Funeral Meditation for Yvonne Kratz

Recognize

We gather together today to worship God, as He is the author and sustainer of life.

We are also here to honor the life of Yvonne Kratz. On behalf of the Central Schwenkfelder Church, deepest sympathy is extended to Scott R. Kratz, and wife Patricia, and Andrew A. Kratz, and wife Margery; her three grandchildren, Michael, Matthew, and Noah; and her sister, Beverly Boyer.

The 23rd Psalm was written by King David, some 3,000 years ago. Before becoming Israel’s most famous king, David tended the flocks of his father, Jesse. He protected his sheep, fed them and cared for their well-being.

From his study of the Law of Moses and his life experiences, David came to know God as his loving shepherd. David understood the Lord as doing the same things for him as David did for his sheep.

With the words of this famous Psalm as our guide, let us consider the many ways in which God leads a person who has yielded his life to Him.

There are several verbs listed here that describe the actions of God toward His followers.

He gives us rest,

leads us,

restores us,

guides us,

blesses us with His presence,

comforts us,

feeds us- even in the presence of our enemies,

anoints us for service,

and creates an eternal dwelling for us.

These blessings are not received by everyone. They accompany the one who has followed the Lord. As Christians, we yield our lives to Jesus Christ.

Jesus referred to Himself as “the Good Shepherd,” in John 10:11. He said:

"I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd gives His life for the sheep.”

And Jesus would speak of the indicator of His followers when He said in verse 27: "My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me.”

With Christ as one’s shepherd, the believer does not have to live an anxious life, nor worry about what he is to eat or if he will have clothing and shelter. God takes special care of His own. Jesus said this in His “Sermon on the Mount.” He concluded that section by saying:

“But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.” (Matthew 6:33)

This gives the believer a theology of death. There is a certain inevitability associated with death. Death entered our world for a reason. That reason is due to the presence of sin. Romans 5:12 states,

"Therefore, just as sin entered the world through one man, and death through sin, and in this way death came to all men, because all sinned….”

As a result of the Fall and our disobedience to God, humankind suffered the sentence of death.

All people die because all sin. We are told in Hebrews 9:27 that it is..

“…appointed for men to die once and after this comes judgment….”

Everyone must die and then give an account of their lives before a holy and a righteous God.

But as dismal as this situation may sound, it was for this reason that Jesus Christ came to this earth as God incarnate so many years ago. Christ died and rose again to abolish death for those who trust in Him.

So then, the believer possesses the sweet knowledge and anticipation of life after death, because Jesus arose from the dead. The Christian lives in this world knowing that his real home is not of this world.

So the Christian learns not to despise death, knowing that something better awaits him. The Apostle Paul wrestled with this when he wrote:

“For to me, to live is Christ and to die is gain (Philippians 1:21).If I am to go on living in the body, this will mean fruitful labor for me. Yet what shall I choose? I do not know! I am torn between the two: I desire to depart and be with Christ, which is better by far.”

How do we access this gift of life after death? It is not through being a good person or adhering to a moral code. Although important, these have never been the way to eternal life. Rather, a relationship with God is found through the gifts of repentance and faith. Jesus preached at the outset of His ministry in Mark 1:15

Mark 1:15 ESV

15 and saying, “The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand; repent and believe in the gospel.”

Repentance means to turn; a change of heart and mind. It is implied in the act of confession; asking God to forgive you for your sins and offenses done to Him and to others.

The other act is faith. Faith is not just believing that there is a God, but embracing Him; following Him; becoming a disciple of Jesus. The Scriptures say in Romans 4:3:

“Abraham believed God and it was reckoned to him as righteousness.”

So there is urgency for all to repent of their sins and place their trust in Jesus Christ, in order to possess heaven as their home. It is a wonderful thing that God reached out to us in the gift of His Son, so we could be reconciled to Him.

We are also gathered here to celebrate the life of Yvonne Kratz.

Remember

Yvonne was a special lady, who was willing to volunteer her time to help others. She served for many years as a candy striper at what was known as Central Montgomery Medical Center, today known as Jefferson Lansdale Hospital.

I would come of an afternoon to visit a church member hospitalized here and would see her at the help desk with a bright smile.

Yvonne was one to say what was on her mind. She was not shy about voicing her opinion.

She had a long marriage with her husband Bob. They were married in 1955 and were married for 62 years. Bob passed in 2017.

Yvonne was a good mother to Scott and Andrew. The family attended church each week and the boys were active in Sunday School.

Yvonne had a larger than life personality. She loved living and your could hear her laugh from across the room. She was outspoken and not a shrinking violet.

Bob and Yvonne taught and promoted a Protestant work ethic. You do everything 100%. She loved to laugh.

Yvonne worked for the Acts communities for ten years and was employed in the administration of the food service.

Before that, she served as an office manager for an OBGYN for 25 years in Lansdale.

In her spare time, family was her main interest. She was the ring leader of the family and holidays and birthdays for 20-25 people.

The family bought owned a time share in Mexico, south of Cancun and a lot of memories were made there.

As a wife, she ran the household and was supportive of Bob. They were a team.

As a mother, Yvonne was loving and caring, but she also would give you your space. She possessed a street-sense of things and would give you an understood right and wrong.

She would like to be remembered as a loving mother, a loving wife and daughter. Her father left the family when Yvonne was just six weeks old. Her step-dad adopted her when she was just seven years old.

Yvonne loved her ice cream. That was her nightly routine.