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
Extraordinary Grace/Ordinary Moments
This episode invites you to explore how grief intertwines with daily routines and how God can be found in every moment of our lives. We share insights and practices to transform ordinary life into a spiritual journey.
• Understand the pervasive presence of grief in daily life
• Explore Karl Rahner's teachings on the intersection of routine and spirituality
• Practical steps to engage with God through everyday tasks
Feel free to send any questions you might have about grieving to my email.
As you listen, consider sending me your thoughts and questions on grief, both spiritual and practical, so we can walk this path together.
SPIRITUAL DIRECTION WHILE GRIEVING IS AVAILABLE FREE OF CHARGE
You can reach us at: candeelucas@soulplusgrace.com to arrange personal spiritual direction and for questions and concerns.
Music and sound effects today by: via Pixabay
I welcome you to Solace: Soul + Grief. My name's Candee Lucas and I'm a grief chaplain. I accompany those who are grieving any kind of loss, and I ask that you let me accompany you today. You're always welcome in this circle of healing, love and support. Remember, we are all on this journey together.
Candee:Some days there is grief in every corner of the room. You can move to another room, but you can spot grief in those corners too. So there's not a room, a safe room. And when I find myself at sixes and sevens, on those days when I can't escape those corners, I look to some of my favorite authors, including the Jesuit Karl Rahner, who was largely the greatest influence at Vatican II, and so today I want to share some of his words with you.
Candee:"O God, it seems we can lose sight of you in anything we do. It seems we can lose sight of you in anything we do. Not even prayer or the holy sacrifice, or the quiet of the cloister, and even the great disillusion with life itself can fully safeguard us from this danger, and thus it's clear that even these sacred, non-routine things belong ultimately to our routine. It's evident that routine is not just part of my life, not even just the greatest part, but the whole. Every day is every day. Everything I do is routine, because everything can rob me of the one and only thing I really need, which is you, my God.
Candee:Rahner tells us that God comes to us continually, both directly and indirectly. He demands of us both work and pleasure, and wills that each should not be hindered but rather strengthened by the other. Thus the interior man possesses his life in both these ways, in activity and in rest, and he is whole and undivided in each of them. For he is entirely in God when he joyfully rests and he is entirely in himself when he actively loves. This interior man is constantly being challenged and admonished by God to renew both his rest and his work. Thus he finds justice, thus he makes his way to God with sincere love and everlasting works. He enters into God by means of this pleasure-giving tendency to eternal rest, and while he abides in God, still he goes out to all creatures in an all-embracing love, in virtue and justice, and that is the highest stage of the interior life. Since we do much of our grieving and much of our mourning in our interior life, it is important to pay attention to the movement of God inside of us.
Candee:And Rahner goes on. --Those who do not possess both rest and work in one and the same exercise have not yet attained this kind of justice. No, just man can be hindered in his interior recollection, for he recollects himself as much in pleasure as in activity. He is like a double mirror reflecting images on both sides. In the higher part of his spirit, he receives God together with all his gifts. In the lower, he takes in corporeal images through his senses and he closes Before you. All multiplicity becomes one In you. All that has been scattered is reunited In your love. All that has been merely external is made again true and genuine In your love. All the diffusion of the day's chores comes home again to the evening of your unity, which is eternal life. This love which can allow my daily routine to remain routine and still transform it into a homecoming to you, this love only you can give. So what should I form it into A homecoming to you? This love, only you can give. So what should I form it into A homecoming to you? This love only you can give. So what should I say to you now, as I come to lay my everyday routine before you? There is only one thing I can beg for, and that is your most ordinary and most. Touch my heart with this grace, o Lord, and when I reach out in joy or in sorrow for the things of this world, grant that through them I may know and love you, their maker and final home, you who are love itself, give me the grace of love, give me yourself, so that all my days be finally empty into the one day of your eternal life.--
Candee:And at the close, Rahner asks questions of us. He asks us to offer our daily routines to God. We could do this by praying over our daily appointment book or calendar as a sign of daily routine, or in any other way. We can write a description of the big picture life task that we're reaching for. Is this the way of practicing the discipline of service? Make a list of the most unremarkable, ordinary, boring things that happened today. Was this unremarkable day rather typical of your daily routine?
Candee:And Rahner closes with this direct prayer to God: "Before you, all multiplicity becomes one In you. All that has been scattered is reunited In your love. All that has been merely external is made again true and genuine. In your love, all the diffusion of the day's chores comes home again to the evening of your unity, which is eternal life. This love which can allow my daily routine to remain routine and still transform it into a homecoming to you, this love only you can give. So what should I say to you now as I come to lay my evening routine before you? There is only one thing I can beg for, and that is your most ordinary and most exalted gift the grace of your love. Touch my heart with this grace, o Lord. Touch my heart with this grace, o Lord, when I reach out, in joy or in sorrow, for the things of this world. Grant that through them I may know and love you, their Maker and final home. You who are love itself. Give me the grace of love, give me yourself, so that all my days may finally empty into the one day of your eternal life.
Candee:That concludes this week's episode. You can find us on Apple, Spotify or Amazon. Feel free to send any questions you might have about grieving to my email. In the show notes I'll try to answer any questions you have in the future. Remember I'm always available for spiritual direction by Zoom to those who are grieving. Please reach out to me. If you have this need, be safe. Travel with God always at your side. Vaya con Dios.
