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One of the most difficult
things I’ve ever had to do as
a parent was telling my kids
that their Aunt Kelly had
died. At the time they were only six and
two and didn’t fully comprehend the
concept of death, but they knew
enough—especially Maddie, my six-year-old. She understood that Aunt
Kelly wouldn’t be stopping by to visit
anymore or that they wouldn’t be
going shopping together.
“I won’t ever see her again, will I?”
I remember her asking.
As I struggled to explain it the best
way Maddie’s little mind could understand,
the only thing I could think to
say was, “Yes, honey, you will see her
again one day.” At that moment I was
extremely grateful that I could lean on
my faith and the hope of the Resurrection
for assistance. It was comforting
that I could tell her—and believe it
myself—that one day she would see
her Aunt Kelly again.
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 Not ‘Good-bye’
This month, as we celebrate Holy
Week and Easter, we once again take
the journey with Jesus from death
to new life through the crucifixion
and resurrection. It is those precise
events that provide me with that comfort of eternal life.
I was reminded of this again recently
when my sister’s nephew was killed in
a car accident. As her family struggled
through the days immediately following
the crash and the funeral, her eight-year-old son, Russell, asked them,
“Why are you sad? Bryan will always be
with us in our hearts.” Talk about an
Easter moment!
The opening sentence of the General
Introduction of the Order of Christian
Funerals sums it up, saying, “In the face
of death, the Church confidently proclaims
that God has created each person
for eternal life and that Jesus, the
Son of God, by his death and resurrection,
has broken the chains of sin and
death that bound humanity.”
Honestly, I find the hope of the Resurrection
to be one of the most comforting
aspects of my faith. I need to
believe that some day I will once again
be joined with loved ones who have
gone before me in death, that death is
not “good-bye,” but rather, “Until we
meet again.”
Celebrating Life
As we celebrate Christ’s suffering, death
and resurrection in the Easter season,
here are tips for remembering those
moments in our own lives:
Celebrate Christ’s resurrection. Take
part in your parish’s Holy Week and
Easter services. Try to reflect on them in
terms of your own life experience.
Keep the memories alive. Even
though someone may no longer physically
be with us, his/her memory certainly
lives on. Take time to tell stories
about that person, display pictures or
let others know what he or she meant
to you.
For instance, both of my grandparents
passed away before any of my kids
were born, but they are very aware of
what my grandparents looked like
(because of pictures around our home)
and what they were like (thanks to the
many stories I have shared with them).
Tap into the power of the communion
of saints. During the Easter season,
pray to and for a loved one who
has died.
Don’t rush to the resurrection part. Let’s be honest: Dealing with the death
of a loved one is going to be tough,
even if we believe in the Resurrection.
Give yourself time to grieve. A counselor
once told me that it can take a
year or longer for the loss to sink in
fully.
Be there for Ordinary Time. After
the funeral and the following few
months, people often tend to fall back
into the day-to-day routines of their
lives, and may forget those still affected
by the loss of a loved one. Make an
effort to be present for those everyday
struggles. Send a note, pick up the
phone and call to plan a lunch date or
just to see how he or she is doing.
Remember that the deceased person’s
birthday or other important anniversaries
of his or her life remain important
to family members.
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