We received news yesterday that our daughter-in-law has miscarried her child, who would have been our firstborn grandchild. While this is not an uncommon thing, it is always especially hard for newlyweds who still await their first child. Nevertheless they, and we, rejoice in hope, in the confidence that our Lord Jesus Christ is especially fond of little ones, whom He blessed and held close to His breast. Behold what a wonderful life this little one has: a life for which Adam was meant, free from all pain and trials of life on a fallen earth. For the angels escorted this child of
God directly to the bosom of Abraham, without the infirmities which befell Lazarus or any of us poor lifelong miserable sinners. No toils or sorrows, no tears, only joy and abiding peace.
As for us who must remain in this vale of tears, we find comfort in the sorrows of our Lord, strength in His weakness, and the promise of life in His death. Ah, who would, then, not depart with gladness To inherit heaven for earthly sadness? Who here would languish Longer in bewailing and in anguish?
Many have sent heartfelt condolances, and among them came this from Fr. Petersen, which I find most worthy of passing along:
I am very sorry for you and yours.
It should not be so. Children should not die before they are born. They should not die at all. One day they won't. One day, the Day of Our Lord Jesus Christ, the groaning earth with stop its lament, the grave will give back the dead, and the revelation of the sons of God will be evident to all stars and planets, rocks and trees, animals and men. We will be free. We will dance and play with the Holy Innocents, and with the miscarried babes of Christian women from time immemorial. Rachel will find the comfort she refused.
Until then we live by faith. We wait on God more than they that watch for the morning. For what we endure is more awful than darkness and night filled with hostility and danger, and what comes with the rising Son is greater than mere safety, warmth, and rest. We are eager for the end, for the completion of what God has begun. And thus we pray: "Come, Lord Jesus, come quickly. Put this sorrow to an end. Turn the hearts of the fathers to the children and put the children back into the arms of their mothers."
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2 comments:
I am truly sorry to have heard about the loss of your grandchild. God bless you, and especially the young parents, with his grace at this time.
By the way, thank you so much for your recent "Gottesidenst" Article, "Memo to Pastors in Trouble."
I too am sorry to hear of your daughter's miscarriage. It is good to know that this child like John the Baptist is leaping in the presence of the Holy Child who is this little one's Savior.
Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our affliction, so that we may be able to comfort those who are in any affliction, with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God. For as we share abundantly in Christ's sufferings, so through Christ we share abundantly in comfort too. (1 Cor 1:3-5)
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