Tribute for Clara Mae Fraser

It is natural to be sad when you think that you will not meet Clara Mae anymore physically here, but she is alive with her Lord in heaven.

I remember on December 20, 2024, when I visited her for the first time in the hospice for anointing her. She was struggling, struggling to catch her breath at times; she was completely silent, then, regained herself in a moment, in her own way, struggling between two worlds: time and eternity— for life. In a way, God was preparing herself to fulfil her lifelong desire for the beatific vison with her Lord, i.e., in the words of the psalmist to meet “the Lord face to face.” The breath she was inhaling and exhaling was the breath that the Lord had breathed to Adam at the creation; and that breath continues to support life and is the life of the world and that is essential for our existence here, and then, the Lord gives us a new life and a new breath, and new clothing in heaven. This is going to happen to me, and you as well, as was the case with Clara.

Coming to the anointing prayers, I recited the prayers slowly, distinctively, prayerfully taking time at the anointing rite recalling in my mind the visuals of the Lord’s anointing at Bethany by Mary Magdalene (see John 12:1–8), a woman high priest, I call her. Mary was crying while anointing the feet of the Lord and wiping His feet with her hair. I was fortunate to be part of Clara Mae’s farewell journey. That reminded me of my fate and of those around her.

Who is Clara? A soft- spoken, gentle, a person of faith. Whenever there was any program in the church she was there. Donna, her daughter, received many of her traits and values from her mom. For Clara Mae coming to Catholic Church was her desire to be part of the Apostolic tradition and its continuity, and she nursed it until her last.

Coming to the first reading, the Prophet Hosea invites all, saying, “Come, let us return to the Lord” (Hosea 6:1) from where all things came into being. The prophet also foresees that the Lord was “torn”, “struck down” and “would revive us” (Hosea 6:1). This is the hope for us believers. Today Clara Mae praises the Lord for all that He did for her and for us. This is the idea that the psalmist proclaims. Paul joins with prophet Hosea, assures us saying that the “dead in Christ will rise” (1 Thessalonians 4:14) and the Lord says, “I will not reject anyone who comes to me” (John 6:37) in the Gospel.

This moment is a moment of celebration, not of mourning. Clara Mae is in heaven. Remember we are on the threshold of time and eternity! When the call of eternity whispers, time fails, body falls apart, gives its way for eternity. The beginning points us to the end and the end points us to the beginning, the purpose in life recalling the biblical truth, “Dust thou art and dust thou shall be” (Genesis 3:19).

An attendee present at the farewell moment of Clara Mae reported to me saying, “Clara Mae had a peaceful passing” and Donna reported also to me, “My mom just passed” on December 26th at 3:59 PM. Clara Mae passed to eternity, she won the race, she is born in heaven. Her name is written in the annals of time, in the annals of Sacred Heart, Cascade. We will remember her; her life was a testament of love. Her footprints are imprinted on the sands of time. Let us walk toward our destination holding her: “Eternal rest grant unto Clara Mae, O Lord and let perpetual light shine upon her!”