When It's Hard · Grief & Loss
Death of a Loved One
For when you feel: grief, funeral, lost my mom/dad/friend, mourning
The Lord is nigh unto them that are of a contrite heart: and he will save the humble of spirit.
And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes: and death shall be no more. Nor mourning, nor crying, nor sorrow shall be any more, for the former things are passed away.
The MinuteHomily
There is a moment after the funeral, or after the phone call, when the house goes quiet and grief simply sits down beside you. Grief is love with nowhere to put itself, and Scripture never rushes it; Jesus wept at a tomb He was about to open. But God does make two promises worth holding with both hands. The first is nearness. "The LORD is nigh unto them that are of a broken heart," nearest of all, in fact, to the heart that is breaking. The second is that this is not the last chapter. A day is coming when God Himself will wipe away every tear, and death will be the thing that dies. Until then, cry when you need to. He counts every tear, and He keeps them.
By the MinuteHomily editors
A prayer for this moment
Lord, be near my broken heart today. Hold the one I love, hold me, and hold us both until the morning when every tear is wiped away. Amen.
“We have loved him during life; let us not abandon him in prayer.”
after St. Ambrose
Hymns for this moment
“Be Not Afraid” · Bob Dufford, SJ
“In Paradisum” · chant
the Church's ancient song of farewell
One small step
Light a candle, say their name to God, and thank Him for one specific memory.
Share this moment
This card travels with the link. Text it or post it, and the verse card appears on its own.
