A Word to the Wise

The old sage is really not one single person, but an icon I suppose, representing the many real-Catholics that I talk to.
However, if there was one single real-Catholic that I would have pointed to had I made a choice, it would have been one

He is the person who supplies me with the selected items in Sage Quotes. Fortunately, I have a small supply left.
Originally, Bernie drew up his list of selected quotes for his wonderful family and gave me the honour one day, of handing them to me as well, as if I was a son of his - a part of his family.
And so began the little column Sage Quotes, in my newsletter Heartsare.
But now Bernie has gone to his place in Heaven as he has longed for these many past years when he has endured many sufferings.
But it was not his sufferings that encouraged him to hope for his place in Heaven. No, it was his beautiful faith and his longing for the Sight of God.
He often said to me How's the battle going? (that is the battle between The Church and the modernists) and I always replied We've won! and he always had a little chuckle at that.
At his funeral I could not help but notice the many people, of different races, who were like myself, going on in age. On speaking to quite a few of them, I was amazed to realise that these good people had known Bernie for several decades. Some of them had been taught by him - and he was over 90!
I realised then that here was a man of God who made life-long friends!
Now, in my own experience, I have found that that is quite a feat. It is hard enough to make a friend but to have many friends for several decades ….. !!!!
So there you go - how often does one learn many new things about a person after he has died!
It was a great pleasure for me to meet more of his family as well, and to observe that they had assumed some of Bernie's beauty of character and of his greatness.
Of course, I had already met and admired his wonderful wife Sarah whose faith and courage were more obvious then normal, during Bernie's final days.
During the Mass of the old sage's funeral, I thought that a little bit of Heaven had entered the assembly space for there was a Peace - a Love - a Goodness - an aroma of Truth - that pervaded the space.
The Bishop who travelled from afar for the occasion, provided a nobility to the old sage's Requiem as did a lifelong friend of Bernie's, another Priest who concelebrated.
So long old sage.
I say so long, but I know that our friendship continues and that now I have a new great friend in Heaven putting in a good word for me and my friends and family.