Dealing with the loss of a loved one is never easy. The untimely loss of a child is extremely difficult as it swiftly hits us at the very core of our hearts.
How are we supposed to deal with the agonizing pain of losing a cherished daughter? For Joe and I, one way of dealing with the unbearable ordeal is through prayers.
Since the day we lost our 16-year old daughter KC, I have turned to the Pink Sisters for comfort and enlightenment.
The Pink Sisters are remarkable prayer warriors. Tucked in seclusion in New Manila, the Pink Sisters are ready to offer their convent as a sanctuary for those seeking inner peace.
Former President Cory and I have found the Pink Sisters’ Mother Prioress Mary Hermenegildes an amiable and strong soul. And in my hour of grief, I thought of her to help me pray for my dearest daughter everyday, until the 40th day of her passing.
Unknown to me, the Mother Prioress even before my request, had already asked one of the nuns in the congregation, Sister Maria Incarnita, to offer special prayers for KC.
When asked by the Mother Prioress, the young Sister Incarnita informed her that she had already started offering prayers for KC, even before the request was made. She didn’t inform the Mother Prioress though that in her prayers, she infused a personal request------she asked for a sign from the Lord that would confirm KC is already in God’s bosom.
Apparently, the young nun had asked the Lord for a new pair of shoes. Her only pair was tattered and needed to be replaced.
On January 25, 2005, we attended a special mass at the Pink Sisters’ chapel, to commemorate the 40th day of KC’s demise. It was the Pink Sisters final day of prayers for KC.
That day passed uneventful for Sister Incarnita. The sign that she had prayed for was nowhere in sight, until the Mother Prioress called her into her office as she had something for Sister Incarnita.
As Sister Incarnita stood in the Mother Prioress’ room, in the pale glow of the convent light, she saw before her a gleaming new pair of shoes!
The shoes were a gift that was originally intended for Sister Mary Hermenegildes. But the pair didn’t fit her because it was a size six. So, the Mother Prioress decided to give it to Sister Incarnita because they were perfect for her size 6 feet.
“Mother, Mother Prioress,” cried Sister Incarnita. “You don’t know it, but this is the sign I have been praying for from the Lord that KC is all right and is in good hands!”
Significantly, the shoes came to the convent on the eve of January 25, the eve of KC’s 40th day----the day which, for the faithful, marks the ascension of the soul to the heaven.
The Mother Prioress didn’t know that Sister Incarnita needed shoes. She didn’t know either that Sister Incarnita had asked for a sign from the Heaven, in the form of a new pair of shoes. Now, was this pair of shoes perhaps intended all along for Sister Incarnita in the roundabout wisdom of the Almighty?
I believe so. And this “miracle of the shoes,” which is how Joe fondly called this story, now tells me that KC, though gone from us, has found her way to God, in the midst of the Angels and the Saints.
This is a story of hope in the midst of a profoundly personal heartbreak to renew and reinforce our faith. More importantly, the ‘miracle of the shoes’ reminds us that God’s perpetual love is the ultimate source of all-pervading comfort.
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Losing a loved one is never easy. My Mom once told me that there is nothing more heartbreaking than losing a child. She said it with tears in her eyes. My Mom, like you, is a strong woman. She lost twins about two decades ago. And like you, she turned to the Lord and prayed for her two boys.
I commend you for your faith and strength, Manay Gina. More than two years ago, I cried with you and your family. KC and I are of the same age and I felt you pain when I saw the footage on TV. Looking back, I see that you have come a long way from the shocked parent I saw.
What I see now is a strong woman who believes that her beloved daughter is at peace with the Lord.
Pairs of shoes are amazing. In your case, it is more than amazing. It is miraculous.
Keep praying.
As I read Manay Gina’s blog on “Miracle of Shoes,” I felt the void inside my heart like her because I also lost my grandmother. It was so hard to accept that she’s gone because I don’t have enough courage and strength to endure the pain of losing her. Her death was so sudden. But it would still take a life time for me to say “I’m ok.”
Her blog really tugged in my heart; it is very sentimental. I burst into tears while reading it. Losing someone we love is never simple; it would crash our hearts into million pieces, feeling as if the world is on your back.
Though we cry so hard, it would never bring them back to life. Yes, I also believe that prayers are the best way to ease the hurt, because through prayers we can talk to them solemnly and in peace. Prayers are the best channel to communicate with God and to the soul of our departed ones. It would also help their soul to find their way to heaven. Let’s face the fact that they left us because they are now in the arms of God.
Just be strong and have faith. Because everything happens for a reason.
A miracle remains unbelievable unless one gets to experience it himself. We have heard much about miracles and its surprising occurrence but we seem to forget that we are all products of it- the miracle of life. It is much the same way as losing a loved one- it is something that one would least expect and want to happen. When it does happen, we succumb to feeling like it is very unreasonable and worse, close to our end. But, maybe there is more to losing a loved one.
I believe that God has his own purpose for such things to happen. Agonizing would not do any help retrieving the life lost. Acceptance accompanied with prayers is the most we can do. When we learn to accept, that’s when we can say that the real miracle has gone our way. It’s never easy to get over such incident but it’s more helpful to see the brighter side than have ourselves consumed by grief. That way, we have not just helped ourselves but also our departed loved ones.
If you will read the book of Job, that is the true picture of suffering. Yet! He didn't blame God.
3 REASONS WHY PEOPLE SUFFER:
1.Because of Sin and wrongdoing (Self-inflicted).
“Do not be deceived: God cannot be mocked. A mean reaps what he sows” Galatians 6:7.
Every sin has its consequences and every wrong decision we have in the past also result in suffering.
Ex. A person who does not take care of his body can get sick.
2. We live in a fallen world (Mysterious).
“Do not be deceived: God cannot be mocked. A man reaps what he sows” Galatians 6:7.
“By the sweat of your brow you will eat your food until you return to the ground, since from it you were taken; for dust you are and to dust you will return” Genesis 3:10.
“Therefore, just as sin entered the world through one man, and death through sin, and in this way death came to all men, because all sinned” Romans 5:12.
We experience suffering as part of the consequence of an even greater sin – the sin committed by Adam. Examples of these are illnesses rooting from genes.
3. Because of Righteousness (Undeserved).
“It is better, if it is God’s will, to suffer for doing good than for doing evil” 1 Peter 3:17.
“He has made everything beautiful in its time” Ecclesiastes 3:11.
Suffering produces patience and perseverance (Romans 5:3).
Patience is the ability to wait on God’s timing. Perseverance is standing firm on the faithfulness of God in the midst of trials and difficulties.
Steps in Growing in Christ
Life Of Sin>Life of Repentance>Faith in God>Being 1 with Christ through Baptism>Prepare to Serve God>Blessing to Other People
then
Eternal Judgment.
1st, who among us who is excited in an examination?
some of us says no, some are yes.
In an ordinary exam, its okay to flunk the prelim, midterm and pass the final exam. But when we talk about exam in life/spiritual life, we cannot take it lightly. we have a saying that "nsa huli ang pagsisisi" but when we talk about things that's about God, its very hard to regret if its too late. So
we don't have to wait for the end. "kasi talagang magsisisi ka"
We will talk about resurrection and eternal judgment.
What does the Bible says about this?
if you will read the book of Hebrews, you will see that Jesus is higher than the angels and etc..
Hebrews 9:27 says
“Just as man is destined to die once, and after that to face judgment, so Christ was sacrificed once to take away the sins of many people; and he will appear a second time, not to bear sin, but to bring salvation to those who are waiting for him”
so whether you like it or not, we will die.
many people does not want to talk about death, why? there is one answer..
because they are not prepared..
its like an exam, if you are prepared, its exciting, if you are not prepared, its not exciting.
but if we talk about eternity, it serves as our final exam in our life, so we should prepare while we are still living in order to pass the eternal judgment.
we should examine ourselves on how we live.
the last breath you have here on earth will be the first breath you will have on heaven.
the last closing of your eyes will be the first opening of your eyes in heaven.
in short.. poof.. its instant..
its not written in the Bible that your soul will spend 40 days here on earth, Only Jesus stayed here for 40 days after His resurrection and He is ALIVE! not DEAD!
we have been deceived! for the Bible says..
“my people are destroyed from lack of knowledge” Hosea 4:6.
and how will we know the truth and what is the effect in knowing the truth?
“To the Jews who had believed him, Jesus said, ‘If you hold to my teaching, you are really my disciples. Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free” John 8:31-32.
so what will happen in our eternity?
1. Great White Throne judgment (Judgment of the Unbelievers).
“And I saw the dead, great and small, standing before the throne, and books were opened. Another book was opened, which is the book of life. The dead were judged according to what they had done as recorded in the books” Revelations 20:12.
“If anyone’s name was not found written in the book of life, he was thrown into the lake of fire” Revelations 20:15.
Those whose names are not found in the book of life will be thrown into the lake of fire. This is the final judgment. We are saved by grace through faith (Ephesians 2:8), our works cannot save us.
2. Judgment seat of Christ (Judgment of the believers’ works).
“For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, that each one may receive what is due him for the things done while in the body, whether good or bad” 2 Corinthians 5:10.
we don't have a choice but to be judge by God. There is no exemption, for the verse says ALL!
so our eternity is based on how we live our life here on earth as a Believer of Christ.
So we must pray for the living not for the dead.
The living has a chance to be saved, but the dead has none.
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