“There is one glory of the sun, and another glory of the moon, and another glory of the stars; indeed, star differs from star in glory.” 1 Corinthians 15:41

A parishioner recently gifted me the book, “The One Hundred Years of Lenni and Margot” by Marianne Cronin. Here’s an exchange between two main characters, an elderly woman named Margot and a teenager named Lenni:

“Do you know, [Margot] said slowly, “that the stars that we see the clearest are already dead?”

“Well, that’s depressing.” I took my hand from hers.

“No,” she said gently, linking her arm through mine, “it’s not depressing, it’s beautiful. They’ve been gone for who knows how long, but we can still see them. They live on.”

They live on.

Before I go further, I fact-checked this notion and it doesn’t seem to be accurate. It’s highly unlikely that any of the stars we can see with our naked eye are dead, but the sentiment remains.

Like many of you, I have lost people whom I loved deeply. I have held vigil as loved ones died. I felt the weight of a visit with someone, knowing it was the last time I would see them.

I like to think that these people who loved me and knew me and have now died, that they’re still with me.

I imagine our lives as constellations, full of stars of people who loved us, rooted for us, wanted the best for us. Now they’re surrounding us, watching over us, and guiding us as we continue life’s journey.

Whether the stars in the sky are living or dead, I take comfort in the daily reminder to look up after the sun has set. Look up at the stars and remember those in your life who have died. They’re still with you, still cheering you on, still loving you from afar. They live on.

Prayer Focus: For Those Who Have Loved and Lost

Prayer: O God, you are the creator of the heavens and the Earth. We thank you for the blessing of stars, the ever-present reminder that those who loved us while they were here on earth, still love us eternally. Amen.