The Strength of Gratitude in Mourning

Grief has a way of reshaping our lives in the most profound ways, and navigating through it can often feel overwhelming. Reflecting on my personal journey after losing my father, I invite you to join me in exploring the subtle yet enduring presence of grief that persists over time. Through the lens of Psalm 138, we discuss the comforting power of gratitude and the unwavering love and presence of God during our darkest hours. Remember, you are not alone—we can walk this path with God together.

Be sure to subscribe to this podcast on Apple Podcasts, Amazon Music, or Spotify.

SPIRITUAL DIRECTION WHILE GRIEVING IS AVAILABLE FREE OF CHARGE

You can reach us at: candeelucas@soulplusgrace.com to arrange personal spiritual direction.
Music and sound effects today by:   via Pixabay.

Chapters

• 0:15 Navigating Grief With Spiritual Guidance
• 9:28 Weekly Spiritual Guidance Podcast Announcement

Transcript

Candee: 0:15

We welcome you to Solace: Soul + Grief. I'm glad you're here. I'm Candee Lucas, a Jesuit-trained Catholic chaplain and spiritual director, and I've been involved with a bereavement ministry since 2009. We know that loss can make profound changes in people's live s. We understand how difficult it is to travel this path of grief and how important and monumental the loss of a loved one can be. So we created this podcast to help you walk with God as you grieve your losses, understand what's happening in your heart and soul as you grieve, to be available in the best way we can to accompany you on this journey. You're always welcome in this circle of healing, love and support.

Candee: 2:03

I praise You with all my heart, singing a hymn to You before the divine beings. I bow toward Your holy temple and praise your name for Your steadfast love and faithfulness, because You have exalted Your name. Your word, above all, when I called You, answered me. You inspired me with courage. All the kings of the earth shall praise You, o Lord, for they have heard the words You spoke. They shall sing of the ways of the Lord. Great is the majesty of the Lord. High though the Lord is, He sees the lowly. Lofty. He perceives from afar. Though I walk among enemies, You preserve me in the face of my foes. You extend Your hand and with Your right hand You deliver me. The Lord will settle accounts for me. O Lord, Your steadfast love is eternal.

Candee: 3:37

Do not forsake the work of your hands.

Candee: 3:45

My Bible opened to this psalm today Psalm 138, as is written in the Hebrew Bible, and I remembered how important it was to be grateful. I am grateful to God for the life I had with my father. It's true that death and grief and mourning have affected civilizations and peoples and groups and families and societies forever. The ancients tried to make sense of this, but in one way it was familiar. They had grown up with birthing and dying --plants and animals, harvests and seasons, and much of the Old Testament talks about these difficult times, both in families and groups and societies, settlements, villages and tribes. So we know, we are familiar with it as the rhythms in life, the rhythms in one person's life, the rhythms in the life of a family or a village or a tribe.

Candee: 5:40

We seek solace from one another. At the same time we are trying to do our own mourning. We are trying to step back from that, from our own grief, and assist others. Some people can do that better than others. I used to pride myself in being able to both step inside someone's grief process yet remain separate from it, and now I find I can barely leave my own. I'm surprised when people don't know my father's dead, but of course people don't know my father's dead. I hope that the revelation of my own process here is not an indulgence, that you are finding my struggles useful; are of some use to you.

Candee: 7:07

The days go differently. I was able to surrender to overwhelming grief at the time of the funeral and service and burial, which felt both proper and needfu l. But now I am experiencing a low level of grief, like a buzz in the background that continues. That you can't quite ignore. But I want to say here and today that I am grateful to my God. I am grateful that He surrounded me through this difficulty, that I felt His arms around in other people's embraces to forgive me and love me and continue to carry me and accompany me on this journey, for which I am truly, truly grateful, and I acknowledge His presence, His goodness and His healing as we travel on. That concludes another episode. A new one drops every Friday. Please join us on Spotify, amazon Music or Apple. Thank you for joining us. Spiritual direction is always available. See my contact email in the show notes. This is Candee Lucas, your host, chaplain and spiritual director. Go with God. Namaste, vaya con Dios.