Five Years Gone

Today marks five years since Danny died in this room. This morning, for the first time since his memorial service, I reread the comments that I made at that service. It seems appropriate to say them again. You may also wish to reread the comments posted here on March 15, 2006.

I miss you, Danny.
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Danny Paul Klancher - Memorial Services
March 20, 2002 - Laurelglen Bible Church

It's a privilege for me to be able to say a few things on this occasion, and I sincerely appreciate it; though I wish with all my heart that none of us were here and that this church stood empty this afternoon.

When thinking about what to say, I considered two subjects, "Danny, the character," or "the character of Danny."

§ You've seen some of "Danny, the character" in the video presentation and the lobby displays, so I'd like to say some things about "the character of Danny," while saying a few things about the providence of God.

§ But – when the discussion turns to Danny’s character, then the first thought for many of us is "This isn't fair; this shouldn't happen."

§ And, the first question for many of us is "Why did this happen; where is the providence of God in this tragedy?"

§ Here and now, my answer to that question is "I don't know; I don't understand it. At least not today. So, I won't pretend that I do understand it."

§ But – if I trust in God, then I can see a day when I will find an answer that will bring sufficient understanding.

§ And, in knowing that an answer will come in time, I find sufficient peace today.

In the 33rd chapter of Exodus, God and Moses have a dialog, and at one point Moses asks God to show himself to Moses. God's answer is poetic and profound. He says,

"I will cause all my goodness to pass in front of you and I will proclaim my name in your presence…but, you cannot see my face…There is a place near me where you may stand on a rock [and when] my glory passes by, I will put you in a cleft in the rock, and cover you with my hand until I have passed by. Then I will remove my hand and you will see my back…."

§ Ancient Jewish literature says that this scripture means that we cannot see the providence of God as it approaches us, nor can we see it when it’s facing us, because we cannot see the face of God.

§ After he passes, however, we are allowed to see the back of God, and thus to understand his providence. We can appreciate God's foresight only in our hindsight.

§ Looking back, we can see how God was looking forward - and that is providence.

§ We must trust in God. Even though we do not see his providence here and now, one day the hand of God will be removed, and after he passes by we will look out from the cleft in this hard rock.

§ And on that day, we will see the back of God; we will see his providence in all that has happened here and now.

§ As your program cover says, quoting from the Book of Revelation, "God will wipe away every tear from our eyes." I believe that is true.

I recently read a book comparing the traditions of Christian and Buddhist monasticism, and in it the author notes three realizations that are keys to living in peace. We must realize that:

§ All birth ends in death;
§ All accumulation ends in dispersion; and
§ All meetings end in separation.

The first realization, that all birth ends in death, is painfully obvious to us today.

The third realization, that all meetings end in separation, is about our relationships in this life. We meet people, and we separate from each of them, without exception. In this life, each of us had a first meeting with Danny, and a last separation from him.

It's the second realization, however, that commands some attention today. All accumulation ends in dispersion. Everything we accumulate in this life is going somewhere else, someday, without exception.

§ Normally, this might pertain primarily to our material things, our tangible wealth. Well, Danny had very little of that and its dispersion will be quick and easy.

§ But – he accumulated many other things that are far more important. His investment portfolio, if you will, was in his character.

§ Danny Klancher accumulated strength, patience, endurance, resilience, tenacity, and courage, and he did so in almost unbelievable quantity and quality.

§ As I say that, I remember Ted Kennedy's comment at the funeral of his brother, Robert Kennedy, when he said, "We must be careful not to make more of him in his death than he was in his life." That's good advice.

§ But – with Danny, I don't think I can overstate the depth of character we witnessed in him over the last four and a half years, and particularly over the last two months.

§ We could tell you many painful and heart-wrenching stories to prove this point.

So, here’s the realization: Danny's accumulation of character has now been dispersed - to us, in direct proportion to our closeness to him.

Like a seedpod bursting open, his strength, patience, endurance, resilience, tenacity and courage have been dispersed to his family and his friends – to you, and to me.

What will we do with it? What will we make of it?

§ We have a moral imperative to accept this dispersion, and most importantly, to be changed by it, to use it for good in the world, and to thus ensure that Danny's accumulation is not wasted.

§ Danny Klancher lives on in this life through this dispersion to us, and from it something of value must arise - that is our charge; and something of value will arise - that is our promise.

§ But – we should also realize that as we follow Danny’s lead in the continued expression of his character, we actually follow the image of God within him – because he was created in the image of God, and God is the ultimate source of all of these character traits.

§ And, as we follow the image of God, what will happen? We will see the back of God - we will see the providence of God as Danny's accumulation is dispersed to us and is then manifest in and through our lives.

Whenever I dropped Danny off in front of Stockdale High School at the beginning of his day, he would shoulder his heavy backpack (which is very symbolic to me, right now) and before closing the car door (which is also very symbolic to me, right now), he would invariably say, "Later, Jon." And, I'd often reply, "Later, Dan."

Those were the last words I whispered to him on Friday morning, "Later, Dan." But - how much later? Let me tell you what I was thinking as I whispered those words.

The Bible teaches in Psalms, Job and 2nd Peter that a thousand of our years here are as a day to God in heaven. In Psalms 90, we read,

"You are God … you turn men back to dust, saying, 'Return to dust, O sons of men.' For a thousand years in your sight are like a day that has just gone by…. You sweep men away in the sleep of death; they are like the new grass of the morning - though in the morning it springs up new, by evening it is dry and withered. The length of our days … quickly pass, and we fly away. Teach us to number our days aright, that we may gain a heart of wisdom."

Without debating the literal or figurative nature of this scripture, the math isn’t too difficult. Under this biblical formula, one year to us is only a minute and 26 seconds to God, and now to Danny.

So, for example, if I live another 20 - 30 years here, then I’ll join Danny in only 30 - 40 minutes in God's time, in Danny's time. Each of you will join him just a little bit sooner, or a little bit later.

Somehow, that gives me some comfort –

§ comfort while we all await the providence of God
§ while we all await the sowing of the seeds and the reaping of the accumulated character that Danny has dispersed to us, and
§ while we all await our time to join him

If you remember nothing else, remember this -

§ Danny Paul Klancher was the "No Fear" kid.

§ He fought cancer for over four years without fear, and he left this life without fear, because he lived here with a pure and unadorned faith in God, and because he loved his family and his friends with a genuineness of heart.

§ He died in peace because he lived in peace.

Now, may God bless each of us to come to that same fearless, loving and peaceful place at the end of our time here. And, when that time arrives, may each of us simply say, "God must want me." Indeed.

God bless you all, and thank you for sharing this difficult time with us.

Later, Sir Dan.