My Wife Died: Grief Prayers

In this episode, we address the heart-rending loss of a spouse, providing solace through prayers, reflections, and the calming words of Psalm 23. We encourage you to trust in God's plan, and to hold onto the hope of reuniting. This is much more than a podcast; it's a sanctuary for your soul in times of sorrow.
As we honor our losses, cherish the memories of our loved ones, and acknowledge God's presence in our hearts, together we will heal, one step at a time.

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SPIRITUAL DIRECTION WHILE GRIEVING IS AVAILABLE FREE OF CHARGE

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Our theme music is:  Gentle Breeze by Yeti Music from the album "Uppbeat".
Additional Music and sound effects today by:   via Pixabay

Transcript

Candee Lucas: 0:12

Welcome to Solace: Soul + Grief. We are brought to you by Catholic Cemeteries in the Diocese of San Jose. My name is Candww 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 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 Lucas: 1:48

What follows are a series of prayers when you are mourning the loss of a wife, please feel free to revisit these if they do in fact give you some comfort. "Loving Lord, losing my wife was so hard and I feel so alone and helpless right now. I know you, lord. I know that death is not the end for those that trust in you, but it is still hard to have to face a life without my dear wife at my side. I know there were some occasions when I took her for granted, but she meant so much to me and her life was such a big, beautiful reflection of Jesus. And now that she has gone, I realize that a big gap that she has left. Keep me, lord, from self pity, which seems to be the emotion that is surfacing quite a lot, and please replace it with a thankful heart for the good times and the good life we had together. Give me a spirit of peace. I pray and hope in believing Living death is only a door through which we will all one day pass. Thank you for the time we did spend together and the life we shared, and I ask you to give me respite from the sadness I feel, renew my hope in Christ's promises and give me fresh insight into all that I am in. Christ. Grant my heart knowing that we will one day meet again on that heavenly shore. And may I live my life looking to Jesus. That I ask in His name, amen. We read in Psalm 23 that I may walk through the valleys as dark as death, but I will not be afraid. May you know God's comfort and gentle embrace now as you pray and mourn the passing of your dear wife.

Candee Lucas: 4:25

"Jesus, I feel such absence. Please be present. I feel such loss. Please be here. I feel such sadness. Please be my sanctuary. I feel such pain. Please be with me. I feel such confusion. Please be truth. I feel such anger. Please be peace. I feel such hopelessness. Please be promise. I feel such emptiness. Please be near Jesus. I feel such loneliness. Please be beside me. I feel such heartache. Please be close. I feel such doubt. Please be faithful. I feel such guilt. Please lead me home. The loss of my wife has consumed me. I come as I am. Please be my everything. Please take my hand, amen.

Candee Lucas: 5:45

Psalm 23. --The Lord is my shepherd. I shall lack nothing. He makes me to lie down in green pastures. He leads me beside still waters. He restores my soul. He guides me in the past of righteousness. For his namesake, even though I walk the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me, your rod and your staff. They comfort me. You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies. Surely, goodness and loving kindness shall follow me all the days of my life and I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever.

Candee Lucas: 6:46

"Father, I have no words. I cannot express the things I feel at the loss of my wife, my soulmate, my nearest and dearest friend. Please hold me up and keep me as I walk this silent road, barren, dry and empty. I entrust her into your care, into the fullness of eternity with you. I trust myself into your care that you might gradually pour new light, hope and resurrection, faith back into my soul. You know her and you love her dearly. You know me. I need not worry for word. I simply come as I am before you. Amen.

Candee Lucas: 7:58

"Dearest Lord, immaculate Creator of all, in your love for mankind you created women From Adam's rib and bless them saying be fruitful and multiply and conquer the earth. You joined the two into one body and commanded that no man separate that which you had joined together. Look down from heaven, no compassionate father, and behold the grief and pain which have fallen upon my heart and soul as I behold my separation today from the one soul of your servant who you, o Lord, gave to be my wife and support in this life. Show your loving kindness to me, o merciful Lord, in this hour which is so difficult for my soul to endure. Lord Jesus Christ's, comforter of those who mourn, the prophet Isaiah spoke of you saying that you would come to heal those whose hearts were crushed. Be my comforter and hear me as I raise my voice to you with faith. I pray, o gracious King, forgive whatever sins my wife has committed in this life, whether by word or deed or thought, knowingly or unknowingly. Receive the soul of your servant, o Lord, in your eternal heavenly kingdom, among the dwelling of the saints, at your proper time. Grant that my soul, which longs for the kingdom, may also dwell in that holy place where, once again, our souls shall meet and together offer glory and praise in your all-holy name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, now and ever and unto the ages. Amen, our prayers after the loss of a wife are often colored by the manner in which she died. If she died after a long illness, our prayers are sometimes colored with a sense of relief that her suffering has ended. If she died suddenly, our grief is colored mostly by shock. So you remember, as you contemplate these prayers, to be gentle with yourself as she would be gentle to you if she were here praying with you and remember, in a sense she is.

Candee Lucas: 11:26

This has been another episode of Solace: Soul + Grief. A new one 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's, in Los Altos, California, or Calvary Cemetery in San Jose. I am Candee Lucas, Aftercare Coordinator for Catholic Cemeteries, Chaplain and Spiritual Director. You can reach us at the email or phone number in the show notes. 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. Vaya con Dios.