At 06:49 10/22/2004, George Goff wrote:
>I am in a strange state of ambivalence swaying from sorrow to contempt.  In a
>few hours, I will be laying a flower on the casket of my sweet nephew, Aaron
>Rusin [killed in the line of duty in Iraq], Lord have Mercy, Lord have
>Mercy, Lord have Mercy.

Dear George,

With the memory vivid in me of your kindness when my first granddaughter
was born, and died; and as I await in trembling the imminent birth of my
second in Korea, let me say to you, to Andrew, to Mr. and Mrs. Rusin and
others of his family, and to his friends in the Army, the fire departments,
school and elsewhere:

With the Saints give rest, O Christ,
to the soul of Thy servant, Aaron, where
there is neither sickness, nor sorrow,
nor sighing, but life everlasting.

O Lord, look down upon his family in their sorrow.
Let them not in bitterness give ear
unto the slanderer.
Ease their pain, wash away their tears,
strengthen their joyful memories;
and help them, when their own time approacheth,
to achieve a Christian ending,
painless, blameless, and a good defence against Thy dread judgment.

O Theotokos, joy of all who sorrow,
let thy mantle fall over all those
who grieve for the death of this young man.
As you lost your Son from bitterness and strife,
so too did they lose their son, brother, nephew, friend.
Comfort them in their affliction,
and intercede with the Lord on their behalf.

Our Father which art in the Heavens
Hallowed be Thy name.
Thy Kingdom come, Thy will be done on earth
as it is in heaven.
Give us this day our daily bread
and forgive us our debts as we forgive our debtors.
And lead us not into temptation
but deliver us from the evil one.

Amen.

May his memory be eternal!

david

--
David Beierl - Providence RI USA -- http://pws.prserv.net/synergy/Vanagon/
'84 Westy "Dutiful Passage," '85 GL "Poor Relation"