Death Never Has the Last Word: Unanswered Prayers and the Love of God

Sudden death of a loved one leaves us reeling!

Many friends have sent letters of condolence and Masses since they learned of our dear grandson Brendan's suicide. A sudden and unexpected death, whatever the cause, can only be described as evil. As Dr. Eduardo Echeverria states in his article below, "death is evil, an enemy of God! -- darkness and light, truth and falsehood, life and death raging all around us."

And that's exactly where our family is right now, or at least my husband and I. We are in the midst of the whirlwind of wild thoughts and emotions -- the why's and what if's and if only's. And in the midst of it all the crying out to God. "Why are you sleeping; don't you know we are about to perish?"

Guest Post: Common Mistakes People Make When They Offer Condolences

By Suzie Kolber

Editor's note: I recently had several friends experience the loss of loved ones. Another has a sister nearing death and she is already grieving over her impending loss. How difficult it is for those surrounding someone suffering over the death or dying of family or friends to know what to say or do. I hope this helps.

Talking to someone who has just lost a loved one is never easy. In fact, many people avoid the situation by staying away or sending a generic card. They are afraid of saying the wrong thing. While there is no one right way to offer condolences, there are a few mistakes well-meaning people often make. Learn from others so you don’t make the same errors.

Saying “It will get better.”