I went to Mass this afternoon, which was specifically for those who have died this past year. I prayed for those I knew and my parents. The priest talked about a funeral he recently attended for a young woman. From his description, I recognized the story I heard at the Newman Center. The teenager was active in their community and they were devastated by her sudden death. The priest talked about how we are both physical and spiritual beings, therefore able to perceive spiritual things. He said that at the funeral, as the host was being consecrated, a beam of light shown through a window directly on the casket. I got chills just thinking about it. He said he looked at the girl’s family who noticed the light and were smiling. Afterwards, they said that they felt it was God telling them that their daughter was with Him. Later in the day, I went to the Newman Center for some volunteer work. I talked with one of the girls there about what the priest said. She had been to the funeral and seen what the priest talked about. She started crying as she showed me some photos of the scene that someone had taken. I had envisioned a small stream of light, but the entire casket was illuminated. One picture showed the light streaming through the incense that was also around the casket. It was dramatic, breath taking, and I joined the girl in tears.

I Found God today in his illuminating presence during a funeral.