Death and So many Blessings

This past week we celebrated the life of my aunt Grace who passed on to The Lord on April 12th, which is also the anniversary of her father's passing many years ago. 

My aunt suffered a lot with her health over the years but her mind and her faith never never failed her. Every week she went to mass and prayed her rosary prayers. After my uncle's mind failed him she could no longer go to mass unless someone else took her.

She never drove a car and relied on her husband and others in the family to help her. After her body started to fail her, she could no longer go to mass but watched faithfully at home thanks to EWTN Catholic television. 

She also continued to pray her rosary prayers with Mother Angelica every day again thanks to the gift of EWTN. I know it is in part because of her prayers and faithfulness that so many in my family are returning home to The Catholic Church. Yet she never judged but corrected us with kindness! 

But this article is not about my aunt, if you would like to know more about her life you can read the obituary that my mom wrote for her. Here  This article is about all of the blessing that I my family received this past week despite preparing for and attending my aunts funeral. 

I love Funerals

Those who know me the closest may have heard me say that "I love funerals." This may seem odd to some but I do love them. This month of April I attended two funerals, my aunt was one them. 

I know it sounds odd and to the world, it most definitely does. The world and people of the world have trouble with death. No it is not a fun thing to experience the passing of a loved one. Especially if the person who died was young or died suddenly. 

When I say that I love funerals I do not mean to say that I love it when people die, ABSOLUTELY NOT! It's also not to say that it is not also a sad occasion for the family and friends of the deceased. The death of a loved one is always a sad occasion especially if the person was not a believer in Christ. 

Or if the person did not live a full life, then of course this is a very sad occasion. But in this case my aunt was 83 had a pretty full life, and towards the end was suffering a lot. And as a faithful Catholic Christian who had received all of her sacraments including the anointing of the sick. 

She was ready to go! And we know where she is and believe that it's a much better place then here. "For our citizenship is in heaven, from which we also eagerly wait for the Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ, who will transform our lowly body that it may be conformed to His glorious body, according to the working by which He is able even to subdue all things to Himself." (Philippians 3:20-21 NKJV) 

But why do I love funerals?

In the last ten years of my life my family has been to a lot of funerals. My husband saw the passing of his grandmother, then my sister died at 32 years old, then my sister in law died at 51, then my uncle Frank, and now my aunt Grace. 

Each passing was for a different reason and yes some were more sad than others. And each one was indeed a difficult time in life for my family. But there was one thing in common at every funeral, Jesus Christ Truly Present in The Eucharist and the Witness of our beautiful Faith to others. 

Also each time my family came together, and for most of the funerals we had a rosary and a mass. Even for the one funeral that we had for my husbands grandmother who did not have a mass, God was so good and ministered His Word to us through her pastor and those who were present. 

God is good! 

This time around God didn't hold back and once again my family came together. We prayed the rosary together, and then had mass together. At the rosary a good friend of mine was there with me and I was so thankful. 

For the last couple years I been wanting to give this friend a rosary. I know how much praying consistently helps me with my life. I also believe in the power of the rosary so naturally I felt that my friend could benefit from it too. I was so thankful that God gave me this opportunity and I happen to bring extra rosary's that I could give to her.  

The next day we had the funeral mass and God gifted me once again with another friend of mine who graciously came for moral support. I'm not sure how much mass experience she has had but I was blessed to have her there. And I believe God was blessing her too. 

Also many other non Catholic family and friends were their to celebrate my aunt as it was for my sister's and uncle's. And there is no higher prayer than the mass. I know God sends us His Grace every time we attend mass for whatever reason. 

And that is a beautiful thing! 

All in all yes the circumstances which lead to a funeral are indeed a sad occasion. No one wants to lose a loved one to death. But God always brings us good gifts of Grace through it to those who believe in Him. 

I really believe that! 

In Conclusion

I'm so thankful for the gift of unity that God has given to myself and family. I accept it where I can get it. God is good! I'm so thankful to the opportunities He gives us to know Him, and to see Him in Action in The Mass. I love how He brings us all together during these difficult times and allows us to share our faith with others. 

Yet my prayer continues... 

Jesus Truly Present in The Blessed Sacrament of The Eucharist I believe, help my unbelief, and the unbelief of al my friends and my family, my husband and my children. Jesus help us all to know you and love you, may we all recognize you in the breaking of The bread. (John 6, Luke 24:13-35) 

Amen

Thank you for taking the time to read this, God bless! 

Please follow for more. 

JU

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