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
Love Conquers Grief
Today we explore a traditional Rosh Hashanah reading from 1 Samuel about Jonathan's loyal friendship with King David, and; extracts powerful lessons for those on a grief journey. The biblical story demonstrates how love transcends hatred, and ultimately has the healing power to mend our deepest wounds. Especially grief.
• Examination of the biblical story of Jonathan protecting King David from King Saul
• Love is greater than hate, physical harm, and can heal all wounds
• Love, especially God's love, can accompany us through our grief journey
• True and faithful love for God rewards us both in this life and beyond
If you have questions about spiritual direction while grieving, or grief support or grief groups in your community, my contact information is in the show notes.
SPIRITUAL DIRECTION WHILE GRIEVING IS AVAILABLE
Art: https://www.etsy.com/shop/vasonaArts?ref=seller-platform-mcnav
and https://fineartamerica.com/profiles/candee-lucas
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0F2SFH4Z6
Music and sound effects today by: via Pixabay
Welcome to Solace: S oul + Grief. I'm really glad you're here. My name is Candee Lucas. I'm a grief chaplain, spiritual director and host of this podcast. When I started this ministry four years ago, I had hoped to create a catalog of meaningful moments about grief and suffering and how we can travel that grief path and travel with God ever in our hearts and near to us. I was trained by the Jesuits at Santa Clara University and at El Retiro Jesuit Retreat Center in Los Altos, California. Please remember, you're always welcome in our circle of healing, love and support.
Candee:This week is Rosh Hashanah, and so I would like to share a traditional reading for Rosh Hashanah and consider it in light of our grief journeys. The reading is from 1 Samuel, book 20, verses 18-42. --Jonathan said to him 'Tomorrow will be the new moon and you will be missed when your seat remains vacant. So the day after tomorrow, go down all the way to the place where you hid the other time and stay close to the easel stone. Now I will shoot three arrows to one side of it, as though I were shooting at a mark, and I will order the boy to go and find the arrows. If I call to the boy hey, the arrows are on this side of you. Be reassured and come, for you are safe and there is no danger, as the Lord lives. But if, instead, I call to the lad hey, the arrows are beyond you, then leave, for the Lord has sent you away. As for the promise we made to each other, may the Lord be witness between you and me forever.'
Candee:David hid in the field. The new moon came and the king sat down to partake of the meal. When the king took his usual place on the seat by the wall, Jonathan rose and Abner sat down at Saul's side, but David's place remained vacant. That day, however, Saul said nothing. It's accidental. He thought he must be unclean and not yet cleansed. But on the day after the new moon, the second day, David's place was vacant again. So Saul said to his son, Jonathan --'David, why didn't the son of Jesse come to the meal yesterday or today?'-- Jonathan answered Saul, '--David, begged leave of me to go to Bethlehem. He said Please let me go, for we are going to have a family feast in our town and my brother has summoned me to it. Do me a favor, let me slip away to see my kinsman--' That is why he has not come to the king's table.
Candee:Saul flew into a rage against Jonathan, --'you, son of a perverse, rebellious woman,--' he shouted, -- 'I know that you side with the son of Jesse, to your shame and to the shame of your mother's nakedness. For as long as the son of Jesse lives on earth, neither you nor your kingship will be secure. Now, then, have him brought up to me, for he is marked for death.--' But Jonathan spoke up and said to his father '-- why should he be put to death? What has he done at that?--' Saul threw his spear at him to strike him down and Jonathan realized that his father was determined to do away with David. Jonathan rose from the table in a rage. He ate no food on the second day of the new moon because he was grieved about David and because his father had humiliated him.
Candee:In the morning, Jonathan went out into the open for the meeting with David, accompanied by a young boy. He said to the boy '--Run ahead and find the arrows that I shoot--'. As the boy ran, he shot the arrows past him. When the boy came to the place where the arrows shot by Jonathan had fallen and Jonathan called after the boy '--Quick, hurry up, don't stop.--' Jonathan called out '--hey, the arrows are beyond you.--' So Jonathan's boy gathered the arrows and came back to his master. The boy suspected nothing. Only Jonathan and David knew the arrangement. Jonathan handed the gear to his boy and told him '--Take these back to the town.--'
Candee:When the boy got there, David emerged from the concealment at the Negeb. He flung himself face down on the ground and bowed low three times. They kissed each other and wept together. David wept the longer. Jonathan said to David '-- Go in peace, for we too have sworn to each other in the name of the Lord. May the Lord be the witness between you and me and between your offspring and mine forever.--'
Candee:Remember that the setup for this story is God looking out for King David, keeping him safe from his enemies, in this case Saul and his son, Jonathan, who loves David dearly. The story tells us what lengths Jonathan will go to keep David from harm, because he is a true friend. He goes to the extent of disobedience to his father, which would have been a great sin, to save his friend. What lesson does this teach us about grief? It teaches that love is greater than hate. Love is greater than physical harm. Love can heal all wounds. Love can accompany us in our grief. Love, and especially God's love, can heal us, can heal any division, can heal what ails us in our daily lives and can heal what's fundamentally dark in the world. So we should have true and faithful and abiding love for our God, as Jonathan illustrated to King David, and we should reap the rewards here on earth and in the realms to come. Thanks be to God.
Candee:That concludes another episode. A new one drops every Friday morning. You can find us on Apple Music, Spotify and Amazon Music. If you have questions about spiritual direction while grieving, or grief support or grief groups in your community, my contact is in the show notes. Remember always be gentle with yourself and with others. Remember God is traveling with you on this path. Vaya con Dios.
