‘Vision and faith’

Andrew Collis
Funeral for Margaret Athene Vazey
(January 18, 1939 – June 10, 2022)
Isaiah 6:6-8; Numbers 22:27-31a; Matthew 7:15-21

Angels move between heavenly and earthly realms – bringing grace and wisdom; blessing humble earthlings, human and otherkind.

This is the vision and faith of Margaret Vazey.

Angels move between eye and hand, brush and canvas. Angels move between heart and mind, figure and ground … between the way you treat others and how you want them to treat you.

In the presence of an angel, the would-be prophet Balaam betrays his lack of understanding (his self-importance) in cruelty toward an animal companion. The donkey’s protest, on behalf of all creatures exploited and tormented, resounds with a sense of urgency: “What have I done to you, to make you beat me …?”

In the presence of angels, the prophet Isaiah (one of Margaret’s biblical heroes) receives the word of God as summons to act … for justice, for peace with justice. He answers, “Here I am, send me!”

Marg responded … ventured all for love. And look what love has made of her life!

You are the vision and faith of Margaret Vazey! We are the vision and faith of Margaret Vazey! Angels move between her life and our own … between this day and the day we meet up again.

A short time ago, Marg wrote the following poem:

of late much thinking
about my young life  so free
within our small world
we conquered it with fierce joy
ready  poised for life’s next step

Jesus said, “Be on your guard against false prophets who come to you disguised as sheep, but underneath are ravenous wolves. You will be able to tell them by their fruit … a sound tree produces good fruit … It isn’t those who cry out, ‘My Saviour! My Saviour!’ (the overtly religious) who will enter the kindom of heaven; rather, it is those who do the will of Abba God in heaven …”

The good news and power of God.
Praise to you, O Jesus Christ. Amen.