Memory Eternal!

Recently I learned of some tragic news. A co-worker, who had buried his seven year old son in March due to brain cancer, now had to bury his wife because of a catastrophic stroke. His wife had been 32 weeks pregnant at the time, and fortunately they were able to save the baby before she slipped into a coma, and two weeks later passed on. He is now left with a newborn infant and a five year old son.

One may ask, “where is the hope in this situation?” The hope is in the resurrection.

As Christ promises in John 11:25, “Jesus said: I am the resurrection. Anyone who believes in me, even though that person dies, will live, and whoever lives and believes in me will never die.”

Knowing that this person’s wife did believe in Christ, we can believe that she will be resurrected.

Now I know that in a tragedy like this, these quotes are about as comforting as a piece of paper in place of a blanket. But we have to hold on to them, for if we let go, what else do we have?

In hope, we already have salvation; in hope, not visibly present, or we should not be hoping -- nobody goes on hoping for something which is already visible. But having this hope for what we cannot yet see, we are able to wait for it with persevering confidence. And as well as this, the Spirit too comes to help us in our weakness, for, when we do not know how to pray properly, then the Spirit personally makes our petitions for us in groans that cannot be put into words; and he who can see into all hearts knows what the Spirit means because the prayers that the Spirit makes for God's holy people are always in accordance with the mind of God. We are well aware that God works with those who love him, those who have been called in accordance with his purpose, and turns everything to their good. Romans 7:24-28

I will not pretend that this will take away the pain of those who mourn the loss of this wife, mother, daughter, sister, and friend. I will not pretend that this will be a band-aid to their wound. There is a long road of grieving ahead of them. But I do pray that the hope we have in Christ will be of some comfort to them during this time of sorrow.

Trisagion Memorial Prayer for the departed

"O God of spirits and of all flesh, Who has trampled down Death and overthrown the Devil, and given life unto Your world, give, we beseech You, eternal rest to the soul of Your departed servant, in a place of brightness, in a place of verdure, in a place of repose, from whence all pain, sorrow, and
sighing, have fled away.

Pardon, we beseech You, every transgression which may have been committed, whether by word or deed or thought. For there is no man who lives and does not commit a sin. You only are without sin, Your righteousness is everlasting, and Your word is the Truth.

For You are the Resurrection, and the Life, and the repose of Your departed servant, O Christ our God, and unto You we ascribe glory, together with eternal the Father, and Your Most Holy, and Good, and Life-giving Spirit, now and forever, and for ages to come." Amen

"May our gracious and merciful Lord, who rose from the dead, Christ, our True God, through the intercessions of His Holy Mother and of all the Saints, establish the soul of His departed servant in the mansions of the righteous; give rest in the bosom of Abraham, and number his soul among the
just, and have mercy upon us and save us".

Memory Eternal.
Memory Eternal.
Memory Eternal.