The answer
St. Jacob of Sarug considered St. Ephrem the Syrian as his spiritual father, though St. Jacob was born about seventy years after the latter had died. They both bear the same spirit and thought in their writings. When mourning a departed priest, they consider the following:
a. In their eulogies, their goal was not to narrate the departed priest’s life. They often
did not even mention the priest’s name or disclose his ecclesial rank (if he was a priest or bishop). What concerned them was not that person himself, regardless of their personal relationship with him, but revealing the role of the priest — or any member of the Church — in the life of the Church on his way to heaven, to encounter the heavenly Bridegroom face-to-face.
b. Regardless of anything with which a priest may be endowed — talents, gifts, or
capabilities to serve the kingdom of God — he should always remember that at one
point, his soul will depart his body and the body will dwell in the grave among the dead. Since Christ the Lord of Glory — the Holy One, whose body was incorruptible — experienced death with us, was buried in a tomb and lay with those who are dead, He blesses them with the fellowship of His resurrection, its glory and power. So, we should not be disturbed by a priest’s death and burial.
c. The priest’s death can never destroy his love for his people, the flock of Christ, since
he will never stop praying and supplicating for them before God.
d. The death of a saintly priest adds to the Church’s treasure in heaven, as she now has
someone to pray on her behalf in heaven, and thus drawing the hearts of all the believers to heaven as their eternal dwelling place.
e. In one of his homilies, St. Jacob imagines a dialogue between the departed priest and
his brothers the priests, as well as with his beloved congregation. Thus, he reveals the authentic unity between the struggling faithful on earth and those who have fallen asleep in Christ Jesus.
f. St. Ephrem and St. Jacob’s homilies urge us to realize the truth of our heavenly
citizenship in the heavenly Christ, so that we should not be disturbed if the world ignores us or takes an attitude of enmity towards us. We are sojourners and strangers proceeding on an enjoyable and delightful journey toward the glorious heavenly haven, in the midst of hardships.
g. If the priest urges us to have a living faith, his life should translate into a spiritual
behavior that befits the children of God, the members of the body of Christ, so that they may never cease to struggle, relying on the unfathomable grace of God.
Fr. Tadros Yacoub Malaty