In today's episode we continue to explore what it means to experience grief in a time of anticipation of joy. With thanks to the Prophet Isaiah. In the midst of the holiday season, we explore this unique intermingling of sorrow and anticipation, enlightening our journey from darkness to light. We delve into the significance of the Advent wreath as a symbol of our journey, prompting an interesting question: What miracle are we waiting for in our grief?
Be sure to subscribe to this podcast on Google Podcasts, Apple, Amazon Music, Spotify, or follow us on the Facebook pages of Gate of Heaven Cemetery in Los Altos, California, or Calvary Cemetery in San Jose, California. SPIRITUAL DIRECTION WHILE GRIEVING IS AVAILABLE FREE OF CHARGE
You can reach us at: ccoutreach@dsj.org To arrange personal spiritual direction: 408-359-5542
Our theme music is: Gentle Breeze by Yeti Music from the album "Uppbeat". Additional Music and sound effects today by: via Pixabay
In today's episode we continue to explore what it means to experience grief in a time of anticipation of joy. With thanks to the Prophet Isaiah. In the midst of the holiday season, we explore this unique intermingling of sorrow and anticipation, enlightening our journey from darkness to light. We delve into the significance of the Advent wreath as a symbol of our journey, prompting an interesting question: What miracle are we waiting for in our grief?
Be sure to subscribe to this podcast on Google Podcasts, Apple, Amazon Music, Spotify, or follow us on the Facebook pages of Gate of Heaven Cemetery in Los Altos, California, or Calvary Cemetery in San Jose, California. SPIRITUAL DIRECTION WHILE GRIEVING IS AVAILABLE FREE OF CHARGE
You can reach us at: ccoutreach@dsj.org To arrange personal spiritual direction: 408-359-5542
Our theme music is: Gentle Breeze by Yeti Music from the album "Uppbeat". Additional Music and sound effects today by: via Pixabay
CANDEE:
Welcome to Solace: Soul + Grief. We are brought to you by Catholic Cemeteries in the Diocese of San Jose. My name is Candee Lucas. We know the death of a loved one is a huge life transition and we've learned it creates and affects so many other losses in our lives. We at Catholic Cemeteries is wanted to offer you this place to grieve and find where God is moving in your life as you grieve. Each week we take a new scripture or reflection and seek to find a quiet place in our hearts, together to contemplate our losses, honor our loved ones and remember God's place in our hearts. We seek to make a continuing connection with those we've lost. We want to find that space where God is moving with us in our grief, where mourning can be transformed to comfort, where our hearts might be reopened and begin to mend, where tears can flow, for it's when we open our hearts we realize that we've made new space for more love, more compassion and more humanity in our lives, and more space for God as well. This is a space we hope solace will begin to fill for you. Please join us if you're suffering or just want to spend more time having God move with you in your grief. You are always welcome in our circle of healing, love and support.
CANDEE:
As I sat in mass this week on the third week of Advent and listened to the homily, I remember the words what miracle are you waiting for? I'm not sure I heard the rest of the story, because those words jumped out at me and I saw them clearly in my mind and I wondered what miracle are we waiting for? What miracle, as we walk in our grief, are we waiting for? For, of course, the miracle we're waiting for in Advent is the question that God asks us by sending his son to Earth Will we love him, will we receive him with love? Will we understand the love behind God's gift to us, jesus' life on Earth with us, simple men and women? And the more I thought about it, the more I thought about grief and Advent and how the two, although when we initially entered this season I felt they were mutually exclusive, have now become entwined in this season. Entwined much like the Advent wreath we light each night. That reminds us both of darkness and of light. That reminds us of a journey from darkness into light, that reminds us of our journeys in life and our journeys in grief. And so I thought about talking to you about this today, this idea of what miracle are we waiting for?
CANDEE:
In many ways, as Christians, we answer God's question, or we imagine answering God's question at our death, when we will be born into love, born into divine love, born into complete and divine love. That is our miracle as humans-- the ability and spiritual freedom to answer 'yes' to God. Yet those we love, those who have gone before us into the light of God's love, we mourn their passing and many times this time of year is the hardest one of all, because we made traditions and memories, many fond memories, especially at the season, a time when we make an effort to be together, a time when we make an effort to show love to one another and people we don't know, people on the margins of our lives, people on the margins of life who may not have a family, who may not have friends, who may be wanting or imprisoned or far from their homes, or living in a war torn country or just far away for some reason that's not their own. As I've listened to people through the weeks of Advent talking about their own experiences of grief and wondered about this idea of lament and how the lamentations make us ready for love, remind us of love, remind us of how we are loved and how we are given the example of love to carry forth in the world. And so I offer this reading from Isaiah, chapter 55.
CANDEE:
"All you who are thirsty, come to the water. You who have no money, come, receive grain and eat. Come without pain and without cost. Drink wine and milk. Heed me and you shall eat well, you shall delight in rich fare. Come to me heedfully, listen, that you may have life.
CANDEE:
I will renew the everlasting covenant, the benefits assured to David, because the Lord, your God, the Holy One, has glorified you. Seek the Lord while he may be found, call him while he is near. As high as the heavens are above the earth, so high are my ways above your ways. Send my thoughts above your thoughts, for just as from the heavens the rain and snow come down and do not return there till they have watered the earth and made it fruitful and fertile, giving seed to him who sows and bread to him who eats, so shall my word be that goes forth from my mouth. It shall not return to me void, but shall do my will, achieving the end for which I send it. Yes, enjoy, you shall depart In peace. You shall be brought back. Mountains and hills shall break out in song before you and all the trees at the countryside shall clap their hands In place of the thorn bush. Cyprus shall grow, instead of the nettles, the myrtle. This shall be, to the Lord's renown, an everlasting, imperishable sign." So God calls us. He promises a miracle and we know it will occur. We know that perfect love will be offered for us, offered to us, on that day when he becomes flesh. And as we contemplate the loss of those who have gone before, we recognize that they have made the answer. We mourn their loss, but we also celebrate their triumph.
CANDEE:
A new episode drops every Friday. Please support us by subscribing on Google Podcasts, amazon Music or Spotify. You can also find us on the Facebook pages of Gate of Heaven Cemetery in Los Altos, California, or Calvary Cemetery in San Jose. We welcome suggestions for future episodes or reach out to us for one-on-one spiritual direction, individually or as a family. As you travel through grief, stay safe, be gentle with yourselves and travel with God. Va ya con Dios.
