SOLACE: Soul + Grief
YOUR PERSONAL, IN-HOUSE CHAPLAIN.
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 Jesuit-trained-and-inspired spiritual companion to the dying and their families, survivors, friends and caretakers.
"I am a trained Spiritual Director for those who seek to complete the 19th Annotation of St. Igantius’ spiritual exercises. 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
Guided by Grace in the Midst of Sorrow
Have you ever wondered how prayer can be a guiding light through the shadows of grief? Discover through four key steps to connect with God's life-giving power, inspired by Agnes Sanford's teachings. Together, we reflect on the remarkable faith of the centurion in Matthew 8:5-10, illustrating how specific prayers can navigate the complexities of grief while cherishing the love and memories of those we have lost.
Let's walk this path of healing and hope together.
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. (Good_B_Music)
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. I've been involved with a bereavement ministry since 2009. We know that loss can make profound changes in people's lives. 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:This episode is inspired by the writings of Agnes Sanford. Agnes Sanford she was born in China as the daughter of a Presbyterian missionary and became the wife of an Episcopalian rector. Her approach to healing through prayer has been uncomplicated and very confident of God's loving power to heal. Her approach is Christ-centered and church-centered. The references here are to her much-loved book, "the Healing Light.
Candee:The first step to produce results in any power is to contact that power. Therefore, the first step in seeking help from God is to contact God, be still and know that I am God. Let us then lay aside our worries and cares, quiet our minds and concentrate upon the reality of God. We may not know who God is or what God is, but we know that there is something that sustains this universe, and that something is not ourselves. So the first step is to relax and to remind ourselves that there is a source of life outside of us. The second step is to connect with this life by some such prayer as this Heavenly Father, please increase in me, increase in me at this time, your life-giving power. The third step is to believe that this power is coming into use and to accept it by faith, and to accept it by faith. No matter how much we ask for something, it becomes ours only as we accept it and give thanks for it. Thank you, we can say that your life is now coming into me and increasing life in my spirit and in my mind and in my body. The fourth step is to observe in, observe the operations life. In order to do so, we must decide on some tangible thing that we wish to accomplish by that power, so that we can know without question whether our experiment succeeded or failed?
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--tw- -- Jesus entered Capernaum, a centurion came to him, appealing to him and saying Lord, my servant is lying home paralyzed, in terrible distress. And Jesus said to him I will come and cure him. The centurion answered Lord, I am not worthy to have you come under my roof, but only speak the word and my servant will be healed. For I also am a man under authority, with soldiers under me, and I say to one Go and he goes, and to another, come and he comes. And to my slave Do this and the slave does it. When Jesus heard this, when Jesus heard him, he was amazed and said to those who followed him Truly, I tell you, in no one in Israel have I found such faith. And to the centurion, jesus said Go, let it be done for you according to your faith. And the servant was healed in that hour.
Candee:How does the story of the centurion inform our grief journey? It is by pointing out that our prayers to God, as he accompanies us, should be specific. We cannot say-- relieve me from my mourning--. We cannot say-- take away all my tears--. What we can say are things like- -bring healing to my heart, help me, expand my heart. Help me see this journey more clearly. Please accompany me on this journey--.
Candee:Should all our grief suddenly vanish, would it not take with it all of our love? Where is not the source of that grief, all our love? We remember and we hold dear those that have left us in this temporal life. We hold their memories, we hold their hands in our memories, we hold their gaze in our memories. We hold their gaze in our memory and sometimes it can be as clear to us as a bird on a sunny day, and sometimes it is as if a fog between us. But we do know that when that fog lifts, when our path is cleared by God's intervention and healing, the vision will become a crystal clear jewel in our hearts that carries our day forward, that leads us back into love, that carries our purpose forward and reminds us of the healing that continues day to day.
Candee: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.
