Daily Meditation: Giving Permission to Die

Thursday December 5, 2013 Giving Permission to Die   One of the greatest gifts we can offer our family and friends is helping them to die well.  Sometimes they are ready to go to God but we have a hard time letting them go.  But there is a moment in which we need to give those we love the permission to return to God, from whom they came.  We have to sit quietly with them and say:  "Do not be afraid ... I love you, God loves you ... it's time for you to go in peace. ... I won't cling to you any longer ... I set you free to go home ... go gently, go with my love."   Saying this from our heart is a true gift.  It is the greatest gift love can give.   When Jesus died he said:  "Father, into your hands I commit my Spirit" (Luke 23:46).  It is good to repeat these words often with our dying friends.  With these words on their lips or in their hearts, they can make the passage as Jesus did.              We are now sending Weekly Advent e-reflections. If you'd like to receive these weekly emails, click the "Update Profile/Email Address" link at the bottom of this email or click here and enter your email address. Comment on this Daily Meditation. Join our Advent book discussion. Click here for details.   Visit our website for inspiration, resources, news, events, community. Text excerpts taken from Bread for the Journey, by Henri J.M. Nouwen, ©1997 HarperSanFrancisco. All Scripture from The Jerusalem Bible ©1966, 1967, and 1968 Darton, Longman & Todd and Doubleday & Co. Inc. Photo by V. Dobson.

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