Miracles News

October-December, 2014

The One About Death

by Rev. Stephan Mead, O.M.C.

Rev. Stephan Mean As the day of July 3rd, 2014 began, all nine Mead siblings were present (occupying bodies) and accounted for. A few hours into the day, that was no longer the case.

Coincidentally, all of us were in the Seattle area that day. On Wednesday, the 2nd, there was a family gathering and my brother from Chicago and sister from the San Juan Islands had flown in. No one suspected it would be the last time as a family we’d all be gathered together.

Very early the next morning, younger brother Joey suffered a massive and fatal heart attack. As the information flowed from sibling to sibling to gather at the local hospital, I had to sit down and quiet my mind. “How could this happen? This should not have happened! What’s the deal with this God? Of all of us, he shouldn’t be the one to go first!” In that first nano second of receiving the news, these were some of my thoughts.

“How” or maybe more accurately, “what” should be my response to this information be? I was investigating what my beliefs about death were. Do I really believe there is no death, as the course teaches? Did I think any of my other brothers and sisters would be interested in my opinion about death? (In answer to that question, I was certain they wouldn’t be!) Could I be a voice of peace in this highly emotional time?

In Chapter 19 of the Text of ACIM we are told, “The body no more dies than it can feel. It does nothing. Of itself it is neither corruptible nor incorruptible. It is nothing.” (T-19.IV.C.5:2-5) As I looked at this passage, I felt very peaceful, and, no way was I going to vocalize my thoughts about death.

I asked the Holy Spirit how I might be helpful during this sad time, and the answer I received was a memory of Ken Wapnick I had heard some years ago on a video, saying, “above all, don’t be weird!”

In the conversations with my family as they were waiting for the funeral home people to arrive ( I was the only sibling not present at the hospital, as I was sitting with one of Joey’s dearest friends), I was able to talk on the speaker phone about how pleased mom and dad must be to now have Joey with them. That remark inspired a few more comments like, “can we assume Joey went to heaven?” And, “will Joey rat us out on some of the stuff we did since mom and dad passed?” There were still plenty of tears, but the mood seemed to shift.

A bottle of scotch — then a couple more — were brought into the hospital room to toast Joey, “Bon Voyage!” (Joey was never one to pass on a toast if it was scotch!)

Even now, a month later as I write this, still with some tears, I don’t believe Joey went anywhere, we simply connect and communicate through the mind and heart that we share, as we always have. And I know from my own experience with ACIM that this kind of change in perspective is possible, because this is what I am experiencing! What most likely would have been seen as a depressing, bitter and terrible event can be experienced as a family unifying time of love and joy. And yes, sadness too. Joey, I know you’ll understand why Nancy and I toasted you with coffee instead of scotch! (smile)

Rev. Stephan Mead, O.M.C., is a Pathways of Light minister living in Seattle, Washington.
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