During the month of November, we especially remember our loved ones who have gone before us. We recollect those dear to us and we pray for their souls and all in purgatory to be granted eternal peace and joy with the Lord, Mother Mary, St. Joseph, and all the Angels and Saints. 

For many, this is a difficult time, and I am no exception. Last August, I tragically lost my Mom and best girlfriend. I was devastated. Covid had kept us apart for 5 months and we tried to bridge the gap by talking on the phone 2-3 times/day. It was torture to think of her “locked” in her Assisted Living bedroom, alone, and not being able to take her long walks, go to the chapel, and interact with the multitude of people she usually did on a daily basis. She lived to bring God’s joy to others. The first time I was able to see her was when the nurse told me to come quickly because she was not doing well. She had been admitted to the hospital two weeks prior. When I arrived, she was unconscious with a very large oxygen mask on her face and her breathing was labored. A few days later the Lord called her home.

I can remember being crumpled up on the floor of my bedroom closet and crying as I had never cried before. I was sure that internal organs would exit me from the force of my sobs. I was still trying to write this blog because my Mom had loved receiving them and encouraged me to continue. In September, I interviewed Sister Faustina Maria Pia who wrote the Litany of Trust. The Litany of Trust is so beautiful and meaningful and I encourage you to read about it in my previous posts. I wanted to find a Litany specifically for grieving but could not find it. On September 24th, the Feast of Our Lady of Mercy, I felt inspired by the Holy Spirit to write the Litany of Peace For Those Who Grieve. The words helped me begin to heal and were like a balm to my soul. There were some lines that did not specifically apply to me but I felt the gentle nudge of the Holy Spirit to keep them because they may be helpful to someone else.

Months later, I was very grateful to receive the Nihil Obstat from the Arlington Diocese. I felt it was important to have the image of Jesus consoling a woman on the front of the prayer card. Again, the Holy Spirit guided me, through my pastor to a former student of mine. Elizabeth used her lovely God-given talents to convey the heartfelt reality that the Lord longs to comfort us, hold us in His arms, and fill the gigantic hole we have in our hearts. We just need to invite Him into every facet of our lives.

Though the Litany of Peace For Those Who Grieve has just become available to the public, I have received loving and appreciative feedback from folks. One woman wrote to me that there was some division in her family surrounding her Mom’s death and she was giving them to everyone at the funeral in the hopes of bringing about peace and healing. A deacon told me that every line spoke to his grief in regards to losing a loved one to suicide. Others have told me that it has eased the pain of their grief and helped them move forward. For all of these, I say, “Praise be to God! It is all Him!

Litany of Peace For Those Who Grieve

From the unbearable feeling that I did not do enough, Lord grant me your peace.

From the sadness that I will not be able to hug them again, Lord grant me your peace.

From the guilt of times that I was selfish, Lord grant me your peace.

From the agony of wondering “what if?”, Lord grant me your peace.

From the intense pain of separation, Lord grant me your peace.

From the fear that I will always stay broken, Lord grant me your peace.

From the falsehood that I was not loved by them, Lord grant me your peace.

From the trauma of seeing them suffer, Lord grant me your peace.

From the hardship of seeing their abilities decline, Lord grant me your peace.

From the torture of feeling helpless, Lord grant me your peace.

From the anger of feeling that they should not have died, Lord grant me your peace.

From the affliction of feeling isolated, lonely, or misunderstood, Lord grant me your peace.

From the worry that this could have been prevented, Lord grant me your peace.

From the anguish of having regrets, Lord grant me your peace.

That I will remember that I cannot see the “big” picture, Jesus I trust in You.

That I will forgive those who did not treat my loved one well, Jesus I trust in You.

That I will be comforted in the hope of our reunion, Jesus I trust in You.

That You will fill the tremendous hole in my heart, Jesus I trust in You.

That You will accept my tears as prayers for my loved one, Jesus I trust in You.

That You will draw me closer to you and strengthen my faith, Jesus I trust in You.

That I will honor their memory with a life devoted to You, Jesus I trust in You.

That one day I will be able to help others with their pain, Jesus I trust in You.

That I will be hopeful about my future, Jesus I trust in You.

That You will forgive any unkind words I spoke to them, Jesus I trust in You.

That I will accept that my loved one needs to be with You, Jesus I trust in You.

That my loved one will be forever at peace, Jesus I trust in You.

That the evil one will not lead me to fear, guilt, despair, or anger, Jesus I trust in You.

That You love me more than I can comprehend and long to comfort me, Jesus I trust in You.

That You will bring graces from this tragedy, Jesus I trust in You.  

                                                                                                  Bonnie Kate, RN, MSN

If you would like to purchase the prayer card with the heartfelt painting of Jesus on the cover and the Litany of Peace For Those Who Grieve on the inside, they are available at the Paschal Lamb in Fairfax, Virginia, and online at: Litany of Peace For Those Who Grieve

I pray that all who need the Litany of Peace will receive it and it will comfort them with the Lord’s peace which transcends all understanding.

“Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. Not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your hearts be troubled, neither let them be afraid.” John 14:27

Be assured of my prayers for you and I am most grateful for yours.