Funerals are teachable moments in pastoral care. That is why the liturgy of the Church distinguishes between a eulogy and a homily and requires a homily at a Funeral Liturgy. In every funeral liturgy, the church stresses three interrelated objectives:

1) The Church gives witness to its faith in the consoling truth of the Resurrection;

2) By giving witness to faith in the Resurrection, the Church supports the hope of God's people who still live and who must continue to struggle with the challenges of life;

3) Finally the Church commends the deceased person to God.

At first glance it would appear that the order of the pastoral objectives should be reversed, namely, that commending the deceased person to God should be first. However, when one recalls the understanding of the Catholic Tradition that particular judgment follows death immediately, the order of the pastoral objectives is quite proper.

The readings chosen for the liturgy speak to the three interrelated objectives that I just mentioned.

The first reading is from the Book of Revelation (21: 1-7). The format of the Book of Revelation is apocalyptic which means that we must look for the faith content of the text by understanding the symbols in which the meaning is hidden.

The resurrection had cosmic implications. The Old Jerusalem that was physically destroyed by the Romans has been replaced by the New Jerusalem created by God. Is this a reference to the present geography of Israel ? Absolutely Not!

It is a reference to the Church where God and God's People will live together in personal relationship marked by joy and peace. The Book of Revelation tells us that the sea – the biblical symbol of chaos, of powerful turmoil and enormous potential for destruction – will be no more. God will make all things new.

The process of building the New Jerusalem began 2005 years ago: the living water of Baptism, the presence of the Spirit, the food of the Eucharist all enable us to witness the slow but progressive fulfillment of the promise of God.

Don't be distracted by all the problems of international society. These problems flow from the rejection of the values of the Kingdom.

They do not represent the values of people who live and mature in the New Jerusalem. Those problems call us to the ministry of sharing more effectively the revelation of God. They do not call us to discouragement or withdrawal from life.

Why am I spending time in this homily on the symbols of the reading from Revelation? The reason should be very clear. The New Jerusalem was the center of the life of Bishop Mendes. He lived for it, he worked for it, he witnessed to it, he invited others to accept it and he reconciled those who struggled to be faithful to its values.

He prayed for the rooting of the New Jerusalem in a world that Pope Benedict calls “increasingly restless”. The world understands something is terribly wrong, but it is not quite sure what to do about it.

The life of Bishop Mendes calls the world to clarify its values and enter the New Jerusalem. The life of Bishop Mendes calls the Church to fidelity to its mission: preaching the truth and forming community on the values of Jesus.

The second reading is from second Corinthians (2 Cor 4: 14 - 5, 1). What is its message? What does it say to us this morning? First of all, it is much less complicated than the reading from Revelation. It speaks of the confidence of Paul in the Resurrection.

The Lord's Resurrection gave Paul confidence in his own resurrection and that confidence was the foundation for his ministry. In particular, it gave Paul confidence when his ministry was difficult and when he suffered personally for his ministry and for the people he served. As with many of the saints, Paul's life was not filled with success after success. He experienced failure and stress and rejection.

Paul contrasts of the inner person which is a reference to the new creation within him with his body that is being destroyed through aging, illness and the probability of martyrdom. Once again, the Resurrection was the basis of his confidence and perseverance. Remember Paul loved the Lord so much that for him death was gain because through death he will be united to Christ for eternity.

This reading applies very well to Bishop Mendes. I knew him before he became ill and I noticed the changes in his life after he became ill. In recent years he suffered terribly with his health. I administered the Sacrament of the Anointing of the Sick to him at the St Clair Medical Center four times during the last four years.

I could see him weakening, yet he persevered in prayer and witness in every way possible for him. He had every right to total rest after his formal retirement, but he kept moving. He had every right to withdraw from all forms of ministry, but he did what he could. I marveled at his participation in the long cathedral liturgies of Holy Week and Ordinations.

Eventually, he could no longer stand to distribute Holy Communion and then had difficulty seeing the text of the Eucharistic Prayer, yet he was always there participating with deep faith.

At times, I saw sparks of his old self and his sense of humor. He would always sit at my right in the Cathedral, where Bishop Alleyne is sitting now. After preaching I would return to my Chair to hear Bishop Mendes say in a staged whisper, “A bit long.”

The reading from John's Gospel (John 12: 23 -28) gives three Christian principles for spirituality. They can be used as mantras for prayer:

1) The grain of wheat left to itself does nothing. It must die to bring forth life which is exactly what Jesus did for our salvation.

2) The man who loves himself, destroys himself. Jesus taught selfishness injures and kills everything it touches.

3) The man who hates himself in this world preserves himself for eternal life. World means the place of sin and darkness. Hate is to be understood in the sense of loving less. The text means that only by loving this world less than one loves God, is it possible to gain eternal life.

Bishop Mendes lived these principles of Christian Life. He was very serious about spirituality. Earlier this week I presided at a Liturgy in which the Prelature of Opus Dei commemorated the 30 th anniversary of the death of the now St Josémaria and the third anniversary of his canonisation. Father Quintero preached.

I learned something about Bishop Mendes from his homily. Since May 17, 1992 , Bishop Mendes was a Cooperator in Opus Dei and followed the spirituality of the Way. I saw that his Breviary was worn from use. His rosary was a constant companion as he honored the Mother of God. Never once did I hear him complain about his many illnesses.

He always responded promptly to my requests for information, consultation and recommendation.

He died as he lived - at peace with the Lord. He will be remembered as a good man, a zealous priest and a dedicated Bishop. May he pray for us as we pray for him.

May the Holy Spirit gift the Archdiocese with vocations that are as dedicated as he was to the New Jerusalem. May we be consoled by the knowledge that he has begun to live in the eternal Jerusalem of heaven with the Lord he loved and served.