Old letters with used stamps are displayed at the Van Dieten Postzegelveilingen in Capelle aan den IJssel, Netherlands, on 27 September, 2008. (Koen van Weel/AFP via Getty Images)
Editor's note: This essay first appeared in the pages of Chapter House on 18 September2020, and has been lightly edited for time references.
Death teaches us that we are no mere mortals.
By Larry Chapp
Late last summer I received in the mail something quite extraordinary and unexpected.
A man I had known in seminary passed away and left me $1000 in his will. I left seminary before being ordained a priest, and I had not seen or spoken to Bob since 1986 so to say I was gobsmacked is an understatement. There was a letter that accompanied the cheque from an elderly lady friend of his who was the executor of his small estate. The letter explained that Bob wanted me to have a little something since he had never forgotten our friendship when we were in the seminary together and was appreciative of the many kindnesses I had showed him.
