Our Life’s Journey

All of us will eventually come to the end of our journey here on earth. For Christians the belief is that life is changed but not ended. We are all on a journey, and many of us will experience loss. We have hope in Christ, but that is not to deny that we will indeed grieve for our lost loved one and experience broken hearts.

You never replace a person who has died as we are all unique. We will discover new loves, but we will not and should not forget. Perhaps God’s plan is to create a unity among people – ‘May they be one as you and I, Father, are one.’ When we lose someone dear we can comfort each other as Jesus taught, but I don’t think he ever meant that one person could replace another. 

Your loved one will leave behind many treasured memories. Perhaps they had their own ritual, and we can celebrate their life by repeating this. We can also do something in their memory, such as planting a tree or dedicating a book. This piece is dedicated to my much-loved mother who passed away recently. I am lucky to have the support of friends and family, but I miss her a lot. No one will replace your lost loved one. But love can’t go nowhere and love cannot die.

Mary Hunt, The Sacred Heart Messenger, November 2023