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How very suitable that we celebrate the New Year with “Hope” and “Love”! This is in direct correlation with the papal declared Jubilee Year of Hope for 2025! Ahead of this special year of grace, Pope Francis asked that we dedicate 2024 as a Year of Prayer “to recover the desire to be in the presence of the Lord, to listen to him and adore him.” It is through this prayerful seeking, and being open to, the presence of God that we find a font of strength and grace to proceed on our grief journey from day to day.
When you grieve with faith (in God), hope follows. God’s Holy Spirit in you, connects you to a divine place of trust that God has a perfect plan for you, in spite of the despair you may be feeling. With faith in God, eyes fixed on Him, grief and hope peacefully coexist, and maybe even a bit of joy! Honor your grief and sit with it. Walk through it. The sorrow you feel from the loss, is the deep love that you carry with you in the absence of your loved one. Ponder that deep love. It is eternal and it never dies. It’s a reflection of the eternal and all-encompassing love from our Heavenly Father. Just as our Mother Mary “kept all these things in her heart” (Luke 2:51), we are also wise to take the time to sit with our grief and lovingly ask God to carry us through to a place of understanding and peace. Invite the power of God’s Holy Spirit to bring you healing and hope for this new year. “We walk by faith, not by sight.” 2 Cor 5:7 and so we TRUST that God will help us face this new year equipped with all that we need, not just to survive, but to thrive.
During the solitude of this post-holiday season, take advantage of the time it presents to slow down, rest, and reflect. The new year is an opportune time to pause and take account of all that you survived last year while envisioning what you desire for your future. It is a time to celebrate how far you’ve come and plant some seeds of hope for the next season. As Jesus did just before he embarked on a new chapter in His life, find a mountaintop location to be alone with God and your thoughts. Quiet yourself before the Lord and lean into His all-encompassing and healing love. Feel the warmth and security of the Father’s love smiling down upon both of you. There are no words, just love and healing. As you experience the comfort of His embrace, release any sorrow that you may be holding in. You are safe in His arms; safe as a babe in the arms of its mother.
Maybe your grief is too new or too deep to even process all that is going on in your life right now. Then take a few slow deep breaths, quiet your mind, and just sit open-minded before God. Don’t ask any questions or try to figure things out. Just SIT SILENTLY in His presence and RECEIVE His unconditional LOVE. He’ll give you all that you need.
In this month’s Bereavement Bulletin, my prayer is that you find strength through trust in a loving God who can be your anchor in the storms of life, who pours His love directly into the broken parts of your heart, and who lights every step of your way into the future.
With that HOPE comes a peace beyond all understanding and a joy, in spite of your despair. As the first article describes, “Grief turns to joy in moments that celebrate love.” Turn to His love every day and bathe in it. Know also that we are here to walk with you into this new year, guiding you to a better understanding of your grief and a hope for a bright future. We welcome you to join us at any of our free monthly in-office Grief Support Groups or to our Virtual Grief Support. Information to register or to contact me with questions is listed in “Upcoming Events”.
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