“Amen, amen, I say to you, unless a grain of wheat falls to the ground and dies, it remains just a grain of wheat; but if it dies, it produces much fruit.” John 12:24
Why is this happening? How long will it last? What will life be like from now on? What can we do?
The world is facing unprecedented loss, grief, pain, and anxiety during this time of COVID-19. The losses and the grief we share come in many forms: the deaths of families and friends, of work, health, and celebrating or worshiping in community. We seek comfort and meaning from our grief. During times of suffering, loss, and grief, each of us needs companions who console and strengthen us. As Christians, we also need to understand our experience in light of our faith. At such times, Sofia Cavalletti offered her friend Patricia Coulter such guidance and encouragement. We will all benefit from reading the excerpts from her letter to Coulter, as well as meditating on the questions and carefully selected texts from Scripture and liturgy that Coulter provides. Many people are familiar with Sofa Cavalletti’s writings on the Catechesis of the Good Shepherd. These books help to form catechists and give the theological and pedagogical underpinnings for that approach to the spiritual formation of children. In this book we have a rare glimpse into her personal life and her deep care for her friends, in this case, her student and friend Patricia Coulter. Her words remind us that for Christians death does not have the last word. Having faced and moved through the suffering in all these forms of darkness, Sofia offers hope and consolation with eyes of faith that look at and move toward the Light. We are challenged to “Look at the Light” when darkness of any kind seems to surround us. Michaela Tudela joins us today to reflect on this inspiring and essential book about loss and love.
Michaela Tudela is an editor at Liturgy Training Publications (LTP.org), an agency of the Archdiocese of Chicago. She has helped produce prayer resources for children and their families, including Children’s Daily Prayer, Children’s Liturgy of the Word, and Celebrating Sundays for Catholic Families. For the past two years, she has served as the publishing liaison between LTP and The United States Association of the Catechesis of the Good Shepherd. Michaela holds a BA in English Literature from Loyola University Chicago and has served as a Level I catechist.
The book Look at the Light: Words on Loss and Love from Sofia Cavalletti is available for purchase from the CGSUSA online store.
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