Open Hearts

by Nhat Nguyen, N.S.J.

Nhat Nguyen is a Jesuit Novice who served at L’Arche Tahoma Hope for several months. He made an incredible impact while he was here and this is his reflection when he received the news of Sue‘s passing just as he moved on to his next assignment.

When I volunteered to preach earlier this week, I didn’t expect to be dealing with a death in the family. Over the past two months, L’Arche has truly become my family, so the sudden passing of Sue feels very personal and deeply sad. I’d just seen her three days ago; we were sharing stories at a hospital bedside three weeks ago, and I just sent her an email a day ago.

Most often, sadness is the only natural response to grief. This morning, sadness and confusion brought me to tears, and I needed that. I needed to cry, mourn, and feel sad because this tragedy is truly heartbreaking.

After hollowing in my tears, I turned to prayer and today’s scripture readings. 

“At the sight of the crowds, his heart was moved with pity for them because they were troubled and abandoned.” His heart is moved with pity for us! Jesus is sad with us. Jesus mourns with those grieving Sue’s death. Jesus is close to the brokenhearted.

To be a Christian is to unite our suffering with Christ’s suffering. We participate in Christ’s story over and over again: we live, we die, we rise. That is the Christ story, and it encompasses the feelings and emotions of grief. 

Dying is hard. Dying is sad. But dying is only a part of the Paschal mystery. As Christians, we believe in the resurrection! 

Sue has gone over to the Lord. As our scripture says, “The Kingdom of heaven is at hand!” As a matter of fact, it is closer than we think. The human desire right now is to be close to my L’Arche family, to mourn and grieve with them; and I am, in spirit. 

As Jesuits, we continuously discern to unite our hearts and minds with Christ; therefore, we let our hearts be moved with pity and compassion, as we enter the vineyard of the Lord, to build the Kingdom of God.

For those who do not believe in the resurrection, we are still called to be witnesses to the God of mercy, compassion, and tenderness. We honor the dead through our lives, and our lives bear witness to our God, even in the midst of sadness and grief. 

Eternal rest grant unto Sue, O Lord, and let perpetual light shine upon her.

May the souls of all the faithful departed, through the mercy of God, rest in peace. Amen