Jesus continued, “You’ve heard me tell you, ‘I’m going away, and I’m coming back’. If you loved me, you would be glad that I’m on my way to the Father because the Father is the goal and purpose of my life”.
(John 14: 28)

Anyone who has experienced the death of a loved one knows how devastated Jesus’ disciples must have felt when he told them he was going away for good. The “Advocate” he promised to send must have seemed like a poor substitute for the flesh-and-blood Jesus whom they had come to love and depend upon.

When a loved one dies, it’s natural to feel that the relationship has ended. After all, we can’t visit them anymore or call them on the phone to share news or ask advice. Still, they can be present to us in ways that would have been impossible while they were here with us on Earth. In the years since my mother died, I have regularly felt her presence during times of confusion and doubt. I know that she is with me all the time, even though I can’t see her. I talk to her and know that she hears me. I ask her for comfort and guidance and, in one way or another, I always receive it. Fortunately, we don’t need a phone or the internet to reach a loved one. We simply need to be willing to enter the silence where they reside.