John 16:20
Amen, amen, I say to you, you will weep and mourn, while the world rejoices; you will grieve, but your grief will become joy.
In my time being formed for the priesthood of Jesus Christ, I have had the opportunity to serve many funerals, and most of those have been for complete strangers. Funerals are usually events that people don't enjoy, the thought of their loved one dying and never seeing them again is just too much to bear, and rightly so. When we have great love for a person, saying goodbye is the most difficult and painful that we could experience, for the very fact that we truly loved them is seen in the pain we carry and the loss we feel. However, what I enjoy about funerals is the central message on the hope of the resurrection in Christ. This is what the celebration of a Christian funeral is all about, and in a small way we celebrate during the feast of Ascension. Just as Jesus went up into heaven, we to will do after this life on the day of the resurrection when the Lord will bring about the total fulfillment of time in his love and mercy. We are bereaved at this moment in life when we lose friends and loved ones, but we should never forget the hope of the resurrection, and the eternal life to come. Where Christ went first, we too will go.
Get to know our seminarians! Today's reflection was written by:
Deacon Joshua Bertrand, Theology IV
Home parish: University of South Florida Catholic Student Center / Corpus Christi
Did you know...
I'm from Kissimmee, Florida. I graduated with a degree in History from USF. I'm currently studying Dogmatic Theology at the Pontifical Gregorian University.
Pray with us for the men and women discerning the priesthood and religious life. To pray for our seminarians by name or to find out more about the Diocese of St. Petersburg vocations office, click here.
