Beyond Sunday / March 21, 2023

Grieving Like Jesus

In light of the upcoming Sunday Mass reading about the raising of Lazarus — which features the anger of his sisters, Martha and Mary, and the grief of Jesus who would raise him back to life — Rakhi and Nicole have a vulnerable conversation about grief and loss. They share from their own experiences, discuss how inviting your children to witness your grief can be powerful, and encourage listeners to grieve in community and seek necessary support through counseling, therapy, etc.

This episode of Beyond Sunday is sponsored by OSV Catholic Bookstore, publisher of Marian Consecration for Families with Young Children. Lead your family to Jesus through Mary, with this book by Detroit local, Colleen Pressprich, and grow in your devotion to Our Lady. Use code “52SUN” for 20% off your purchase of this beautiful Marian resource.

Show Notes

(01:30) Rakhi asks Nicole if she is a crier and Nicole shares about how it takes a lot to make her cry, especially in public. The two discuss different things that make them cry and evoke strong emotional responses.

(04:19) They introduce this week’s topic of grief and loss, based on the Gospel reading about the raising of Lazarus and the reality that Jesus wept. They highlight how the pandemic has brought about a lot of loss, but also has led many to bury their grief and not fully experience it. They discuss recent experiences of grief and loss felt in their communities.

(08:04) Focusing on the Gospel story, they emphasize how Jesus took time to grieve, even knowing that he would be able to bring Lazarus (or anyone) back to life. They highlight the responses of Martha and Mary in their anger in the wake of the loss of their brother.

(09:28) Nicole shares her familiarity with loss, opening up about the three miscarriages she and her husband have experienced. She describes resisting bringing God into her grief.

(13:03) Rakhi shares that there can be a power in letting our children see us grieve. They discuss how grief can be isolating, but how it is meant to be communal, and can be shared with our children in appropriate ways.

(18:14) They discuss the power of redemptive suffering and how enduring loss can be redemptive. They highlight how Jesus models this for us and meets us in our grief. They offer encouragement to anyone listening who might be grieving in isolation to reach out to someone, to their community, for support. They share how they’ve seen communities show up for people in grief and how powerful that can be.

(23:57) They encourage listeners to seek guidance, counseling, therapy, etc. if needed, highlighting the fact that God wants us to have life in abundance and that it’s not a lack of faith to seek professional help. They also encourage listeners to pray for the souls of loved ones they’ve lost and the souls of Purgatory with their families.

This episode of Beyond Sunday is sponsored by OSV Catholic Bookstore, publisher of Marian Consecration for Families with Young Children. Lead your family to Jesus through Mary, with this book by Detroit local, Colleen Pressprich, and grow in your devotion to Our Lady. Use code “52SUN” for 20% off your purchase of this beautiful Marian resource.