Dear Hanne, John, and Family: Members of St. Ansgar's and Friends of
Henning Ross Jensen:
First of all, Janice and I want to convey to all of you our profound sympathy at the passing of Henning Ross Jensen. When Hanne wrote to us by e-mail and asked that I might send a greeting to all of you I was honored to be asked and consider it a privilege to do so. I have known Henning since 1959 when I first became pastor of St. Ansgar's Lutheran Church when we were still worshipping in the old Vanier Building at 1837 Dorchester St. West in Montreal. I have valued him as a dear friend ever since.
Sometimes it can be really difficult to select a text which might be appropriate for a tribute to a dear friend who has died, but this task proved quite easy for me. Possibly, others might have thought of the same scripture passage, but, nevertheless, the words of St. Paul in II Timothy 4:6b-8 echoed and re-echoed in my mind: "The time for my departure has come. I have fought the good fight. I have finished the race. I have kept the faith. Henceforth there is laid up for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge will award to me on that day, and not only to me but also to all who have loved his appearing."
I couldn't help but think of Henning in this context - coming to the end of his own life exactly on the day of resurrection, on Easter Sunday, not even a week ago! And here in this text which I just quoted we have one of the most magnificent set of verses that are filled with a vivid picture of a victory celebration - using the kind of picture to describe the Christian life that Paul simply loved to use, that of athletic competition, and the picture is exactly that of one who has "...fought the good fight, who has finished his course and who has kept the faith, and now awaits the crown of righteousness."
There is always much satisfaction in reaching a goal, crossing a finish line, or knowing that one's mission has been accomplished and one's task complete. But that is true especially for the Christian, and this is also true for Henning. For the Christian that doesn't mean that we spend the time worrying or freeing about whether or not we have done enough, or going to bed at night with a guilty conscience thinking, maybe we could have done a little more. But what it means to have run the race, finished the course and kept the faith is that we live each day in the confidence that Christ has done enough. It means, and I know that this is what it meant for Henning, that we know that we are saved by God's grace through faith in Jesus Christ. To live by faith is to place our trust in Jesus Christ, knowing that He was faithful. When we have not been able to be faithful, when we missed the mark, there is one who has been faithful for us. He was perfectly obedient for us. He did for us what we couldn't do for ourselves. He lived, served, suffered and died in our place. Even death could not hold him, the grave could not contain him, and when he arose again from the dead on the third day, He became the guarantee for all of us and also for Henning, that because He lives, we shall live also. Because He triumphed we, too, shall receive the crown of life. And what that means for the believer is that we are given the incredible freedom to life live, to enjoy life as God meant it to be lived and enjoyed. We don't have to worry about our eternal salvation, because God in Christ has taken care of it, and has provided it perfectly for us. We simply place our little hand of faith in Jesus' great and almighty hand, and thus we are able to live our lives in grateful service.
What this meant for Henning was that he was able to face his own life with tremendous courage. As a young man, in his youth, during the Nazi occupation of his homeland in Denmark, he was able to serve valiantly in the underground as one of its most able leaders, I believe it was in the Aalborg region, and he conducted himself with distinction. But it also took courage for him after World War II to move to Canada and to Montreal with his beloved Eli, and establish himself as an able and successful business man, and raise a fine family in this new environment.
But it also meant that he could enjoy his family, his wife, children and grandchildren with much satisfaction. One of the blessings of God is the Christian family. It is a blessing to the community and it is a blessing to the congregation. It is certainly a blessing to the family itself where faith in Christ is the foundation. It shows the rock on which the family rests.
As I was thinking about this, the words that Martin Luther put as a preface to one of his early editions of his catechism came into mind. Briefly put, Luther said this: "The Christian father is God's representative in the home. He is a powerful force to shape and mold the life of the family. It is his responsibility, more than anyone, to keep his children grounded in the faith." Such a father you were blessed to have, John and Hanne.
But Henning's trust in his redeeming Lord also allowed him to enjoy many friendships. We saw in him the truth of the old adage that "if you want a friend, you must be a friend." Those gathered here today bear witness to that fact. And I can personally vouch for it. When I moved to Montreal in August of 1959 with my family to follow in the footsteps of my father, and immediately in the footsteps of Pr. Vilhelm Beck, it was with no little fear and trembling. The congregation still had a strong Danish emphasis. I was to preach in Danish and English every Sunday. When it came to sending out the monthly messenger, I didn't know who was to have it in Danish and who was to have it in English. Well, Henning came to my rescue. He volunteered to go through the address list with me and we spent many hours getting things sorted out, consuming a number of cups of coffee in the process. This led to a friendship which has lasted to this day.
When there were times we felt discouraged, it was as if there was a hot-line to 1360 Lakeshore Drive... suddenly the phone would ring and Henning's voice would be heard: "Fred, the weather is just too nice to spend it inside! We just have to get together today for a round of golf!" We used to play at the LaSalle Country Club! But you can believe that brightened the day and changed the mood!
Henning loved his church. He supported his pastors. He faithfully attended services. He served on the local church board as well as on national church boards and church councils. He and Eli hosted small group bible studies in their home; they were both very active in the Sunday School of St. Ansgar's, and Eli served many years as superintendent.
Henning is now being laid to rest in the aftermath of Easter with the appointments of the season still very evident in the sanctuary! How fitting that he should be called from the church militant to the church triumphant on the very day of victory when we celebrate the defeat of that last great enemy, death! What a blessing, even now, as Henning earthly clay is brought to his final resting place, that we can celebrate the victory Christ obtained for Henning and for all who believe. Now is fulfilled all that God promised him in his baptism, "...so that as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the father, we too might walk in newness of life!" (Romans 6:4)
There is a story of a young marine, sitting in a fox hole in one of the islands of the South Pacific during those epic days at the conclusion of World War II, over a half-century ago. It was during one of the greatest battles, and he was writing a letter to his uncle in Philadelphia, and this is what he wrote: "We are in the midst of a great battle. Please write and tell me who is winning the war?"
Amidst the great battles of life, even the last great battle, Henning was never defeated, because he always knew who won the war. His was the crown of victory for - "he fought the good fight, he finished the race, and above all, he kept the faith!"
May God keep all of you in that faith which sustained Henning throughout his days. And may God bless the memory of Henning Ross Jensen among us, for we shall miss him.
In Christian love and friendship,