Homily for the funeral Mass of Father Pierre (Evariste) Lachance, O.P.
By Father Marc Bergeron, pastor

Of all the commandments, the commandment to love is the most important. Fr. Pierre, whose funeral Mass we are celebrating, showed us how this commandment can be lived. In our sorrow let us draw near to the God who always loves us.

Without love the world would be a very bleak place. Hence, we should not be surprised to find that love occupies the central place in the Gospel. Christ said that his followers would be recognized by the love they showed one another. He went even further. He said they would be judged on love. St. John of the Cross was only echoing the words of Christ when he said, "In the evening of life we will be examined on love."

To those who are sensitive to the needs of others, life offers innumerable opportunities to practice the commandment of love. It is not a question of doing big things. Nor is it a question of giving things. Rather, it is a question of giving of oneself in little ways - giving of one's time, energy, and love.

Imaginary love yearns for an immediate heroic act that is achieved quickly and seen by everybody. Real love requires hard work and patience, and often goes unseen and unrecognized. It is not a sporadic thing. It is a way of life.

Fr. Pierre labeled his ministry “a ministry of encouragement.” He was proudest of himself when he could encourage one of his many penitents to believe in God’s love and be encouraged to respond to that love. His generosity in this regard allowed him to touch many people – perhaps more than he was aware of.

A man recently told me that Fr. Pierre gave wonderful encouragement to his wife at the time of a “nervous breakdown.” He said that Fr. Pierre played a significant role in his wife’s recovery due to his kindness and encouragement.

The Fellowship that he helped to form here at St. Anne’s is an ecumenical faith community with a long history of providing youth retreats and later adult retreats all geared to recovery and growth in faith. That Fellowship was clearly marked with Fr. Pierre’s encouraging spirit.

At last night’s wake service many of you had an opportunity to share your stories of how he encouraged you. In our first reading today Sirach the wise encourages us to retell these wonderful stories. (Here I paraphrase) His body is peacefully laid away, but his name lives on and on. At gatherings his wisdom is and will be retold, and the assembly proclaims his praise. How good is the good God to give us people like Fr. Pierre.

Fr. Pierre has shown us how love can be practiced in ordinary, everyday ways. He was one of those generous people who find their deepest satisfaction in life in devoting themselves to the welfare of others.

Those who love unselfishly become agents of God's love and providence. They also become witnesses to Christ's love, and that is the most important task in the world.

To close one's heart is to begin to die. To refuse to love is to die another kind of death before one's physical death. To open one's heart is to begin to live. "We know that we have passed from death to life because we love one another." (1 John 3:14).

Those who love others have nothing to fear from the Day of Judgment. Indeed, they can look forward to it.