A BRIDGE OF TEARS
When he finished speaking he knelt down with them and prayed. By now they were all in tears; they put their arms around Paul’s neck and kissed him; what saddened them most was his saying they would never see his face again. Then they escorted him to the ship. Acts 20 : 36-38
Recently, I read three writings which have a connection with Paul’s leaving of Ephesus and the sadness of everyone concerned.
One was an attachment to an email received from a relative in America – a copy of a letter sent by my maternal grandmother to a niece living there. It was dated August 1959, and reading it stirred many fond memories of my silver-haired ‘granny’.
My grandmother’s sister and other siblings emigrated to America in the late 1800s and early 1900s. Only one ever returned to visit their birthplace, and once only.
The photograph above is a location that serves as a reminder of many departures and farewells. Locally it’s known as The Bridge Of Tears and some of my family have passed this spot between the hills, never to return.
Families would escort the emigrant as far as this bridge, make their tearful farewells, and then wait and watch their loved one continue their journey until they disappeared over the brow to head for the boat sailing to America or Australia or Britain.
For many, it was the last time they set eyes on the ‘emigrant’.
Of course, contact would continue by letter, and news and photos exchanged this way. Money and gifts would also be sent ‘home’ to support the family left behind.
But for some, parting was like experiencing a death. “They would never see his face again.”
The second reading I came across was a homily by Pope Francis when he spoke about our lives being marked by farewells and added that each of us should reflect on our own final farewell from this life.
And this leads into the third writing and a meditation by the Dutch priest Henri Nouwen from his book Bread For The Journey.
“How do we make our deaths gifts for others? Very often people’s lives are destroyed, harmed, or permanently wounded by the deaths of their relatives or friends. We have to do whatever we can to avoid this. When we are near death what we say to those who are close to us, whether in spoken or in written words, is very important. When we express gratitude to them, ask forgiveness for our shortcomings and offer forgiveness for theirs, and express our sincere desire that they continue their lives without remorse but remembering the graces of our lives, then our deaths can become true gifts.”
Our Lady once emphasised in a Medjugorje message to Marija how fleeting life on earth is and that we should prepare with prayer for passing into eternity.
Dear children! Pray in this time of grace and seek the intercession of all the saints who are already in the light. From day to day may they be an example and encouragement to you on the way of your conversion. Little children, be aware that your life is short and passing. Therefore, yearn for eternity and keep preparing your hearts in prayer.
I know my grandmother is one of those saints who is already in the light that Our Lady speaks of in this message. The copy of her letter I received is a reminder of what a beautiful gift she was, and still is, to her family.
I look forward to meeting her again when I cross the bridge.