Grieving

A few parts from the article below really touched my heart.

The Problem with Grief

C.S. Lewis once wrote: “No one ever told me grief felt so like fear.” This is familiar response, as is the feeling of abandonment, given we are humans. Christ in his agony crying “My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me?” assures us that this is an acceptable response on the natural level, and elevated to the super-natural level when united with Christ on the cross. As with all things, there is a right way to grieve that leads to healing and restoration, and a wrong way to grieve that leads to despair and illness. When grief is prolonged or becomes the center of one’s existence, it often leads to despair or depression and the mind can make the body symptomatic of physical illness.

This has been the hardest part for me – to make the loss an event, a part of my life without having it consume my life.

We know grief is a proper expression of the Christian love we have for another. Jesus grieved at the tomb of his friend, Lazarus (John 11). Paul grieved with his friends at his departure and prophesied martyrdom (Acts 20). Numerous saints rightly grieved over loss of their loved one. St. Elizabeth Ann Seton, patroness of sea services, grieved as she buried her husband and two children. We also hear Christ teach: “Blessed are those who mourn.”

And then Johnette – being the woman of God that she is, sets the standard and example for women in grief.

Simon’s father was one of the pall-bearers. His mother proceeded down the aisle linked arm in arm with her two daughters flanking each side. My friend is one of those rare but recognizable women of grace, most especially that day, burying her son. Her face was composed, set toward the altar of the Lord, poised and confident as if to communicate silently “Daughters, this is what the Lord is asking us to do today. Follow me.” As valiantly as an honorable soldier, she marched down that aisle set on accomplishing God’s mission.

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