My friend and colleague Zealand Hillsdon-Hutton died in the early hours of this morning.  He’d been assisting at St. George’s for years, and was a real godsend to me.  I will miss him.It seems like he served at just about every church in our diocese — though I know that’s not true.  I’m not sure he ever enjoyed good health (he was not expected to make it out of his teens, and he’d been fighting end stage lung disease for years).  But he grabbed onto life with joy and gusto.  And, in spite of his health, he had a reputation for spending himself, constantly, until there was nothing left in the tank.  I always suspected that it was because his life itself was a gift — it was always so uncertain.

He told horrible jokes, which everyone loved.  He had a heart that clearly never fit inside his body.  I think his body finally just gave out.  His spirit never did.  We are going to miss him at St. George’s.

We knew he was failing.  Since last summer, really, he’s seemed to be on borrowed time.  But he made the most of it.  Now, finally, he’s with his God.  And maybe he finally has a body that can keep up with him.  I hope so.

Well done, good and faithful servant.  May you know the ongoing joy of Easter with the God you have always loved and whom, I’m sure, loves you even better.  Rest in peace and joy.