THE WISDOM OF THOSE WHO GRIEVE WITH HOPE!

The Book of Wisdom says that ‘Wisdom is radiant and
unfading, and she is easily discerned by those who love her
and is found by those who seek her…she goes about seeking
those worthy of her and she graciously appears to them in
their paths and meets them in every thought’ (cf Wis 6:12-
18). Saint Paul writing to the Thessalonians, to us as it were,
says, ‘We do not want you to be uninformed, brothers and
sisters, about those who are asleep, that you may not grieve
as others do who have no hope. For since we believe that
Jesus died and rose again, even so, through Jesus, God will
bring with him those who have fallen asleep…Therefore
encourage one another with these words’ (cf 1 Thes 4:13-
18). Grieve we must, for we are human. Moreover, the pain
which comes from the death of a loved one and brings about
separation is real.
Beloved people of God, we all need wisdom and faith in the
word of God to be able to grieve with hope. This is the main
reason that the Church as the Wise, Loving and
Compassionate Mother has made faith in the Resurrection of
the dead and Life everlasting articles of faith. She teaches
her children – all of us – to believe, to accept, to profess and
never doubt these articles of faith. Such gives her children
firmness, calmness and assurance to live their life on earth
to the full yet without losing their focus that we are also
citizens of heaven, children of the Most High God. We are
pilgrims on earth returning to our heavenly homeland.
As we remember and mourn the departed, we pray for them
particularly in this month of November. We pray to be able
to have the faith and wisdom that strengthen the hope that
we have in the blessed resurrection of the dead and life
everlasting. The bereaved will need consolation as they
grapple with the pain of bereavement. Yet it is our duty of
love and care to ‘encourage’ them as we possibly can.
Fr. Ted
All to Jesus – Through Mary our Mother