests in peace on God alone". But there are so many comforts: that image Mom had, a few weeks before she died that the "one body" of the sacrament of marriage would become even more real now. The feeling that Mom had that her task here on earth was accomplished, the clear impression that she left us that she was leaving this life fully healed in her soul, free of any wound or sin, of any deception or flaw in her character. It is finally knowing that she is at the end of the world, with Jenny-Anne and her family in Tonga, as well as on my shoulder, in the heart of our son Daniel, with Dad and so many others - at the same time.
Towards the end, she was calling out to God with all her might: "Take my hand in your hand", "Help me", and God was visibly there, and she was more and more with Him, in an incredible peace. It was an important experience for us to live this with her and to discover new facets of this love of the Father and this presence of Christ.
I think with gratitude of the courage of Dad who dared to keep Mom until the end, where she was best, at home, even though he often felt powerless. I also think of Jenny-Anne's courage in daring to bet on life, literally following the Lord to the ends of the earth, rather than clinging to her human roots. What has nourished us all are the testimonies of an unimaginable number of people, especially in this region of Biel where my mother was a parish assistant for twelve years.
Finally, I realize that I know so little about this rich person who was so close to me. If this is the case with Mom, how much more I have to learn to look at each person! Over the past few years, something has gradually changed in Mom, leading her to a greater detachment, a greater inner peace and freedom, and a simpler, deeper love for God and people. What was the spring, the mystery of this evolution? She will never put it into words for me, but her life, more than ever, marks and inspires me. Thank you for this life, thank you for life, Mom!
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