Friday, May 28, 2010

And then quiet.- O DEATH WHERE IS YOUR STING PT. 5

Ultimately when a loved one dies we go through stages, passages. No one's journey is the same. What I will suggest though is the need for Ritual to grieve. Ceremony that allows us to travel through this time and to come out stronger, wiser.
Dr. Elisabeth Kubler-Ross suggested that everyone goes through 5 stages:
denial
anger
bargaining
depression
acceptance.
So there is a process.
It was a year before I could place a picture of my mother in my room and look at it and reflect on her life without feeling extreme sadness.
I knew I was healing when I could listen to the Intruders great song, " Ill always love my Momma"


And every major faith has ritual to grieve for the dead:
Those who practice Judaism-


Muslim-


Buddhist-


And Christian-


This last response is what has resonated with me the most. The belief that this world has meaning. That this, our personhood is unique, and that we will see our loved ones again because of what Jesus has done. As Jesus said in the Gospel of John, chapter 11 verses 25 and 26, "I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in Me, though he may die, he shall live.
"And whoever lives and believes in Me shall never die."
This was no pat response. Jesus wept. As the writer states in vs. 35.
For me there was hope in this.
And a new joy: I would see mom again.
I am Eastern Orthodox Christian, and on Pascha morning (Easter) we sing this triumphant hymn:


CHRIST HAS RISEN!

This faith gives me strength now to walk forward. I now can begin to remember Mom, accept the sadness and yet know there is a new hope.
Again as Paul the Apostle declared in I Corinthians 15:55:
"O Death, where is your sting?
O Hades, Where is your victory?"

May I recommend a consideration of this offer of hope- Christ is Risen!
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To all my friends- LONG MAY YOU RUN!




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