Beatitudes of Hope - Finding Hope in Mourning: Becoming Standing Women in a World of Pain

“Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted.” This truth, spoken by Jesus, is a difficult concept to embrace, especially when surrounded by the visible pain of our world. Over the last few months, both in my California community and in my capacity as a school teacher, I have witnessed devastating fires, job losses that shatter lives, and families torn apart by deportation. How can I reconcile these realities with the promise of comfort?

Similar to many of you, I’ve wrestled with this question. The recent California fires deeply impacted my community, leaving us in a state of devastation. Following this, Becky’s article, Leading as Stabat Mater is Our Lenten Call!, struck a powerful chord with me, highlighting the collective pain we were experiencing. Beyond the obvious suffering, I felt a profound, unspoken ache – a sense of helplessness in the face of such widespread sorrow.

“What am I to do, Lord? What are you calling me to do?” This became my constant prayer. The sight of a dedicated man losing his livelihood after four decades of work feels unjust to me. Similarly, the stories of children returning home to the devastating reality of deported parents fill me with profound heartbreak. I feel like the world I know is crumbling.

Even amidst this mourning, Jesus’s promise of comfort persists. This isn’t a promise to avoid pain, but rather his presence within it. While anger and despair can sometimes obscure this comfort, it remains, intricately woven into our lives as a testament to our faith and his grace.

A few weeks ago, I experienced this comfort firsthand. During my prayer group meeting, I shared my burdens. The ladies, who have been a source of strength for five years, listened with open hearts. We discussed Becky’s article and the overwhelming pain we feel. In that shared space, a powerful realization emerged; we all desired to be Standing Mothers and Women but felt unsure of what God was calling us to do. At that moment, we were not alone. Then, it struck me: We were already doing it. We stood together - listening, accompanying one another in the pain, and expressing our desire to act. In that moment of shared prayer, I felt a deep sense of comfort, a reassurance that I wasn’t alone. Hope settled within me like an anchor, and I know it can also settle within you.

The comfort Jesus offers isn’t passive. It empowers me to act, to become his hands and feet in a broken world. After the fires, I saw our community come together, finding strength in unity. I found comfort in knowing God was with me, enabling me to face the overwhelming task of rebuilding our community.

So, how do we become Standing Women in a world filled with pain? It starts with acknowledging the pain, both within ourselves and around us. This acknowledgment is not a sign of weakness but a testament to our humanity. It means listening with compassion, offering a shoulder to cry on, and praying for and with those who suffer. One of the most challenging aspects of mourning is feeling alone. We may not have all the answers, but we have the promise of God’s comfort and the strength of community. One morning, these words came to me, becoming a mantra. I have been praying with these words ever since.

Lord, you are my light.

You are my strength

I am not alone.

Lord, you are my light.

You are my strength

I am not alone.

Amen

Looking back on these past months, the one thing that is my constant is my time in prayer, which grounds me. As I dealt with sorrow and hope, I understood that ‘blessed are those who mourn’ is not a sentiment for a distant future but a lifeline for the present. It’s in the shared tears, the whispered prayers, and the outstretched hands that we find the comfort Jesus promised. It’s in the courage to stand alongside one another, to bear witness to the pain, and to become instruments of God’s love.

Going Deeper:

• Reflect on your own mourning, in the present or in the past. How is Jesus revealing his presence and offering comfort during this experience of loss?

• How does mourning bring you into community with others?

• Do you need help to find words for prayer as you mourn? Here is a guided examen as a reminder You Are Not Alone.

• Do you feel called by God but unsure what to do in response to the call? Reflect more deeply in our series The Need is the Call.

Photo by: Prateek Gautam on Unsplash

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Liz Aceves

Liz Aceves is a passionate Catholic school educator with a decade of experience teaching Spanish. Her love for working with children and teaching them about their faith and language has been a constant source of inspiration. Liz believes that learning a second language is essential in fostering acceptance and understanding among people of different cultures. Her spiritual journey has been enriched by her discovery of Ignatian Spirituality eight years ago, and she has been an active member of the Inner Chapel community for three years. Liz finds joy in facilitating the Friday Inner Chapel Prayer group, surrounded by inspirational women. As a devoted wife and mother of two teenage boys, Liz enjoys reading historical nonfiction and spiritual books, traveling, and hiking.