As I sit and have my cup of coffee with Jesus, I was thinking about grieving. Grief is a difficult task to undertake. Yesterday, one of my friends went to see the Lord. Father Larry was a priest for over 50 years and spent the last 28 years coming to my parishes, celebrating both Easter and Christmas, and spent a month in the summer (takes a special friend to come to Bakersfield in June and July!) He spent his life in Catholic education, but, most of all, he had a deep and close relationship with Our Lord.
I will miss our Sunday night talks, the holidays, the traveling, and the summers. I will miss my friend. But I also sit out daily talking with our Lord, dreaming of that time that I see Jesus face to face.
I know there are stages of grieving. I have watched them and been through this before. Today, I am going to choose to celebrate my friend! I am having a second cup of coffee with Jesus and thanking HIM for the years he gave me with him. I am going to reflect on his new life with our Lord, a life that he worked so hard for. I am going to lift up his family, the Marianist community, and all the lives he impacted. And I say, “Well done, my good and faithful servant, go and share your Master’s reward.” And you would be very proud of your family, they think of you every day, they feel your presence, and they trust in God.
Have a blessed day!
5 comments
My condolences, He was a wonderful speaker,I always admired his presence .
Eternal rest grant unto him, O Lord, and let perpetual light shine upon him .
May the souls of the faithful departed, through the mercy of God, rest in peace.
Amen.
My condolences! May he rest in peace! Amen and GOD BLESS EVERYONE!
Good Morning Father Craig Thank you for sharing . And I’m sorry for your loss . Prayers for you and his family Have a Blessed Sunday ♥️🙏🙏🙏
Our sincere condolences to you and the family of your friend. Please pray for our family as we just lost our father. I will follow your lead and celebrate my father’s life and be at peace knowing he is with our Lord. Thank you all your inspiring messages
Thank you for sharing your messages and videos dear friend. As you told us one morning at breakfast in Bakersfield, “this is just a temporary life. Our real life is with God”. We may not have the exact words you said but your words left an impact on us. God Bless you and God Bless Larry. He is where we all want to be.