Patricia cries out in the depth of my heart; from the depth of my soul she raises her voice. At the busiest corner of my mind she cries out; at the entrance to the deepest part of me she speaks. She is a blessing from the God within me, my strength and my comfort. I love her with all my heart, and with all my soul, and with all my mind, and with all my strength. I know her as I know and think of myself; she is praying and present within me in my search for God. God is Love; love thy spouse as you love the Lord your God!

When two people love one another as they love God, a new sphere of existence is created. Their love colours their world view; the whole world takes on a new depth; a new body comes into existence as a function of their true love and self giving of each to the other.  The sacrament of marriage recognizes this new person proceeding from their love and unites the three into One – a Trinity. They die unto each other and become a resurrection body.  I believe both partners are very much aware of the presence of all three individual independent bodies within their one complete soul united by God.  When one spouse dies that marriage trinity merges as the presence the surviving spouse feels deep within – into the emptiness around his/her heart. That presence becomes so strong that it is forever. Love is stronger than death and continues to grow after death. Yes, life after death is real; it is becoming one again with Pat. We will never be separated from each other; we shall move into the true realm of love. God is Love.

There is another sense within each of us that allows us to feel the presence of our loved ones when they are near and within us. You always know when your loved one is presence in the house. She is indeed risen.  I am my lover’s and she is mine. She is at the communion rail with me just as Christ is present during the Mass.  Love is that sixth sense; widow and widower know this truth. Where is she? She is everywhere. The soul is as truly here in the Heaven within us here and now as our Lord is and Love is.  “The Risen Lord is indeed risen. Present, intimate, creative, “closer than your own heartbeat,” accessed through your vulnerability, your capacity for intimacy. The imaginal realm is real, and through it you will never be separated from any one or anything you have ever loved, for love is the ground in which you live and move and have your being…” Cynthia Bourgeault, ‘The Meaning of Mary Magdalene’.

“My beloved is mine, and I am [hers]: [She] feedeth among the lilies.” Song of Solomon 2:16 King James Version (KJV)