Grieving with Christ
Just A Minute Meditations
Sr. Mary Leonora Wilson FSP
Anne Eileen Heffernan, FSP
Kathryn James Hermes, FSP
Mary Lea Hill, FSP
ISBN 9780819883872
eISBN 9780819883889
ASIN B0FX79KJNK
I have picked up all the volumes in this series. In part because they are great to work through, in part because I really enjoyed them, and in part because I am a 'completionist'. I had picked up a few before I began reading them, but they kept getting lost in my ‘to be read’ list. As of the writing of this review there are 7 volumes in the series, 4 authors of individual volumes and 4 authors who contributed for a total of 9 contributors to the series. There has typically been a delay between the release of the physical book and the eBook being available in my region. But while researching for a previous review I have found out, at least a few of the volumes are a rebranding of volumes published 8 years ago under the titles “Mediations for …”
The description of this edition states:
“Are you grieving the loss of a loved one and struggling to believe God and trust him with the messiness?
Navigate the tumultuous and confusing emotions that often accompany the death of a loved one with help from this pocket-sized book of 30 meditations. Each meditation includes a Scripture passage, a brief reflection, and a short prayer.
The book also features additional prayers to help you sit with God in your grief.”
The chapters in this volume are:
Introduction
1. Courage
2. Separation
3. Absence
4. Loss
5. Pain
6. Bearings
7. Feelings
8. Anguish
9. Guilt
10. Regrets
11. Forgiveness
12. Brokenness
13. Fear
14. Permission
15. Silence
16. Listening
17. Loneliness
18. Tears
19. Storytelling
20. Gentleness
21. Prayer
22. Support
23. Faith
24. Hope
25. Love
26. Mystery
27. Acceptance
28. Surrender
29. Afterlife
30. Forever
The prayers in a section at the end of the book are:
Psalm 23
Psalm 130
I Bring You My Grief
Lead Kindly Light
Prayer for a Deceased Loved One
Prayer After an Unexpected Death
Prayer in Time of Suicide
Second-Century Prayer for the Dead
Eternal Rest Prayer
Prayer of Saint Gertrude
Prayer to Our Lady of Sorrows
Hail Holy Queen
The Memorare
I highlighted a few passages while working through this volume, they are:
“Grief is messy, often coming in waves, then receding, then rising up again. There are no timelines or schedules. Grief affects each one of us in a different way. It’s a process, but a nonlinear one, without order.”
“It is my desire that these minute meditations will help you navigate the waters of your own grief, providing encouragement and hope in the days ahead. May God bless you.”
“The journey of grief is an arc that stretches from a desperate need for comfort to the courage of the first steps toward our new normal.”
“Like a torrential downpour, our frightened thoughts pound against the windows of our consciousness, which has grown heavy with loss. Or our world within shuts down, and like a blanket of ash, an eerie and lonely silence settles over our days.”
“One day you are talking and planning with the one you love, and the next day he or she is gone, no more to be seen or heard on this earth. The separation feels irrevocable, an unbreachable chasm.”
“The death of a loved one is a bitter, life-changing loss.”
“We have lost the physical, real, pulsating presence of a person dear and important to us. It is right that we grieve without apologizing for it.”
“It’s agonizing: you wanted to be there for a loved one in his or her last hours, but your efforts just didn’t work out. The problem may have been geographical, technological, or interpersonal—whatever the obstacle, you were blocked.”
“Sorrow over a loved one’s death is often mingled with a sense of guilt.”
“We can continue to pray that the departed may soon share the joy of the blessed. We can keep our loved one in our midst by sharing memories, especially during the difficult first weeks.”
“Who were our mentors? Grandparents and parents? Teachers? Coaches? Older siblings? Priests? Religious sisters or brothers? Friends? Which of their examples and words of wisdom were helpful for daily life? Helpful for knowing God better and developing a relationship with him? What words or examples can we pass on to others as opportunities arise?”
“Dear Lord, let me trust you now and place my life and my death in your loving arms. Give me the peace of knowing you hold me and all those I love in your care now and in eternity.”
“The most noticeable thing at the end of a big commotion is the silence. All the noise and chaos have fallen into stillness. The same phenomenon occurs at a death. What had been a time of confusion, talking, praying, perhaps bargaining, stress, sorrow, and regret, suddenly falls silent at the entrance of death. When someone dies, they leave a void of silence. Their presence is no longer “heard.””
“As you each try to navigate the waves of your personal grief, you may seem strangers to one another, yet you are forming a silent friendship around the common ache you feel at your shared loss.”
“In the presence of the mystery of eternity and immortality, these quiet connections may often be expressed only in prayer for each other.”
“The story of Ruth and Naomi encourages us to accept the help of family and friends. This story is in your Bible, beckoning you; it is a word of hope from God in your time of sorrow. He invites you: “Take and read.””
“Saint Paul tells us that life is changed but not taken away. This mortal body puts on immortality (see 1 Cor 15: 53–55). In faith we can continue the relationship with those who have passed on before us. We pray for them, confide in them, walk with them, and ask their advice; we recall the good times we had together, that special bond we shared. We still miss seeing them in the flesh, but we remain connected. We do not lose heart because our faith tells us we will see one another again.”
“Hope in the love of the Lord that never ceases to surround us. Our merciful God is he who stills the waves of grief, hushing the storm within, and guiding us to the harbor we long for (see Ps 107: 29–30).”
“For us too, after the exhaustion perhaps of caregiving or seeing someone dear to us suffer, after the whirlwind of the wake and funeral, death in all its reality settles in. Suddenly there is silence. Silence and stillness as they are “taken down from their cross.” Silence, stillness, and mystery as they are laid in their tomb and we, in stunned sadness, return to life now strange with empty loss.”
“Our own struggle with acceptance of pain, suffering, and loss can be very intense. It is especially then that recalling the example of Jesus and of his mother can strengthen and comfort us, helping us to find the courage to say, “Father, your will be done.”
A sample day is:
“13 Fear
The Lord is my light and my salvation;
whom shall I fear?
The Lord is the stronghold of my life;
of whom shall I be afraid?
I believe that I shall see the goodness of the Lord
in the land of the living.
Wait for the Lord;
be strong, and let your heart take courage;
wait for the Lord!”
Psalm 27:1, 13-14
Grief is something we often fear, not only when we grieve, but also when others grieve for us. It’s the finality of loss that hurts so much. Grief signals the end of something. Death means a relationship is permanently changed. There’s the searing loneliness; darkness covers everything.
We might ask ourselves: “What happens in death? What will happen when I die? Will I meet my loved one again?” We fear what we don’t know. Let’s reflect on the words of Psalm 27, which tells us not to fear, but to turn to the Lord who wants to be the stronghold we lean on in grief. Hear him say to you: “Wait for me. Be strong and let your heart courageously await my coming. Don’t fear the unknown. You know me. I have promised that those who believe in me will have eternal life (see Jn 6:47), and I am true to my word. With me all will be well. All will be joyful and peaceful in my heavenly home, in the land of the living.”
Dear Lord, let me trust you now and place my life and my death in your loving arms. Give me the peace of knowing you hold me and all those I love in your care now and in eternity.”
I hope those quotes and sample day give you a feel for this book, and I believe the series. I highlighted less in this volume than some of the others, but it was still a very impactful read.
I had lost a friend who was murdered over 40 years ago, a friend to suicide over 20 years ago, lost a brother to an overdose during the beginning of the pandemic. I have lost a parent and my father-in-law. And am at the age where parents of friends and friends are passing more frequently. A lot came up while working through this book. It is not an easy volume to engage with because of the content, and yet you will benefit based on how much effort you put in.
Currently I have read all volumes available in this series. I would immediately pick up another if it became available. It is a great book and excellent series. I can easily recommend it.
Note: This book is part of a series of reviews: 2026 Catholic Reading Plan!
Books in the Just A Minute Meditations Series:
Embracing Hope in Christ – Kris Frank
Finding God In Times of Depression – Kathryn J. Hermes
Finding Inner Peace – Kathryn J. Hermes
Grieving with Christ – Mary Leonora Wilson
Growing in Self Esteem - Marie Paul Curley
Healing After Betrayal – Kathryn J. Hermes
Trusting in God’s Love – Kathryn J. Hermes
…
Books by Mary Leonora Wilson:
Essential Healing Prayers: For Peace and Strength
Essential Spiritual Warfare Prayers: For Protection and Deliverance
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Contributed to Mary Leonora Wilson:
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Translated by Mary Leonora Wilson:
Mother Teresa: Saint Among the Poor
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