“Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted” (Matthew 5:4 NRSV).

   My father departed from this world to eternal life this past summer. It is a curious thing to wake up one day without one of the people who has been in my life since before I took my first breath and who helped form who I am on the most foundational level. Grief has its predictable stages: “denial, anger, bargaining, depression and acceptance,” according to the Kubler-Ross model. But I would like to share some of the blessings I have learned from this short interval of grieving the loss of my dad.

   First, the shock for me was evident. I thought I was prepared because I knew my dad would not be with us much longer due to his declining health. It surprised me how one can function through this loss. The blessing of family, friends, and faith are not to be understated. Grief brings clarity. “The Lord is near to the brokenhearted, and saves the crushed in spirit” (Psalm 34:18).

   I was blessed to live my life for five decades with my dad. You get so used to seeing a person from your own lens but seeing the people who come out to console, affirm, and tell stories shows a different side of the person you lost and thought you knew so well. The stories of love, laughter, hardship, and relationships fill the heart and soothe the loss. So, grief also gave me perspective. Psalm 139:16 reads, “Your eyes beheld my unformed substance. In your book were written all the days that were formed for me, when none of them had yet existed.”

   My father had a great devotion to Mary, the mother of Jesus. He prayed the rosary and attended mass daily. This did not make him perfect, but during the moments of his passing and the planning of services, there was no doubt God was with him and us as we muddled through the process. From the way he passed, to who was by his side, through the person who helped us plan the details, to the funeral mass and my family who participated, God was there. Psalm 73:23-24 states, “Nevertheless, I am continually with you; you hold my right hand. You guide me with your counsel, and afterward you will receive me with honor.”

   My father instilled the tradition of faith in me from a young age. I had to claim it for myself as an adult. The familiarity of the mass in my time of grief cannot be understated here. This may seem odd to some, but the beauty and comfort I had through my gift of faith and regularly practicing it was profound. There was consolation in the songs, readings, and form of the service because I know it intimately from routinely attending services. Grief in faith showed me that, especially in life’s toughest moments, God provides. Philippians 4:19 tells us: “And my God will fully satisfy every need of yours according to his riches in glory in Christ Jesus.”

   Faith does matter.