SOLACE: Soul + Grief
This podcast is sponsored by SOULPLUSGRACE serving the San José area, offering grief support and grief journeying with spirituality. I hope to help you travel through grief with God at your side.
"I am a trained Spiritual Director for those who seek to complete the 19th Annotation of St. Igantius’ spiritual exercises OR seek spiritual direction while grieving. I have also worked as a hospital/cemetery chaplain and grief doula. I believe all paths lead to God and that all traditions are due respect and honour. I take my sacred inspiration from all of my patients and companions–past, present and future; the Dalai Lama, James Tissot, St. John of the Cross, the Buddha, Saint Teresa of Ávila, and, of course, Íñigo who became known as St. Ignatius. I utilize art, poetry, music, aromatherapy, yoga, lectio divina, prayer and meditation in my self-work and work with others. I believe in creating a sacred space for listening; even in the most incongruous of surroundings."
BACKGROUND
- Jesuit Retreat Center, Los Altos, CA -- Pierre Favre Program, 3 year training to give the Spiritual Exercises of Saint Ignatius
- Centro de Espiritualidad de Loyola, Spain -- The Spiritual Exercises of St Ignatius of Loyola -- 30 Day Silent Retreat/
- Center for Loss & Life Transition – Comprehensive Bereavement Skills Training (30 hrs) Ft. Collins, CO
- California State University Institute for Palliative Care--Palliative Care Chaplaincy Specialty Cert. (90 hrs)
- Sequoia Hospital, Redwood City, CA -- Clinical Pastoral Education
- 19th Annotation with Fumiaki Tosu, San Jose, CA, Spiritual Exercises of St. Ignatius
- Santa Clara University, Santa Clara, CA M.A. – Pastoral Ministries
CONTACT ME: candeelucas@soulplusgrace.com with questions to be answered in future episodes.
SOLACE: Soul + Grief
Solace in the Desert with Jesus
This week's conversation takes us to the cusp of Holy Week, where we find solace in Jesus's ultimate prayer and his teachings that have profoundly shaped lives across centuries. As we weave through the narrative of sacrifice and boundless love, we highlight the significance of these principles in the fabric of families, communities, and empires. This episode is an offering of solace, a recognition of the inscription of love eternally etched upon our hearts, and an affirmation of the divine love that awaits us.
Be sure to subscribe to this podcast on Google Podcasts, Apple, Amazon Music, Spotify, or follow us on the Facebook pages of Gate of Heaven Cemetery in Los Altos, California, or Calvary Cemetery in San Jose, California.
SPIRITUAL DIRECTION WHILE GRIEVING IS AVAILABLE FREE OF CHARGE
You can reach us at: ccoutreach@dsj.org
To arrange personal spiritual direction: 408-359-5542
Our theme music is: Gentle Breeze by Yeti Music from the album "Uppbeat".
Additional Music and sound effects today by: via Pixabay
Next week is Holy Week, and so today's theme is darkness into light. As we prepare for what is arguably the hardest week in the Christian calendar, we take our grief with us, we take the contemplation of what lost lives have meant to us and we descend one last time into the desert to be with Jesus as he suffers his future. By the end of the 40 days, he almost certainly knows his fate, has accepted it, has questioned it, has meditated upon it, prayed upon it, spoke with his father about the sacrifice he must make and come to terms with it. Because of the overwhelming love in his heart for the men and women he has lived with all his life. He sees the widow and understands clearly her broken heartedness. He sees the orphan and knows how boundless love can never replace his loss. He sees the soldiers who have fallen for causes good and true and for causes trivial. He sees the families that have been torn by losses from famine and disease, through misfortune, neglect and violence. He has looked, surely, into the dark hearts of men and understands what that heart is capable of. But he has also looked into the hearts of grieving women and knows the power of healing love sourced there. He has seen the rain and the rainbows, the clouds, the storms and the birds that come after. He knows truly what a peaceful heart can mean, what a peaceful heart can bring to those around it. He knows the unbounding power and healing of perfect love, for that is the only kind he is capable of.
Candee Lucas:He has let us here to sit with him in these last days of contemplation so that he might share one last prayer with us as we contemplate his holy week. He turns to us sitting in a circle and says I loved you before you were born. I knew you before you were born. I wrote my name upon your hearts. It's still there. My Father, my God, loves you most. I was sent here simply to illustrate that love to you, so that none of you will ever have to make the sacrifice I am prepared to do. You are only required of one thing in this life, that is love. It is the basis of your families, your communities, your religious keepings, your songs, your prayers, your society, your cities, your towns and even your empires.
Candee Lucas:What these days in the wilderness have shown me is that towers not built on love will certainly fall. Families not built on love will certainly crumble. Communities not built on love will separate and abandon one another in the wilderness and scatter to the four winds. So my lesson is this --Let every act and word and deed you commit be based on love. That has been my guiding principle, the basis of all. I have taught to you the raison de tra, if you will, for there is none but love and in the end, there is nothing but returning to me, where I will wait for you with open arms of love. With open arms of love, peace be upon you all. Please contact us If you have questions or seek spiritual direction. Our contact information is in the show notes. Be gentle with yourselves. Travel with God.
