As I was searching my Bible to meditate on the Beatitudes, a little card felt out. My Bible is a treasure trove of "estampitas" (prayer cards) and "recordatorios" (remembrance cards). Every time I attend a baptism, first communion or funeral, the card will inevitably end up inside my Bible. So on this night, as I was sitting by the bay in the retreat house, I opened the Bible and a card flew out and landed on my feet. I picked it up and this is what I saw:
As I stared at Danny's beautiful face, tears began to roll down my face. The memory of the day he passed away just eight months earlier came rushing into my mind. I was in Hallandale where I had gone for the weekend and my son Alex called me from Connecticut, weeping on the phone: "Danny is going to die. I want to come home." I didn't know how to console my young son so I just told him: "Don't worry, I'll fly you home." He was right. Danny slipped away that night into the Father's arms. So as I stared at this young face, so full of life, I looked up to heaven and I asked: "Why God? Why did You have to take him home at such a young age? He was only 19, God, he had his whole life ahead of him, why did you need him in heaven? What was the point of sending him to earth for such a short time?" I turned the card around and as I read the prayer of Tecumseh, I was overcome by incredible peace:
Prepare a noble death song for the day when you go over the Great Divide. Always give a word or a sign of salute when meeting or passing a friend, even a stranger, when in a lonely place. Show respect to all people and bow to none. When you arise in the morning, give thanks for the food and for the Joy of Living. If you see no reason for giving thanks, the fault lies only in yourself. Abuse no one and nothing, for abuse turns the wise ones to fools and robs the Spirit of its Vision.
When it comes your time to die, be not like those whose hearts are filled with fear of death, so that when their time comes they weep and pray for a little more time to live their lives over again in a different way. Sing your death Song and die like a Hero going Home."
Tecumseh was a Native American leader of the Shawnee Indian tribe. American forces killed Tecumseh in the Battle of the Thames, in October 1813 after he wrote the above prayer. Danny, whose dream was to join the United States Army, lived by the above motto. So as I read the prayer, I felt a peace that could only come from above and I knew that Danny was fine in heaven, fighting in God's army.
But then my thoughts turned towards his mother, Peggy. "What about her God? Do you have any idea how much she is suffering? Is it fair to her that she has to go through this?" And as I was thinking that, an image of Mama Mary filled my heart and a thought invaded my mind: "It wasn't fair to Mama Mary either." Mama Mary had to watch her Son be crucified when He was innocent. She had to remain on earth for many years after Jesus went up to heaven. Those had to be difficult years for her but God gave her the strength to endure. Just like I know that God will give Peggy the strength to go on here on earth while striving to keeping her dear boy's memory alive.
The storm of mourning is very difficult because the pain diminishes but never really goes away. Only God can bring calmness to the troubled sea raging on inside. God is the only one that can bring peace in the midst of the storm. And we have to hold on to the hope that after the storm, comes salvation. This world with its troubles, aches and pains is not our home. Eventually we will reunite with our loved ones in a kingdom where there will be just peace and calmness. The hope of Heaven is the ultimate hope that Jesus came to bring us. Sooner than we think, we are going to leave this world of sorrow and pain.
In the meantime, suffering is part of the price that we have to pay for the joy of the resurrection. Pain in this life is inevitable but misery is optional. Affliction transforms lives either for God or for devastation. God talks to us through the storm. We can choose to listen or we can choose to turn away from Him. Even in the storm, there are reasons to thank God. "If you see no reason for giving thanks, the fault lies only in yourself."
Our suffering has redeeming value. Just like Jesus paid the price so we can have redemption and salvation, our suffering helps other people too. I learned not too long ago that when we are suffering, we can offer our pain for someone that is caught up in a worst storm than we are. I mentioned that to my father when he was undergoing one of his painful skin grafts. I told him to offer up the pain for one of the many children undergoing chemotherapy. It seemed to make the pain more bearable for him.
Jesus suffered the cross for us and through His redemption we can taste the salvation and the joy of eternal life. When we look at Christ on the cross, we have hope that something better is coming. When we are in the midst of the storm, we have hope that something good is coming our way. After every storm, there is a sunrise. After the rain, there is a rainbow. After death, there is life.
Jesus loves us. He cares for us. He is faithful to His promise. He doesn't forget about us. He will be with us until the end of times. And even though those who are mourning may find it difficult to believe that God truly cares, Jesus is carrying them in the darkness of the storm.
The storm of mourning is very difficult because the pain diminishes but never really goes away. Only God can bring calmness to the troubled sea raging on inside. God is the only one that can bring peace in the midst of the storm. And we have to hold on to the hope that after the storm, comes salvation. This world with its troubles, aches and pains is not our home. Eventually we will reunite with our loved ones in a kingdom where there will be just peace and calmness. The hope of Heaven is the ultimate hope that Jesus came to bring us. Sooner than we think, we are going to leave this world of sorrow and pain.
In the meantime, suffering is part of the price that we have to pay for the joy of the resurrection. Pain in this life is inevitable but misery is optional. Affliction transforms lives either for God or for devastation. God talks to us through the storm. We can choose to listen or we can choose to turn away from Him. Even in the storm, there are reasons to thank God. "If you see no reason for giving thanks, the fault lies only in yourself."
Our suffering has redeeming value. Just like Jesus paid the price so we can have redemption and salvation, our suffering helps other people too. I learned not too long ago that when we are suffering, we can offer our pain for someone that is caught up in a worst storm than we are. I mentioned that to my father when he was undergoing one of his painful skin grafts. I told him to offer up the pain for one of the many children undergoing chemotherapy. It seemed to make the pain more bearable for him.
Jesus suffered the cross for us and through His redemption we can taste the salvation and the joy of eternal life. When we look at Christ on the cross, we have hope that something better is coming. When we are in the midst of the storm, we have hope that something good is coming our way. After every storm, there is a sunrise. After the rain, there is a rainbow. After death, there is life.
Jesus loves us. He cares for us. He is faithful to His promise. He doesn't forget about us. He will be with us until the end of times. And even though those who are mourning may find it difficult to believe that God truly cares, Jesus is carrying them in the darkness of the storm.
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