“Surreal’ is how one person described this scenic rainbow which appeared over D.C. just as the funeral services for Tim Russert concluded, which included a rendition of “Somewhere Over The Rainbow”. In the photographer’s words:
This is probably one of the most surreal experiences I have ever had in my life. 10 minutes after the memorial at the Kennedy Center ended and the acoustic version of “Somewhere Over the Rainbow” came on as people were leaving, I heard people outside of my apartment in DC on their balconies. I ran out to discover this full rainbow over the National Cathedral! It had to have covered the entire city of DC. There is no doubt in my mind that it was from Tim Russert himself. The weird thing is it didn’t rain all day and then it rained for about 3 minutes after the memorial ended only to stop and create this beautiful scene. I want NBC to share this with EVERYONE!
In Genesis 9:15-16, God told Noah and his sons, “And I will remember my covenant, which is between me and you and every living creature of all flesh; and the waters shall no more become a flood to destroy all flesh. And the bow shall be in the cloud; and I will look upon it, that I may remember the everlasting covenant between God and every living creature of all flesh that is upon the earth.”
The rainbow is a beautiful token of the Lord that continues to testify of the covenant that He made with the world and all flesh (Genesis 9:11-13). It is a perfect reminder of our Lord’s protection and the keeping of His promises.
A portion of his son, Luke’s, eulogy here.
From Beliefnet, entitled, Passing of a Man…End of an Era?:
The death of Tim Russert last Friday was not only a shock to the journalistic world, but also to the wider American community, judging by the reactions across the blogosphere and in my own anecdotal experience with friends and family.
His passing is truly a great loss, above all because he was a family man, and a man whose popular approach to journalism–asking the questions the guys at the VFW post would ask–made us feel he was somehow a friend of all of ours, a guy who would sit down and have a beer with us. The media, especially TV (and now the Internet) have always fostered that familiarity, and that fantasy. But certain people have an ability to connect that somehow transcends the media ephemera, and Russert was one of them. Part of it is that he probably would sit down and have a beer with you.
But of course there is always a temptation to read into the death of a celebrity or public fixture some greater meaning for the rest of us. With Russert it is a temptation we should yield to. For behind the widespread mourning is a sense of loss, whether conscious or not, of two intertwined cultures: Journalism and Catholicism.
Tim Russert kept his covenant with God … God will surely keep His with Tim. Rest in peace.
Posted by Fr. Richard Heilman 
Mary\'s Anawim 