When those closest to us die, we may feel saddened by the fact that we can no longer thank them for the blessing they were in our own lives. We may have wanted to thank them one last time, but were unable to do so because of a sudden death.
However, as Catholics, we believe that we can still express our gratitude to them through our prayers.
Pope Benedict XVI explained how our love can reach beyond the grave in his encyclical Spe salvi.
Our love can reach our beloved deceased family and friends primarily through our prayers for them.
It is consoling to know that we can still touch, in a spiritual way, our beloved dead. They can still hear us and receive our gratitude. This reality should give us hope, knowing that even the grave can not separate us from our loved ones.
We may miss those who have died, but through our prayers, we can still be connected to them and help them on their way to Heaven.
