God knows personally what a hard path most of us have through this Vale of Tears. When we encounter the most profound grief, He allows us to experience the full range of emotions He has graced us with, along with our memories of better days. When we are at our lowest God never deserts us.
Grief and God
- Donald R. McClarey
Donald R. McClarey
Cradle Catholic. Active in the pro-life movement since 1973. Father of three, one in Heaven, and happily married for 43 years. Small town lawyer and amateur historian. Former president of the board of directors of the local crisis pregnancy center for a decade.
A supernatural combination is strong faith and heroic forgiveness. The soul is freed to experience moments of Joy, just as beautiful as moments when the Sun bursts through rain clouds. The storm still persists but the SON is always there, ready to shine it’s brilliance and warmth in souls who are grieving.
Through my tears I smiled and laughed at the goodness of God the day my mom passed away.
How God had given me such a extraordinarily loving and virtuous mom. In my heart I knew she was finally home for grief took a back seat to Joy.
And yes ….I still prayed for her soul and had Masses said. Best to have insurance even if you end up not needing it. The Virgin Mary will use those offerings for someone, of that I’m sure.
Grief at a loss… and knowledge of the Beatific Vision… is a Roller Coaster ride.
Every Christian knows this, every atheist hasn’t a clue.
Just a reminder that Mary Katherine Ham’s husband was killed in a road accident about ten years ago.
Quite right Art. A woman all too familiar with the deepest grief, akin to Erika Kirk’s grief.
It is also probable that many of those critiquing Mrs Kirk don’t have the experience of dealing with loss aided by faith and hope in the resurrection. They need our prayers and our pity.
Wasn’t that the line of argument that got Alex Jones sued for a billion dollars?
They say the devil can quote scripture. Take a snippet out of Gods Word and out of context and manipulate it.
That’s what’s happening here.
All these people saying she doesn’t look like she is grieving did not watch her speech. The same people that are saying the entire memorial was idolatry worship of Charlie Kirk. Neither are true – Erika Kirk struggled in moments of her speech and the entire memorial was in worship and praise of God, in memory of the deceased, Charlie Kirk.
Honestly, what sort of person says “it’s clearly a show”, when this woman has to now raise two small children and tell them about their dad through photographs so they can remember him. It’s nasty.
Well said, Ezabelle!
Her grief is not measureable and it does not manifest itself outward every single waking moment. The same goes for anyone else.
Who has not been in a receiving line at a funeral home and felt comfort and even joy at the sight of a dear friend or relative, there to show respect and ease the burden of bereavement?
Satan can conceal his ugliness for a while but he hasn’t the power to conceal it all the time to everyone. His followers, be they aware of it or not, lack the ability to conceal their ugliness.
“Policing the widow’s face” is unbridled ignorance; censorship of the most evil kind.
Charlie Kirk may have visited Erika and told her that he is in heaven and that he would be with her for all time. Charlie may have asked for the Mass to be said for him. Charlie may have asked Erika not to grieve for this is love, true love.
Charlie Kirk was murdered because of jealousy and jealousy rears it’s ugly head.
My doctor once told me that to be abnormal in an abnormal situation is normal.
Since my brother was murdered several days before our brother’s wedding the wedding took place. There was dancing and food and the ever present grief of losing a beloved brother and son.
Grief was real.
Crime and Punishment by Dostoevsky shows us that the murderer must forgive himself. This would be through the Sacrament of Penance and an admission of the homicide guilt and retribution.
As a citizen of the USA, the murderer of any victim brings himself to Justice as a citizen of the state, and is then executed through his own power of attorney.
All victims are scandalized by the crimes committed against them, from the aborted infant to the old man exterminated to the innocent person murdered.
Jesus said to put a millstone about his neck and drown the scandalizer of innocent ones in the depths of the sea.
Germain Grisez says that murderers have too much human dignity to pay for their crimes against the innocent victims.
How can that be true since the murderer has free will. To prohibit the murderer’s true human dignity of service to reestablish Justice is to deny the murderer’s true human dignity.
There is no harm in having the murderer acknowledge his guilt and rectify Justice.
His acknowledged act of homicide and of rectified Justice will be a deterrent against other murderers from doing the crimes against the innocent.
It is important to remember that when Jesus asked God to forgive His murderers, Christ did not obtain forgiveness for His murderers until after Jesus Christ ascended to His Father in heaven, presented redeemed creation to His Father and then, Christ received the forgiveness Christ had asked for from the cross.