Hieromonk Zosima (Melnik)
In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit!
When our neighbors, relatives, and loved ones suffer some misfortune, we must do everything in our power to relieve their suffering. For this we can use our material resources, physical strength, and can even comfort and support them with words, showing active participation in their lives. But when our dear ones pass away, it really disarms us. There are only two things we can do for them then: to grieve and pray for their repose.
Sorrows are inevitable, and they are the only remedy we are left with, but the Apostle Paul tells us in today’s Epistle: But I would not have you to be ignorant, brethren, concerning them which are asleep, that ye sorrow not, even as others which have no hope. For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so them also which sleep in Jesus will God bring with Him (1 Thess. 4:13-14). All of our family members inevitably experience these sorrows. And even Christ Himself grieved for His reposed friend Lazarus and shed a tear. However, He was not grieving just for the loss of His loved one: He was grieving for all of humanity, for all of us, for our damaged nature, for the inevitable path that we all have to go through—the separation of soul and body. Because this is the last remedy that can be used to heal us from the passions and the corruption of our nature.
But what can we do now for our dear and loved ones, relatives who have already passed into eternity and gone through this separation? We can, like Sts. Martha and Mary, the sisters of the Righteous Lazarus, run to the Savior and entreat Him that our reposed loved ones will rise together with Christ into eternal life. At that time, both Martha and Mary did not know it yet and could not hope for any miracle; although they did see the Savior heal and raise the dead, but they said the only thing: Lord, if Thou hadst been here, my brother had not died (Jn. 11:21). When the Savior came to the tomb and raised His friend and the brother of Mary and Martha from the dead, there was no end to the joy. They saw a miracle that they had not even hoped for, but now, standing here and praying for the repose of the souls of our departed relatives, we have great hope, we have the experience that our ancestors had, and the Gospel shows us this path.
We must remember our nearest and dearest, pray and ask the Lord that we will rise together with them on the last day, when the Lord will come to judge the living and the dead. Amen.
