Emmet Dennis Owens lived to be 93 years of age. He was born on April 16, 1920. He went home to the Lord on April 14, 2014 at Island Hospital in Anacortes; two days shy of his 94th Birthday. He was born in Washington DC. He is the son of Joseph Owens and Belinda Feeney. His deceased wife is Betty Owens. Betty went home to The Lord on May 15, 2009.
Emmet and Betty were devout Catholics and for many years volunteered at the parish office while their good health prevailed.
They spent Fridays, stuffing bulletins, cleaning out the pews by straightening the missalettes and hymnals, removing pencils, putting up the kneelers and getting the church ready for the weekend Masses.
They also stuffed the pew pockets with second collection envelopes when they are due. Emmet was also the usher for the 5 p.m. Mass. They never missed their Fridays of work at the parish office. They were active volunteers at St Mary.
They helped recruit volunteers for the bulk mailing needs of the parish office. Emmet also served as Secretary to the Building Commission and took excellent notes which are archived for reference.
In the community, Emmet served as volunteer fire chief for Summit Park Volunteer fire station. He helped seniors by organizing defensive driving and preparing their taxes. Both Emmet and Betty were volunteers for meals on wheels.
In their busy schedule they found time in between to go to Reno and be back to fulfill their myriad of responsibilities to the parish and to the community of Anacortes.
Betty's health took a turn for the worse in early 2000's. As a result, they were not able to volunteer at the parish. Emmet took care of Betty mostly at home, and Betty had intermittent care at assisted care facility in Sedro Woolley.
p.s. Usually the name Emmett ends with two T's but our Emmet's ends with one T.
Emmet died last Monday of Holy Week. Holy Week is significant because it is the week that precedes Easter Sunday. Easter Sunday is not a fixed date.
It is a moveable feast depending on the Earth's position to the moon. At the council of Nicea in 325, it was determined that March 21 was the first day of spring. And the first Sunday after the first full moon, after March 21 was to be Easter Sunday.
On the other hand, Christmas is a fixed date each year on December 25. Because Christmas is not based on the Earth's position to the moon, but on the Earth's position to the Sun. So we have what is called a lunar-solar calendar or lunisolar calendar.
But Why is Easter situated around this time? Because Easter finds its origins in the Jewish festival called Passover. The Passover was a feast to commemorate freedom for the Jews or descendants of Israel. God delivered them from slavery in Egypt. God kept the covenant made with Abraham. God gave them new life and blessed them with many descendants. God gave them a new land, a promised land, flowing with milk and honey. God delivered them from the hands of their enemies.
It was on the night of the Passover that Christ celebrated with his disciples. And instead of having a lamb for a Passover meal, he becomes the Lamb of God. The bread and wine, in which he instituted, becomes his body and blood, a new covenant is established, bestowing upon the world new life which is eternal life, and a promised land which is heaven.
Currently we are in the Octave of Easter which is the 8 days following the Easter Sunday. Throughout the week, we sing hymns about the Resurrection of Christ, and we hear stories about Christ's appearing to the disciples. He appeared to Mary Magdalene who was arrived first at the Empty Tomb. He appeared to two disciples on the road to Emmaus. He appeared to the disciples at the upper room. The first time, Thomas was not with them. Then he appeared again and told Thomas to put his finger into the nail Marks. He then appeared to the disciples while they were fishing in Galilee. And after 40 days, Christ ascended to Heaven, so that he could send the Holy Spirit upon the Apostles on the Feast of Pentecost.
All of these stories are recounted during this joyful Easter season to sustain hope for us. Preciously, Christ suffered and died on the cross. Everyone thought that it would end there. However, Jesus surprised everyone after three days when the Apostles discovered that he was alive again.
These stories that were accounted in the Gospels are meant to sustain our hope. Because within the Nicene Creed, there is a doctrine that is formulated and is truth. It says: "we believe in the resurrection of the dead, and the life of the world to come." This is based on the resurrection accounts. What happened to Jesus will also happen to those who are his disciples.
Just as Christ is alive again, and he had a glorified body that could walk through walls, not limited to space and time, the hope is rooted in the teaching that we shall also be like that because of the resurrection of Christ.
We too shall have a glorified body, much different than the temporal bodies that we have currently. We do have a glimpse of the glorified state when "time stands still" or "time flies".
We have a glimpse of the glorified state when we are conscious of our own existence, and conscious of our own soul that has the faculties to acquire theoretical knowledge and the ability to love.
Moreover is the infused gifts of faith and hope. Faith because of what has been revealed in Word and Sacrament from Almighty God, and hope because of what happened to Christ on Easter Sunday.
May the Easter mysteries renew us in faith and hope as we look forward to the resurrection of Emmet and ourselves, and the eternal life in Christ our Lord, Amen.
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