In the Name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.
Knock, knock, knock. “Who desires to enter?” No, this is not the beginning of joke. It’s the finale of a funeral tradition that was in the Habsburg family for centuries. The Habsburgs—this was a dynasty in central Europe stretching back to the 1200s. Starting in the 1400s the Holy Roman emperors came from this family. Eventually the Habsburgs were the Royal Family of the Austro-Hungarian Empire, and they had an interesting ritual when a member of their family died. The last crown prince of Austria, Otto van Habsburg, died actually just nine years ago. And Otto’s burial was a good example of this family tradition. His funeral service itself took place in St. Stephen’s Cathedral in Vienna, but after the service his casket is carried through town draped in the Habsburg flag with lots of pomp and circumstance, and finally they reach the Imperial Crypt, beneath a small, old church, where members of the family have been buried since the 1600s. In traditional fashion, the funeral procession arrived at the Imperial Crypt, and the Master of Ceremonies ahead of the casket knocks with a staff on the doors three times. Knock, knock, knock. “Who desires to enter?” an old friar responds from the other side of the doors. The Master of Ceremonies answers:
Otto of Austria; once Crown Prince of Austria-Hungary; Royal Prince of Hungary and Bohemia, of Dalmatia, Croatia, Slavonia, Galicia, Lodomeria and Illyria; Grand Duke of Tuscany and Cracow; Duke of Lorraine, … Grand Prince of Transylvania, Margrave of Moravia; … Princely Count of Habsburg and Tyrol; … Prince of Trent and Brixen; Margrave of Upper and Lower Lusatia … Istria … and so forth.
The voice answers back through the doors: “We do not know him.”
The Master of Ceremonies knocks, again three times, and again the voice calls back: “Who desires to enter?” This time the man answers:
Dr. Otto von Habsburg, President … of the Paneuropean Union, Member and quondam President of the European Parliament, honorary doctor of many universities, honorary citizen of many cities in Central Europe, member of numerous venerable academies and institutes, recipient of high civil and ecclesiastical honours, awards, and medals, which were given him in recognition of his decades-long struggle for the freedom of peoples for justice and right.
...
“We do not know him.”
Once more, the man knocks. “Who desires to enter?”
And finally the Master of Ceremonies answers, “Otto, a mortal and a sinner.” With that, the doors to the monastery open, and the body is carried in.
Mike Foster was an accomplished man. Whenever someone we love dies, of course it’s sad and it’s terrible, but one of the surprising joys of this otherwise sad and terrible time is just the chance to hear stories about this person we cared about. It happens when we’re gathered with family and with friends. It happens when a good friend stands up at the funeral to give a eulogy. Mike’s is one of those cases where stories are also being told in newspapers. Of course, when the state votes for you to be the governor twice, that itself speaks volumes. But at any rate, there are lots of things being said right now about Murphy J. Foster, Jr., the 53rd Governor of Louisiana, State Senator to the Louisiana legislature, successful businessman, doctor of jurisprudence.
But there’s something else that’s been said about Mike. It’s the most important Word that’s ever been spoken about him. It was first said early in his life, when Mike was still just a little baby, crying and being held over a baptismal font. It was said very quietly. Some people standing right there probably didn’t even notice. But even though it was quiet, it was powerful. And that Word, I know that it echoed in Mike’s heart the rest of his life.
Just to be clear, the most important thing that’s ever been said about Mike is not that he’s a mortal and a sinner. He certainly is both of those things. Just like Otto von Habsburg, he is both of those things. But don’t misunderstand the Habsburg funeral ceremony. There’s really nothing special about being either mortal or sinful. In fact, that’s the point.
It does remind us, though, that while it’s a joy to remember Mike and to hear all of the stories about him and to celebrate all of his accomplishments, the day comes when the honor and the praise of this world comes to an end. That can be kind of scary, but it’s not bad. The world is loud, which can distract us and make it difficult to hear that other Word, the most important Word. But when the accolades do stop and the world is finally quiet and there’s nothing more to be said, that one Word is still there. It’s spoken by our Heavenly Father, the Father who loves us so much that he gave his only Son so that he could have us forever—the Father who loves Mike so much that he gave his only Son so that he could have Mike forever.
This is the Word our Father has for Mike, the most important thing that's ever been said about him, and our prayer is just that, by the grace of Jesus Christ, Mike is even now hearing it like he never has before: “Mike, you are my Son, my beloved. You are my darling. I’m so delighted when you do the right thing. I love you completely even when you don’t. You are the apple of my eye, and with you I am pleased.”
This is a sweet time for us to enjoy good stories and all of the things that are being said about this person we love. It’s a brief time, and then things quiet down again. But the Word of blessing that our Father speaks: he means for us to enjoy that forever. Amen.
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