All Saints Day – In Memorium

Later today we will be holding our annual Memorial Service, where we particularly remember those we have loved who have gone before us. I know several people whom I have invited in the past to attend this service, telling me, ‘O, I can’t. It upsets me too much. I shall just cry.’ My own answer is, ‘Yes. It can be sad, you may cry, but it also can be uplifting and comforting; a quiet time to remember, not just the sadness or the loss, or the emptiness in our lives now, but the good and happy times shared. What matter if tears are shed. They can be cleansing and healing.

Many people get angry, and blame God for taking away the person they loved or causing them to suffer intolerable pain, and to a certain extent that is understandable. But we cannot continually blame God for all that happens. Wasn’t it Jesus, God’s Son who said-

'Come unto me, all who are weary and heavy laden, and I will give you rest.’ (Matthew 11;28)

‘God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, so that everyone who believes in Him shall have eternal life.’ (John 3:16) Just trust in Him.

I well remember words spoken by Reverend Vernon Nicholls, then Vicar at St. Matthew’s, when preaching at an Evensong service here at St. Martin’s. He said, that if we just kept saying ‘Why? Why, did that good person have to suffer so and die before their time? Why did that bad person, who did evil things prosper and live? We might just as well stand by the wall and hit our head against it, and that that would be all the answer we might get.’ He went on to say, we should take something from the life and love for the person who is no longer with us here on earth, and make ourselves better persons; more caring, more useful and helpful. This is extremely hard to do I know, but there are many people who have been able to do this, and although I have failed miserably, I do try. With faith in God and his undying love, I am sure we can all gain comfort and peace in our hearts to go on alone until we are reunited with our loved ones.

Doreen