There are days that are seminal in people’s lives. Ones that define not only a persons life, but a family’s. Perhaps one of the hardest is when a child dies in a family. Today is the 51st anniversary of my twin brother, Gregory’s, death. That day changed pretty much everything for my family. My mother had to deal with the death of a child while her two remaining children mourned. She was so incredibly strong. My sister lost so much because she was old enough to feel the loss but too young to have people realize her loss. Others carried guilt that I cannot imagine. We find ourselves in this time watching people dying while we could do something to prevent it. Every day I wish I could have prevented my brother’s death. We have an opportunity to make it so that many people don’t have to feel the pain my family felt.
Comforting God, we are in a time where too many people are again sick and dying. Help us to see the path that leads beyond the present pandemic. May we struggle so much with the loss of even one more person to this pandemic, that we finally make our personal decisions about protecting others, over our own desire to be free from the restrictions that will limit the damage of the pandemic. We know the loss of those we love. and do not want others to feel that pain. We miss the chances that could have been with those we love and see no longer. Give us the strength to care for life so much that we do what is right so that others don’t feel the pain of the loss of their child. May we celebrate those we have lost more than we mourn their loss. Allow God to guide us into the love which passes understanding. Amen
Prayers for Challenging Times 