FUNERAL OF THE LATE MRS. MARGARET MARY NAA NORKOR ADJEI (OCTOBER 4, 1937 – JANUARY 4, 2025)
AT THE HOLY SPIRIT CATHEDRAL
ON SATURDAY, MARCH 1, 2025
HOMILY BY BISHOP JOHN KOBINA LOUIS
READINGS: Revelation 21:1-5a,6b-7 & John 14:1-6
INTRODUCTION
The gospel reading (John 14:1-6) is part of St. John’s narration of the last supper. According to the reading, when the disciples were sad that our Lord Jesus would soon depart away from them, He assured them that He was going to prepare a place for them in heaven. A song in Akan which captures this message is: YƐ wɔ fie bi wɔ suru hɔ (English: We have a dwelling in heaven). Since our late mother, Mrs. Margaret Adjei was a founding and active member of the Choir of St. Gabriel Ga-Dangme Guild, I tried to find the Ga version of this song. Fortunately, Mr. Peter Dan-Okine has translated the lyrics into Ga with the title: “Wɔ yƐ shiako yƐ ŋwƐ shɔɔ”.
OUTLINE
- The significance of the birthday of Mrs. Margaret Adjei
- Jesus is gone to heaven to prepare for us
- Let us prepare ourselves as the Lord prepares for us
- THE SIGNIFICANCE OF THE BIRTHDAY OF MRS. MARGARET ADJEI
Firstly, Mrs. Margaret Adjei (aka Auntie Maggie) did not only have a father whose name was Francis, she was also born on the feast day of St. Francis of Assisi (4th October) in 1937. No wonder, Auntie Maggie exhibited some of the virtues of St. Francis of Assisi. Some of the virtues of St. Francis of Assisi are captured in his popular prayer:
“Lord, make me an instrument of your peace:
where there is hatred, let me sow love;
where there is injury, pardon;
where there is doubt, faith;
where there is despair, hope;
where there is darkness, light;
where there is sadness, joy.
O divine Master,
grant that I may not so much seek to be consoled as to console,
to be understood as to understand,
to be loved as to love.
For it is in giving that we receive,
it is in pardoning that we are pardoned,
and it is in dying that we are born to eternal life. Amen.”
Thus, like St. Francis, Auntie Maggie sought to be a peace-maker, loving, forgiving, understanding, hopeful, encouraging, charitable, and above all, she desired that by dying she would be “born to eternal life.” So, beloved, on which saint’s feast day were you born? Or who is your patron saint? Are you are practicing the virtues of your patron saint?
Furthermore, born in October which is the Month of the Holy Rosary, Auntie Maggie had a special love for Mother Mary, Our Lady of the Holy Rosary. So, may Mother Mary to whom Auntie Maggie often said, “… Holy Mary, Mother of God, pray for us sinners now and at the hour of our death”, intercede for Auntie Maggie’s soul. And may Jesus, who did not refuse the request of His Mother at the wedding at Cana (cf. John 2:1-11), receive the soul of Auntie Maggie into heaven.
- JESUS IS GONE TO HEAVEN TO PREPARE FOR US
The Book of Revelation from which we took today’s first reading (21:1-7) gives us a vision of the awesome bliss of heaven. Nothing on this earth nor in the whole universe comes close to the eternal peace, joy, beauty, and life in the heavenly presence of God (cf. Rev. 21:2-3). Heavenly peace and joy are not only eternal but absolute as well! In other words, nothing which disturbs our peace and joy on earth – including pains, sorrows, cries, tears, worries, disappointments, or even death – exists in heaven (cf. Rev. 21:4)! This was what captured the imagination, heart and spirit of our mother, Auntie Maggie, since her childhood. So, she always desired to one day enter heaven and live with God forever!
Now, who gives Auntie Maggie and all human beings access to heaven? It is Jesus Christ our Lord – and only Him. Thus, He declared: “I am the way, and the truth, and the life; no one comes to the Father, but by me” (John 14:6). Let me elaborate this point beginning with an illustration. It is only a citizen of a country who can adopt a child from another country and process him/her to become a citizen. More so, Jesus, did not only come from heaven to which He has already returned, He is the very King of heaven. And so with Him, we have the full assurance of being made citizens of heaven (cf. Phil. 3:20). Thus, He said at the Last Supper:
“Do not let your hearts be troubled. Believe in God, believe also in me. 2 In my Father’s house there are many dwelling places. If it were not so, would I have told you that I go to prepare a place for you? 3 And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and will take you to myself, so that where I am, there you may be also” (John 14:1-3).
Auntie Maggie believed that Jesus has prepared a place for her in heaven, and so she always looked forward to the moment when she would be with the Lord forever.
- LET US PREPARE OURSELVES AS THE LORD PREPARES FOR US
A dad working abroad with an international organization had assured his son of securing for him a scholarship for studies abroad. The boy, however, took life easy in the absence of his father. He did not take his studies seriously and was disobedient to the mother. He failed his examinations and so he lost the opportunity to study abroad. So, then while our Lord Jesus is gone to prepare a place for us, we have to ready ourselves for His return to take us away.
How do we get ourselves ready? Our Lord provides the answer in the gospel reading: “Believe in God, [and] believe also in me” (John 14:1). So, Auntie Maggie believed in God the Father, His Son Jesus Christ and the Holy Spirit. She also believed that Jesus is the only way, truth and life, and that no one goes to the Father except through Him. So, from her youth, Auntie Maggie was passionate about salvation through only Jesus. It was for this reason that she had devotions to the Blessed Mother of Jesus and would exhibit the virtues of St. Francis of Assisi.
Furthermore, Auntie Maggie would be active in Church life, beginning in her teens as a member of the then St. Joseph Catholic Church, Adabraka, which later merged with the then new Holy Spirit Cathedral parish in 1956. She would not miss Sunday Mass or major parish activities for any reason.
She was also a founding member of the St. Gabriel Ga-Dangme Guild and was very active in the group’s Choir. She was punctual at all rehearsals. When due to old age, she could no longer attend choir practice, she still joined members to sing at Mass on Sundays. Auntie Maggie was also a member of the Immaculate Heart of Mary Ladies’ Auxiliary #360 of the Knights of St. John International.
Auntie Maggie was a founding member of the Christian Mothers Association in the Cathedral and became a founding member of the Christian Mothers Patrons’ Council. In recognition of her motherly services and dedication to this parish, she was crowned as the Mother of the Year in the great jubilee year 2000.
Auntie Maggie remained an active member of the Parish and the above-mentioned church societies mentioned until her demise. No wonder, she participated in the opening of the Holy Door and the Sunday Mass here on 29th December, 2024. And then passed on to eternity in less than a week on Saturday, 4th January, 2025. Indeed, she teaches us that preparing with faith and hope for heaven is not for a short period; it is a long-life journey.
CONCLUSION
We thank God for the graces she gave to our mother, Auntie Maggie, to persevere in this life-long pilgrimage of faith and hope.
We thank God for giving her 87+ years, 7+ years more than the limit of 80 years mentioned in Psalm 90.
May her soul, and the souls of her late husband (Mr. A. E. T. Adjei) and of her late two children, rest in perfect peace!
Amen!
