BOB MERTENS FUNERAL HOMILY

 You’ve all heard stories about Bob’s larger than life personality, his generosity and ever-present cigar and glass of bourbon. My job is to remind you all that death doesn’t mean that life has ended, it has simply changed. Changed from what we know as this temporal existence into the world of everlasting life of love, light and peace. A place where pain and sorrow are no more. And I will, …but not by talking specifically about the Bible readings we’ve just heard but instead talking about the golden rule and how Bob , someone I never saw set foot in the Church of the Good Shepherd for a service , embodied the golden rule, how Bob was probably just about the most deliberate and authentic Christian I ever had the pleasure of meeting. Regardless of his attendance at church.
I had this sense about Bob for the entire time I was acquainted with him—and I say acqauinted because the truth is I didn’t know Bob—I admired and enjoyed him whenever I saw him, but I certainly didn’t know him, per se. But the sense I always had about him was solidifieid when I sat down with the family to talk about who their husband, dad, brother, brother in law, grandpa, friend, was.
    In the Episcopal Church, the church Bob was raised in, we commit to the Golden Rule when we promise to: proclaim by word and example the Good News of God in Christ, to seek and serve Christ in all persons, to love your neighbor as yourself and to strive for justice and peace among all people, respecting the dignity of every human being. It all comes down to this: live your life as an example to what it means to be a decent human being, helping those who need help, lifting up the downtrodden, respecting the dignity of everyone we encounter.
Bob nailed that.
Whether it was the fact that he never met a stranger, or that he taught his kids to respect other people---especially teaching the boys the lost art of chivalry, or making sure Stacy knew that his grandpa was always thinking of him, even when Bob was on some trip to an exotic beach with Patty, or getting up before anyone else on vacation and making sure everything was in perfect order so everyone else could have a great time. Whether it was being a loyal and protective husband, big brother, brother in law, dad, grandpa, Bob was the epitome of the Golden Rule, of a good and faithful servant of all that is good and right in this world.
 Bob Mertens was a bear of a guy who was also a teddy bear, crying during he and Patty’s wedding. He was opionated, but even when he disagreed with you, he didn’treally care whther you agreed with him, he just wanted the encounter ended with a laugh because at the end of the day Bob Mertens knew who he was and he didn’t need anyone else to build him up…nor did he need to knock anyone else down. That just wasn’t who he was.
Who he was is probably best summed up by Patty who wrote this to me the other night:
“for almost 40 years, Bob was my anchor and my wings, ready for any adventure, our love grew stronger with each passing year. Through him I learned to be thankful for every measure of joy we were given. His laughter and love will live on in my heart.”
My friends, that is the descriptor of someone who follows the Golden Rule, of someone who follows the teachings of all the great faith traditions of our time: Love people,Treat them well, Show them that you care, Grant them the dignity they deserve as beloved children of God. Bob Mertens raised people up, he did not turn them away but welcomed them. To be loved by Bob was to be LOVED. As you move on in your lives without Bob’s earthly presence ask yourselves, what would Bob do? Because what Bob would do is exactly what God would have us do.
There’s no greater epitaph than this: Bob loved fully,laughed often, appreciated all the joy life brings and through it all he cared. He cared about you all. There is no greater measure of a person than their ability to exude and exemplify love in all things.
As his soul has been raised the choir of heaven has exclaimed:  Job well-done, good and faithful servant. Job well done. Rest in Peace, Bob. Until we meet again.
Amen.