“Glory to God whose power working in us can do infinitely more than we could ask or imagine.”[1]
We are here today celebrating the life of Denny Burau. In the Episcopal Church our burial rite centers around the Holy Eucharist, Holy Communion – the ultimate gift of love. Most Christian denominations, while fighting over many things ---- can at least come to some agreement about the Last Supper. This is a celebratory time – a celebration of resurrection. This is beautifully symbolized by the fact that instead of dark colors, the color for the altar hangings and clergy vestments is always white for funerals because the liturgy of the dead is an Easter Liturgy. The message for us is clear, because Jesus was raised from the dead, we too will shall be raised.
We are here today celebrating the life of Denny Burau ----- “Coach Burau.” Denny and I connected on a few of fronts. First, and perhaps the most important, we each had another identity, he was called Papa by his grandchildren! So am I. Second, we had a midwestern connection, I am from the Midwest, Indiana. I think he was impressed that not only did I know where Moline, IL was – but that I had been there as well. Moline is case you don’t know is one of the Quad Cities – Five Cities boarding the states of Illinois and Iowa. In addition, Moline is the Corporate headquarters of Deere & Company. Our third connection, and another one dear to both our hearts, had to do with Basketball, Denny and I could talk about Basketball, especially Hoosier Basketball, all day long. In fact, he told me the Story of playing on Larry Byrd’s home court in Indiana, and by home court I mean that he and Frank looked up where Larry Byrd actually lived and drove to his house, knocked on his door, asked to play, and played on his personal home basketball court in Carmel Indiana. I thought that took some flamboyance, maybe boldness, and certainly audacity.
Denny and I also talked about coaches, good ones and bad ones. Or ones that started out good and then kind of went crazy ---- like Bobby Knight, from Indiana University – Nicknamed “the General,” who at one time was the winningest coach of all time. He won 902 NCAA Division 1 men’s college basketball games. One of Bobby Knight’s famous sayings was “you have to prepare to win.” Both Denny and I could agree that it was all about preparation. But that is true in so many things.
One of the key things I have discovered about Denny is that he always found the “goodness” in everyone! Denny had a way of connecting or bonding with people. Let’s think for a moment about what is coaching. A coach’s primary role is to motivate individuals (students) to achieve their potential in any area or areas that need improvement. This requires building a very special relationship. A coach takes individuals who, might have a little talent, (or in some cases perhaps no talent at all) and instructs and works with individuals to prepare them for anything and grow them into the best player that they can be. A Coach inspires the individuals to play past their own believed peak potential.
A Coach then assembles these individuals together to form a team of players with a common goal - to win the game. A Coach acts as a guide to proper behavior, proper composure, good stances, good strategic movement, good sportsmanship, properly understanding the rules of the game, and knowing the competition. A coach helps his players to be more knowledgeable. A coach should give proper guidance to his disciples so that they should be clearly the master of their skills. Coaches are the catalyst to changing the lives of their players such that they are different from what they were before. This requires a very special kind of relationship. Coach Denny had that kind of relationship with his players and he touched their lives and not only his players but many of us that he just knew. He had a way of finding the goodness in everyone!
Does this sound like another coach that we know? Yes, absolutely – Jesus was a coach. I think Jesus was the winningest coach of all time. Jesus took these 12 pathetic individuals on his team and coached them into their best potential. In John 13 verse 34 the section right before this Gospel, Jesus gives his team new instructions – a new game plan --“I give you a new commandment that you love one another. Just as I have loved you, you also should love another. By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another.” And the disciples carried his message to the ends of the earth --- they played to their full potential. And if Jesus did it with them and those who followed him –he can do it with each and every one of us! In the gospel for today, it’s the fourth quarter, the team is down, and we get to hear him talking and comforting the disciples at the sideline.
‘Do not let your hearts be troubled. Believe in God, believe also in me. In my Father’s house there are many dwelling-places. If it were not so, would I have told you that I go to prepare a place for you? And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and will take you to myself, so that where I am, there you may be also. And you know the way to the place where I am going.’ Thomas said to him, ‘Lord, we do not know where you are going. How can we know the way?’ Jesus said to him, ‘I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.”[2]
And here we have one of Jesus’ players, one of the twelve, Thomas also known as the Twin, asking the question. Seeking his guidance. Thomas gets such a bad rap, but I believe that he was perhaps one of the better players on the team. I prefer to think of him as Thomas the Questioner and not a Doubting Thomas. Jesus then says to Thomas “Have you believed because you have seen me? Blessed are those who have not seen me and yet have believed.”[3] Jesus loved his disciples. And Jesus loves us. All of us. And I would say that is the same kind of love that Coach Denny had for his players, I believe that is the kind of love that Denny had for everyone he met. He found the goodness in everyone. Denny did what we are called to do – to follow Christ Jesus– and that means to love like Christ loved.
Denny led a life that was exemplary of the way that Jesus lived. We have the free will to live our lives ---as we want. Denny chose the way of love. He wouldn’t have said it that way “I chose the way of love” but it is true. In the game of life, Love always wins. Denny loved and was greatly loved. The proof of that is right here with all of us today – all of you. And when we get down to it LOVE is all that matters. Jesus exemplifies that love and so did Denny. We are to follow their example.
Jesus said to Thomas, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life.”
The Rev. James T. Said John 14:1-6
Burial Service for Denny (Coach) Burau, St. Augustine of Canterbury February 22, 2020
[1] Ephesians 3:20.
[2] http://bible.oremus.org/ Accessed February 19, 2020.
[3] John 20:29
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