I take my regular walks down at the cemetery. I enjoy the peace and quiet that mother nature provides at this sacred place. Not only is there a variety of birds tweeting joyfully, but there are also beautiful flowers and trees spreading their cover of majestic colors. This scene bespeaks to me of life towering over death. It gives me hope. I especially admire seeing family members visiting the stones of their loved ones who have gone before them. They walk slowly and reverently speak in quiet tones to their loved ones. Tones not only of sorrow but of gratitude as well. One of the most important messages that we who believe in the Resurrection of Christ offer to these grieving relatives is that their loved ones are no longer there; only their stone remains in memory of them. The deceased have moved on to be with God and their loved ones who have gone before them. They are still alive, but now in a different way. We Christians witness to the fact that our loved ones still live within us to the extent that we imitate their virtues and goodness. For example, when I sense my mother’s warmth and joyfulness in my spirit, I know that she is still alive. When I speak my father’s words of truth and kindness, I can feel my father’s presence stirring within me. As I move on in years, I realize that my deceased loved ones are closer to me now than when they were in their physical bodies. I also believe that the process of letting go is a long and sometimes painful one, yet if we enter this process, we can experience the joy of knowing that they are alright and still with us. I also think that our prayer to our loved one’s changes over time. When they first departed from this world, we prayed for them. By that I mean, we recognized that they are going through a new experience as they enter a new life with God. And so, we have Masses said for them, say the rosary for them, and offer daily prayers to help the on their journey to God. As time goes by and we remember them increasingly, we feel a deeper bond of love for them. Our prayer changes. That is, we not only pray for them, but we also pray with them. Our memories sharpen as we are grateful for all they gave us. There is a new and deeper bond of love between us. Finally, with time and prayer, we recognize their holiness and goodness. At this point we now pray to them. We ask them to guide us and watch over us. We can now let them go to be with their Savior. For we become confident that they are praying for us, and we are sure we will be reunited one day!       ~ Fr. John