The Grief of Today

By: Rick Hernandez

The past few months have been especially challenging for our local faith community and for me personally. We are mourning the loss of several cherished members, gone today from this earth, and their absence is deeply felt by all of us.

Beyond that, my last surviving grandmother and two other close friends are battling severe illnesses, constantly in and out of hospitals. Another dear friend, a priest, sits battling ALS and descending little by little into his last days. All this sits heavily in my heart. Can I ask all of you to unite yourselves with us in prayer for them and all who are battling illness at this time? It is easier when we face the struggles together, united in faith and hope, praying for God’s will to be done and for His mercy and compassion to be made present.

Despite all our help, prayers, and hopes, I acknowledge that the grief we feel is heavy and difficult to bear.

Grief is defined as “a deep sense of sorrow caused by loss.”  Grief can result from the loss of a person or from changes in our state or situation. It can be a profound and aching experience, often overwhelming and disorienting. This intense sadness and resulting imbalance stems from our separation from what we have lost and can make life very challenging if not properly acknowledged and addressed.
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The Church teaches us that grief is a natural response to the separation from those we love or from significant changes in our lives. I imagine our Blessed Mother Mary at the foot of the Cross, witnessing the sacrifice of our Lord and mourning Jesus' passing. Life changed profoundly for her and the faithful that day. The grief must have been overwhelming because, at that moment, it was not yet understood what Jesus had accomplished with His death. Reflecting on it, would we have hope for Heaven today if Christ had not died on the Cross?

"...are you unaware that we who were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death? We were indeed buried with him through baptism into death, so that, just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, we too might live in newness of life." (Romans 6:3-4)

Knowing this, it is much easier to understand and accept Christ’s passing on the Cross. He died so we could live, and by His resurrection, the mourning turns to joy.

We are "baptized into His death," meant to reach the newness of life. This truth should inspire our drive and hope, yet we remain here in this "Valley of Tears," where the pain of loss can be isolating. We are not in the joy of Heaven yet. So, what can we do?
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Let us remain faithful. Loss can guide us closer to God, for He is the source of all comfort. As we lose the physical connection with someone, we must remember our unity remains in the mystical body of Christ. We are not alone. In the Eucharist, we remain One, united in Christ, and praying for one another. We trust in our Faith, as our hope is grounded in the trustworthy words of Christ.

“For if we have grown into union with him through a death like his, we shall also be united with him in the resurrection. We know that our old self was crucified with him, so that our sinful body might be done away with, that we might no longer be in slavery to sin. For a dead person has been absolved from sin. If, then, we have died with Christ, we believe that we shall also live with him. We know that Christ, raised from the dead, dies no more; death no longer has power over him.” (Romans 6:5-9)

Seeing death reminds us that our faith is in God and our hope is in the reality of resurrection and eternal life. This is the essence of our hope, that if we remain faithful, we will be with Christ and all the saints in Heaven, alongside our loved ones who have gone before us.

“For if we believe that Jesus died and rose, so too will God, through Jesus, bring with him those who have fallen asleep.” (1 Thessalonians 4:14)

Saint Paul captures it perfectly. Christ is the beacon of our hope, the light through the darkness of mourning.
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For all of us who remain here, the Church, as the family of God, encourages us to seek solace through prayer, the sacraments, and the community of believers. Let us support each other during these difficult times, praying for one another and building each other up.

"The Lord rebuilds Jerusalem, and gathers the dispersed of Israel, Healing the brokenhearted, and binding up their wounds." (Psalm 147:2-3)

​Our love for those who have passed and now behold God's face is returned to us through their intercessory prayers. This is part of the Eucharistic life, that together we are nourished and comforted. Those who have “finished the race” are now cheering for us and supporting us.

“I have competed well; I have finished the race; I have kept the faith. From now on the crown of righteousness awaits me, which the Lord, the just judge, will award to me on that day, and not only to me, but to all who have longed for his appearance.” (2 Timothy 4:7-8)

​Indeed, we mourn, and that is perfectly fine and right. Let us take the time to mourn well and properly, let us be sad and cry copiously if we need to, but let us never lose the hope that comes from our belief. Remember, God acknowledges our temporal pain while affirming the hope of eternal life. We will be comforted.

“Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted.” (Matthew 5:4)

​Our mourning is met with Divine Compassion and Mercy. Let us find comfort in Him who loves us, in our faithful community, and in our loved ones. May we trust that those who have passed rest in the arms of our loving and merciful God. May those who have gone on to the light of our Lord help us along the way.

“…he is not God of the dead, but of the living, for to him all are alive.” (Luke 20:38)

Let us pray: "Eternal rest grant unto them, O Lord, and let perpetual light shine upon them. May their souls and the souls of all the faithful departed, through the mercy of God, rest in peace. Amen.

Like the seed buried in the ground, you have produced the harvest of eternal life for us; make us always dead to sin and alive to God. Amen." (Prayers for our Faithfully Departed)
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Rick Hernandez

Rick Hernandez is a commonsense Catholic, Lay Associate of the Blessed Sacrament, and a Director for Elisheba House. He lives in Trinity, Florida, with his wife Ivonne and their children. He also writes for the Congregation of the Blessed Sacrament's Daily Eucharistic Reflections and for Catholicmom.com.