Funerals

Over the past few months I have attended several funerals of neighbour’s in my building (one was the older gentlemen whose wife I also mentioned in my last letter).  Attending these community events did a lot to establish me as part of the neighbourhood, the act of sitting and morn with those who are sad. 

All of these funerals were attended by a religious leader who spent an enormous about of time lecturing us on how good Muslims should live in this challenging modern world.  The women responsible for giving religouse direction in the ladies morning rooms, scolded us on everything from how we wear our hair, the inappropriateness of eating out at restaurants, the wife responsibility to make sure her whole family prayer five times a day.  The list of do and don’ts went on for over an hour.  Some of the participant’s cried as they examined how far off their lives are.  Others heartily nodded and said amen at the end of each command (even though I have personally gone to several restaurants with them).  Even I, who know freedom in Christ felt the overpowering weight and burden of living under the law of man.  None of them will ever live up to the commands this lady spewed, much less the righteousness of Gd.  They need the free grace offered to them through J alone.