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The memory can play tricks, and perhaps someone here will remember better than I, but I recall  that visits to the National Gallery in London, in past years, involving entering the building and climbing a staircase, and overhead, as one looked up, there was a gorgeous Renaissance painting, like this one by Fra Angelico, of the courts of heaven, with Jesus, at the centre.  It was this kind of painting, with Jesus, and throngs of angels, of apostles, saints and holy men and women. All looking to Jesus, and singing and playing instruments: trumpets, lutes, violins, harps, cymbals and drums.   A great company of praise, with the painter inspired by the writer of the psalms: ‘Make a joyful noise to God all the earth;  sing the glory of his name: give to him glorious praise…’(Ps 66: 1 – 2)

Now, back in my youth, I found any kind of talk about heaven, or any depiction rather difficult to relate to, perhaps that’s common, heaven didn’t speak at that time to the longings of my heart.  But now, as I’ve become much more familiar with the end of life, through personal experience and after 36 years of taking funerals in all kinds of circumstances, I now find that faith in heaven is compelling and increasingly a source of comfort, confidence and hope.

As we, sadly, seek to come to terms with Canon Gary’s death, I want to speak about heaven and to encourage you to think about heaven.  Its not something that we talk about very much, yet it seems to me, we can and we should. Heaven is coherent with all we believe about God and Gods love. God made us for lief with him forever.

In his earthly life, Jesus is God’s love made visible and material.  In our gospel reading today, an account of the evening, after Jesus has been healing the sick, and after he has fed the hungry crowd in the miracle of the loaves and the fishes, we see the disciples set off across the sea of Galilee following Jesus.  A strong wind whips up and makes the water rough, and Jesus comes to them walking on the water.  He is both Lord of creation and he is the friend who cares for them.  They are terrified and he tells them not to be afraid. Jesus comes to them, reassures them and they reach the shore safely.

In the journey of life, Jesus shows us the way to live faithfully, generously and unafraid, the way of life in all its fullness. St Paul writes to Christian in Ephesus, praying that they might know the ‘love of Christ that surpasses knowledge, so that you might be filled with all the fullness of God.’

On the journey through life Jesus is the Way and Jesus is the destination, the one who will welcome us home.  You’ll remember I’m sure how on Maundy Thursday Jesus reassures his disciples, about his own death, saying that in his Father’s house there are many dwelling places and he goes to prepare a place for them, so that they will be with him always (John 14; 1 – 7).

The Bible teaches us that the Kingdom of heaven is our eternal home, and also that the Kingdom of Heaven is destined to become a reality here on earth, as a kingdom of justice and peace, a reality we long for, Gods kingdom on earth as it is in heaven, and the timing of that is in God’s hands.

I had a lovely Canon colleague in Birmingham and when we’d been working on plans for the life of the cathedral, at the end she’d say, ‘‘unless the Lord returns first’’.  By which she meant, all earthly plans are provisional.  Jesus will come again one day to judge and transform the earth.  I’m just remembering that Canon Gary had a plaque by his front door that read, ‘Jesus is coming. Look busy.’

Until Gods kingdom comes on earth, our hope is in heaven, that at the end of our earthly lives, we will be return home and be with Jesus.  He is our destination and our eternal home.

Of course, heaven is beyond imagining, but Jesus gives us signs of it in his healings, teachings, feedings, death and resurrection.  There are hints and signs of heaven all around us still. Hints and signs that prepare us for our heavenly home.  Moments when we experience the sublime, a connection with God, or with one another, something pure and joyful, uplifting, peaceful.  St Paul says in the passage to the Ephesians, that he prays that ‘Christ will dwell in your hearts through faith, as you are being rooted and grounded in love’.  God is love and our experience of earthly love gives us glimpses of heavenly love. we just have to notice them.

When our son was little, sometimes he would reach his hand up to hold my hand, to cross the road, or just for some reassurance or friendliness, and that was such a sweet experience for me. Here on earth, the times we glimpse security, love and peace, the times we dare reach out to God, rely on God, are a foretaste of our eternal home in heaven, where we are fully known and loved completely.

(Slide) As we fall asleep for a final time in this world, we awake in the next to a new and glorious day, where earth in all its glory, turns out to be just a pale version of heavenly reality.  Like a black and white TV picture compared to colour. As Paul says, ‘now to him, who by the power at work within us is able to accomplish abundantly far more than we can ask or imagine, to him be the glory.’

I think this is the glorious vision that Fra Angelico is seeking to envision.  When I see this painting now I know that homecoming will not just be with angels and apostles, saints and martyrs, but also with the friends and family who have gone before me.  It’s a comfort and inspiration to me, now, that they are in that place of joyful reunion and peace.

So many of us would have dearly loved to have had more of Gary, more time with us here on earth, I find though, as I begin to come to terms with what has happened, it’s not difficult at all to picture him in his heavenly home, singing his heart out.

Gary’s daily, joyful and wholehearted commitment to following Christ, which was a thing of wonder to his colleagues, gave us an example of holiness that we’ll continue to treasure daily.  And our worship here will continue to join with his, and that of every earthly choir, with the eternal choirs of heaven.

May Jesus Christ, in his good time, speak words of reassurance to each of us, reach out his hand and lead us to our heavenly home.  ‘Welcome home, my precious child.’   Amen.