If you had been here

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For more commentary on this week's readings, see the Reflections on the Lectionary page, which includes Merritt's current Living by the Word column as well as past magazine and online-only content. For full-text access to all articles, subscribe to the Century.

I was a little girl, sitting near the front row of the church. My legs could not touch the floor, and I had to hold my hands laced in my lap so that I could remain still. I stared at the coffin before me. It was hard to imagine that the box held Brian. It didn't have any breathing holes, like my insect boxes did. Plus, the polished varnish casket looked nothing like what I had seen on television. It was far too short to contain a body.