In Honor of Kevin

A young man left us yesterday. I had not yet met him, but he was dear to many.

Last evening, a group of five students decided to swim in a flooded area on campus. Only four made it back out alive.  Kevin was nowhere to be found.

He had a brother and a girlfriend on campus; his parents were in Ireland. No one expected to lose him...he should have graduated this year. But he is gone from our midst; pain and tears remain, and the faint glimmer of hope we have through Jesus, who also died but rose again. Even though we understand the providence of our all-wise God, we find such a glory but small comfort in the face of a loss so wrenching. His brother will have a place missing beside his heart; his loved girlfriend is bereaved before she could even be widowed. Loss makes us inconsolable, though at least in Christ we look to see those we love again. But this life is all we know; though it is not our final resting place, we know nothing else. The ones we love in this life are all we have to touch, to hold, to love--and to lose them breaks our tender hearts...leaves a tear that will only be completely mended when we meet face to face again. And so all we can do is weep with those who weep, offer what small comfort we can, and pray to our Lord, who grieves with us.

Jesus wept.

The Spirit also helps in our weaknesses. For we do not know what we should pray for as we ought, but the Spirit Himself makes intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered.

Our God is not aloof to our pain; yes, He weeps with us, grieves with us; pleads for us.

Lamb of God, You take away the sins of the world; have mercy on us.

Lamb of God, You take away the sins of the world; have mercy on us.

Lamb of God, You take away the sins of the world; grant us peace.

And we pray, for those in pain:

God of all consolation, in your unending love and mercy for us, you turn the darkness of death into the dawn of new life. Show compassion to your people in sorrow. Be our refuge and our strength to lift us from the darkness of this grief to peace and joy in your presence. We ask this through Christ, our Lord.

May the Lord grant His peace and deep consolation, and may we not forget that day when we shall see the ones we love at last.