A Conduit of the Love of God
As other readers have noted, one cannot but help feel completely inadequate to the task of honoring this man at the time of his passing given his unsurpassed gift for doing the same for others.
Reading Mr. Buckley’s columns and books, and watching many hours of Firing Line (the interview with Malcolm Muggeridge being my all-time favorite having made a significant contribution to my spiritual journey) provided me with both pleasure and instruction; observing this man’s historic achievements and joyful humanity provided me with inspiration. I believe, as I know Mr. Buckley did, that the purpose of man is to glorify God. The light that shone from him was not simply one of intellectual brilliance but even more importantly was a reflection of his Lord, Jesus Christ. I have read all of the remembrances of his friends and family in these pages, as well as the ones of those, like me, who never met him but have found themselves mourning his passing these last few days. In all of these remembrances what most stands out is that the man was a conduit of the love of God – he loved his family, his friends, his country, his work and co-workers, and spread that love beyond to a circle larger than he could ever possibly know.
I will never meet him now except in eternity, but look forward to one day thanking him in person for brightening my life and the life of our nation and the world with his incomparable wit, wisdom, grace and charm. My heartfelt condolences go out to his family, his seemingly countless friends and his co-laborers at National Review. There will never be another like him, and I look forward to re-watching those Firing Line episodes with my own four children some day (how do I get DVDs?). I don’t think R.I.P. is the appropriate ending to this – I don’t imagine Mr. Buckley resting in eternity, I imagine him enjoying the eternal presence of God with unsurpassed zest. I’m planning to sail the celestial seas with him one day – now THAT will be a cruise! Godspeed, sir.
Dan Hoey
03/05 11:33 AM
