Liturgy for the Memorial Service of Declán Xavier O’Brien-Joplin

Born July 3, 2005 – Died July 17, 2005

Franciscan Renewal CenterCasa de Paz y Bien

5802 East Lincoln Drive

Paradise Valley, AZ

Gathering Music

Invocation-Reverend Casey Ewbank-Declán’s Friends and Family - within the healing embrace of God's love we have gathered here with our Savior to remember the life of Declán Xavier O’Brien-Joplin and to entrust him into God's eternal care, knowing that God's good purpose for his people cannot be defeated by death. We are all children of God, and in the faith that God has given us, we turn to God now asking for his comfort and his grace to be upon us - and to dwell in a special way on Bronwyn and Alan and on those who were privileged to have loved Declán during his brief stay with us on this earth.

Declán’s Prayer/Reverend Casey Ewbank-God of us all, we pray to you in this dark hour. A life we love has been taken from us. Expectations of the years once held have vanished. The mystery of death has struck once more. O God, you know the lives we live and the deaths we die that are woven so strangely of purpose and of chance, of reason and of the irrational, of strength and of frailty, of happiness and of pain. Compassionate and loving God, yours is the beauty of childhood and yours is the fullness of years. Comfort us in our sorrow, strengthen us with hope, and breathe peace into our troubled hearts. Assure us that the love we had for Declán was not in vain. Guide us through this time of sadness with the light of your love and the strength of your compassion.

Heavenly Father, whose Son Jesus Christ did take little children into his arms and bless them; we thank you that you gave Declán to us, even for a brief time; and we thank you that you caused our hearts to love him. We praise and bless you for the assurance that you have received him to yourself, and that you will keep him close now and always.

O God, whose compassion never fails; we commend to you those who mourn, especially Bronwyn and Alan. We remember too Margie, Briann, Michael, Pat, Jeff, Connie, Jesse, Allyn, Nevin, Che’, Kathy and all the family members and friends who have been denied the joy of seeing Declán blossom and grow in our midst. Grant unto them, and all of us who weep today, your strength - and uphold them with a living hope. May the words of Jesus, which reveal his love for little children, speak peace to our troubled hearts. Make us know that the child who has been taken out of our sight is with you, safe in your eternal care, with all suffering passed. May we also have assurance in our hearts that in your own good time we will see him again.

Through your grace that can do far more than we can think or imagine, fulfill in Declán your purpose that reaches beyond time and death. Lead Declán from strength to strength, and fit him for love and service in your kingdom. Hold us in your keeping. Save our minds from despair and our hearts from fear. And guard and guide us with your peace.

Poem – Ms. Bronwyn Stacey Reynolds Rewrite of “Diane’s Poem” 2004

Just Those Few Weeks

For those few weeks --
We had you to ourselves.
And that seems too short of time
To be changed so profoundly.

In those few weeks --
We came to know you...
And to love you.
You came to trust us with your life.
Oh, what a life we had planned for you!

Just those few weeks --
When we lost you,
We lost a lifetime of hopes,
Plans, dreams, and aspirations...
A slice of our future simply vanished overnight.

You were just those few weeks my little one
You darted in and out of our lives much too quickly.
But it seems that's all the time you need
To make our lives so much richer --
And give us a small glimpse of eternity.

Music

Scripture

Reverend Casey Ewbank. Listen to these words from the Holy Bible, words written by the Apostle Paul as he considered the problems of human life and the sorrows that over come it - and within these - the love of God as revealed through Christ Jesus - who died on the cross that we might live - and rose from the dead that we might never die. I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worth comparing with the glory about to be revealed to us. We know that in everything that God works for the good with those who love him, who are called according to his purpose.

What then shall we say to this? If God is for us, who is against us? He who did not withhold his own Son, but gave him up for us all, will he not also give us all things with him? Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness or peril, or sword? No - in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. For I am sure that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor things present, nor things to come, nor powers, nor height, nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.

Nothing can separate us from the love of God. Knowing this - in our sorrow today - we give thanks to God for the inheritance that Declán, though but a tender infant, has received from God's hands. We thank God, not for taking him from us -but rather for granting him a place with all the saints - a place where, when our time is over - we may join him and know the fullness of that which, in our life here, we had just begun to know. As we continue this service of remembering and of calling upon God to comfort us in our sorrow, I invite any of you who are present now to share any thoughts and feelings you have regarding Declán that may help and encourage us.

Music

Scripture

Ms. Briann Reynolds-Declán’s aunt will provide the first reading is taken from the Gospel according to Matthew in the 18th Chapter. At that time the disciples came to Jesus and asked, "Who is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven? " He called a child, whom he put among them, and said, "Truly I tell you, unless you change and become like children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven. Whoever becomes humble like this child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven? Whoever welcomes one such child in my name welcomes me. "Take care that you do not despise one of these little ones; for, I tell you, in heaven their angels continually see the face of my Father in heaven. What do you think? If a shepherd has a hundred sheep, and one of them has gone astray, does he not leave the ninety-nine on the mountains and go in search of the one that went astray? And if he finds it, truly I tell you, he rejoices over it more than over the ninety-nine that never went astray. So it is not the will of your Father in heaven that one of these little ones should be lost."

Ms. Patricia Fincher Declán’s aunt will provide the second reading taken which is taken from the book of the Prophet Isaiah and speaks of the time when the Kingdom of God is fully established upon the earth. In it we hear the voice of God speaking of that time which is yet to come "Behold, I will create new heavens and a new earth" (says the Lord) "the former things will not be remembered, nor will they come to mind. But be glad and rejoice forever in what I will create, for I will create Jerusalem to be a delight and its people a joy. I will rejoice over Jerusalem and take delight in my people; the sound of weeping and of crying will be heard in it no more. Never again will there be in it an infant who lives but a few days, or an old man who does not live out his years; he who dies at a hundred will be thought a mere youth; he who fails to reach a hundred will be considered accursed." They will build houses and dwell in them; they will plant vineyards and eat their fruit. This is the word of God, Thanks be to his name. Amen.

Music

Words of Consolation/Eulogy Reverend Alan L. Joplin "Questions With and Without Answers"

Reverend Casey Ewbank-Eulogy Words of Committal for the Parents of Declán Xavier O’Brien-Joplin God gave to us a beautiful son. As Christians, it is our conviction that our son Declán has moved on into the nearer presence of God, where he shall hunger no more, either thirst any more; the sun shall not strike him, nor any scorching heat. For the Lamb in the midst of the throne will be their shepherd, and he will guide them to springs of living water; and God himself will wipe away every tear from their eyes. Having this faith, we now commend into God's keeping, our son, Declán Xavier O’Brien-Joplin, here departed. We commit his mortal remains to the elements from which they first arose: earth to earth, ashes to ashes, dust to dust, trusting in Gods great mercy by which we have been born anew to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead. God's peace is his. God's peace will be ours. Thanks be to God who gives us the victory through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

Benediction: Reverend Casey Ewbank

Following this service please join us for a repast at the home of

Dan and Kathy Mutschler
Scottsdale, AZ 85250