April 15, 2023
“Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted.”
– Jesus
Some of us don’t like to talk. Some of us never raised our hands in class. Some of us could be dying inside, and when someone asks, “How’s it going?” we respond, “Great.” Some of us, as the old saying goes, prefer to “Suffer in silence.” When you’re grieving, that’s a problem.
The first step in the healing process is to acknowledge our feelings and then figure out what to do about them. “The New Day Journal” by Dominican Sister Mauryeen O’Brien, O.P. says, “One of the biggest help for doing this is to learn to acknowledge our feelings to ourselves and to express them to others.” The concept is so important, it bears repeating: “Express them to others.
Opening up is never easy, particularly when people are afraid of “getting emotional” by revealing their hidden suffering. But there are steps you can take to move forward on your grief journey. Start by talking to someone who’s close and someone you trust. No one likes to bare their soul to an insincere listener.
And never ever underestimate the importance of sitting in front of the Tabernacle and telling Jesus about your pain. Healing miracles occur in the presence of the Blessed Sacrament.
You don’t even have to talk. There’s a story about St. John Vianney, who would often enter his church and find an old farmer sitting in the pew, looking at the Tabernacle. When the priest asked what he was doing, the humble man responded, “I look at Him and He looks at me.”
“Looking at Him” with the eyes of your heart is the beginning of contemplative prayer. God understands your suffering even before you express it … even if you don’t express it. By putting yourself in the presence of the Blessed Sacrament, you are trusting Him to help you when your heart is overwhelmed with pain. He will.
***
God understands your suffering even before you express it.