Grief is a part of life. There are none among us who are exempt from its painful touch. There are none among us who can claim that we have never experienced a loss. Whether it was the loss of a pet or a life partner, we have all experienced the bitter sting of tears.

The good news is that the intense pain we often feel in times of such loss can be mediated. In the above verse from the Beatitudes of Jesus in Matthew's Gospel, we have the promise that those who mourn will be comforted. That promise is both an innate spiritual reality and a challenge to us as people of faith. And make no mistake, it takes faith to trust that the searing pain of losing a loved one will not continue forever with the same intensity with which we experience it in the present.

The challenging aspect arises when we consider that being agents of hope and comfort is part and parcel of this life of faith to which we have been called and drawn. The longer we live in a relationship with God, the more we find our capacity to feel empathy and compassion for others expanded and deepened. The challenge is often for us to move beyond self, to look beyond our own parochial concerns, and to see the larger vista that lies before us. Opportunities abound for us to practice random acts of love and senseless compassion. Are we open to seeing them.

Hear the message from the most recent Sunday service.