A week ago Sunday we were told that Alicia Rivero died. Cancer, in her bones, brought an end to 46 years of physical life. Several years ago she and her husband, Hugo, met Jesus and began following Him in every way. As they grew in Christ they tried to put into action what they believed God desired. One issue was whether they should become legally married, even after 8 children. They agreed, “God’s will be done.”
Alicia was well connected with the schools and the community through the Neighborhood Watch. She was also very vocal. I could put a period there and it would be true. God used Alicia’s communication skills but changed her message, so maybe I should be a comma there. Alicia became vocal about her faith in Jesus Christ—with everyone. When the Riveros moved from Bell Gardens to Downey, she remained active in the Neighborhood Watch in Bell Gardens because she knew the people on her block so well.
The funeral began at 7 PM Friday night at the church house. There were so many people present that a request was made for all the “regular attenders” to step outside and allow the “guests” an opportunity to be seated (and still there was no room). It is estimated that there were 300 to 350 present. Many stayed until after midnight. I was told Alicia’s brother received Christ and possibly a couple of others.
Saturday morning the final service and committal at the cemetery took place. A decision was made to meet in the back yard because of the number of people now expected. Two hundred or so returned for this service and the lunch that would follow. The Riveros wanted to carry Alicia’s casket the half mile from the church house to Park Lawn Cemetery. What a sight as the procession of people marched down Perry Road, with an empty hearse, three Traffic Escorts on motorcycles, and at least one Bell Gardens Police car. A few cars led the way with those who were unable to walk.
The services were, in a word, a blessing. It seems unusual to say that about a funeral, but it was. Several times I heard the brothers and sisters affirming what we believe the Bible teaches about the physical death of a person who is trusting Jesus Christ alone to save them, “Alicia is ‘absent from the body and present with the Lord.’”
Their words led me to think about and look into the meaning of that verse from 2 Corinthians 5. As I scanned several commentaries I read how some scholars interpreted verse 8 as proof that the soul ceases to exist at death. In a slight variation others would teach that the soul is present with the Lord but asleep, like the body is “asleep” at death until Jesus returns. Still other commentaries sought to refute the teaching that supported an intermediate step between death and heaven before being present with Christ. There are names for these flawed doctrines, such as annihilation, soul-sleep, and purgatory. But, based on the teaching of the Bible, they are flawed, erroneous, and just wrong. Each of these views are detours on a road away from the Truth of the Scriptures. That realization was key to understanding why assuring one-another that “absent from the body, present with the Lord” meant so much. Truth that sets free is always a delight to hear and worth repeating.
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