My parents were married for 27 years. Then, my mother died of ovarian cancer. She went 11 months after she was diagnosed. My father cringes every time he hears the Gospel passage that has been repeatedly referenced. He loved my mother very much and still believes, in his heart, that they will remain married in heaven.
Brother Rich, I understand that the marriage bond is broken by death. Heck, that’s why remarriages for widows and widowers are allowed. But, how do you explain this to a man who goes to the cemetery every day and still wears his wedding ring?
Part of me thinks that Jesus told this parable to the Sadducees to get them to see that their whole line of thinking was plain ridiculous. But, Jesus’ words are crystal clear about marriage in other sections of the Gospel. The Church bases her doctrine on marriage precisely from Jesus’ words regarding divorce to the point that parties in an invalid marriage are not allowed to fully participate in the sacramental life of the Church until their situations are resolved.
But, back to the OP. My dad, as a widower who still grieves for my mother after nearly 14 years, still firmly believes that they will be reunited in heaven. What do you say to someone in his situation?
