Grief is something every one of us will face. Whether it’s the death of a loved one, the sudden loss of a child, or the ache of separation, the question remains: how do we walk through it with faith? On The Inner Life with Patrick Conley, guest Fr. John Eckert, pastor of Sacred Heart Catholic Church in Salisbury, NC, shares profound wisdom on living with grief while holding fast to Christian hope. You can listen to the entire episode here.

Grief touches every life

Fr. Eckert explains that no one is immune from grief. The saints – and even Christ Himself – entered into it. Jesus wept at the death of Lazarus. Our Lady stood silently at the Cross, pierced by sorrow, yet filled with faith. “We’re called to bear it,” Fr. Eckert says, “but also to grin while we bear it.” That doesn’t mean ignoring the pain. Instead, it means courageously holding joy and sorrow together, because we know life has meaning and God is with us.

Mary, Our Lady of Sorrows, as our model

Mary knew Jesus would rise from the dead, yet she still suffered at the Cross. Fr. Eckert points out that she didn’t run away or numb her pain – she stood. Present with her Son, she teaches us how to face suffering without giving in to despair.

Real stories of loss and grace

One mother, Mandy from Tennessee, recounts the heartbreaking loss of her infant daughter, Sophia Claire. She recalls how, on the Feast of Our Lady of Sorrows, her parish priest “just happened” to be present to baptize Sophia before she died. In her words, the alignment of those events felt like a grace-filled sign of God’s presence, even in devastating loss.

Fr. Eckert connects her story to a universal truth: while we may not always receive an answer to “why,” we do receive the answer of “who.” And that “who” is Jesus Christ – God with us, who suffers alongside us and promises eternal life.

The Catholic understanding of grief

Catholic tradition recognizes grief as part of the human journey. The Church calls this world a “valley of tears,” reminding us that mourning and tears are not failures of faith but honest responses to love and loss. At every funeral Mass, the Church prays for the day when Christ will wipe away every tear. Grief, then, is not the absence of hope. It is the place where hope can grow deeper roots.

Fr. Eckert shares from his own ministry, where he’s stood at hospital bedsides, comforted families in shock, and celebrated funeral Masses – even on the Feast of Our Lady of Sorrows itself for his grandfather.

Holding sorrow and joy together

Grief often arrives on the same day as joy. Priests know this firsthand – moving from weddings to funerals, baptisms to hospital emergencies. Life brings both extremes, but faith gives us strength to carry them. As Fr. Eckert put it, we must feel our sorrow but also let hope and faith direct us forward.

A message of Christian hope

The heart of this conversation is simple yet profound: grief does not mean God has abandoned us. Instead, it is the very place where Christ meets us most tenderly. In every funeral, every rosary, and every prayer, Catholics proclaim the truth that death is not the end.

For Mandy, that truth means knowing her daughter Sophia is a little saint in heaven. For Fr. Eckert’s family, it means believing they will see his grandfather again. For all who grieve, it means trusting that Jesus – who conquered death – is walking with us.

The best way to listen to the Best of the Week is on our #1 Free Catholic App. It’s free and always will be! To get and share the Relevant Radio app, check it out here.

Grief is something every one of us will face. Whether it&rsquo;s the death of a loved one, the sudden loss of a child, or the ache of separation, the question remains: how do we walk through it with faith? On The Inner Life with Patrick Conley, guest Fr. John Eckert, pastor of Sacred Heart Catholic Church in Salisbury, NC, shares profound wisdom on living with grief while holding fast to Christian hope. You can listen to the entire episode <a href="https://relevantradio.com/2025/09/addressing-grief-the-inner-life-september-15-2025/">here</a>.
<hr>
Grief touches every life
Fr. Eckert explains that no one is immune from grief. The saints &ndash; and even Christ Himself &ndash; entered into it. Jesus wept at the death of Lazarus. Our Lady stood silently at the Cross, pierced by sorrow, yet filled with faith. &ldquo;We&rsquo;re called to bear it,&rdquo; Fr. Eckert says, &ldquo;but also to grin while we bear it.&rdquo; That doesn&rsquo;t mean ignoring the pain. Instead, it means courageously holding joy and sorrow together, because we know life has meaning and God is with us.
<hr>
Mary, Our Lady of Sorrows, as our model
Mary knew Jesus would rise from the dead, yet she still suffered at the Cross. Fr. Eckert points out that she didn&rsquo;t run away or numb her pain &ndash; she stood. Present with her Son, she teaches us how to face suffering without giving in to despair.
<hr>
Real stories of loss and grace
One mother, Mandy from Tennessee, recounts the heartbreaking loss of her infant daughter, Sophia Claire. She recalls how, on the Feast of Our Lady of Sorrows, her parish priest &ldquo;just happened&rdquo; to be present to baptize Sophia before she died. In her words, the alignment of those events felt like a grace-filled sign of God&rsquo;s presence, even in devastating loss.
Fr. Eckert connects her story to a universal truth: while we may not always receive an answer to &ldquo;why,&rdquo; we do receive the answer of &ldquo;who.&rdquo; And that &ldquo;who&rdquo; is Jesus Christ &ndash; God with us, who suffers alongside us and promises eternal life.
<hr>
The Catholic understanding of grief
Catholic tradition recognizes grief as part of the human journey. The Church calls this world a &ldquo;valley of tears,&rdquo; reminding us that mourning and tears are not failures of faith but honest responses to love and loss. At every funeral Mass, the Church prays for the day when Christ will wipe away every tear. Grief, then, is not the absence of hope. It is the place where hope can grow deeper roots.
Fr. Eckert shares from his own ministry, where he&rsquo;s stood at hospital bedsides, comforted families in shock, and celebrated funeral Masses &ndash; even on the Feast of Our Lady of Sorrows itself for his grandfather.
<hr>
Holding sorrow and joy together
Grief often arrives on the same day as joy. Priests know this firsthand &ndash; moving from weddings to funerals, baptisms to hospital emergencies. Life brings both extremes, but faith gives us strength to carry them. As Fr. Eckert put it, we must feel our sorrow but also let hope and faith direct us forward.
<hr>
A message of Christian hope
The heart of this conversation is simple yet profound: grief does not mean God has abandoned us. Instead, it is the very place where Christ meets us most tenderly. In every funeral, every rosary, and every prayer, Catholics proclaim the truth that death is not the end.
For Mandy, that truth means knowing her daughter Sophia is a little saint in heaven. For Fr. Eckert&rsquo;s family, it means believing they will see his grandfather again. For all who grieve, it means trusting that Jesus &ndash; who conquered death &ndash; is walking with us.
<hr>
The&nbsp;best way to listen to the Best of the Week is on our #1 Free Catholic App. It&rsquo;s free and always will be! To get and share the Relevant Radio app, check it out&nbsp;<a href="https://relevantradio.com/listen/get-the-app/">here</a>.

Life can get busy, and it's easy to miss out on the captivating moments from your favorite Relevant Radio shows. But now, we've got you covered! "The Best of the Week - Relevant Radio Podcast" brings you the crème de la crème of Relevant Radio's programming. We carefully curate and compile the most engaging and relevant content from the past week, just for you! Get ready to catch up on faith, culture, current events, and personal growth, all in one convenient and easily accessible podcast. It's like having a front-row seat to the most compelling moments from Relevant Radio's diverse range of shows. So, whether you're an active Relevant Radio listener or new to our programming, "The Best of the Week - Relevant Radio Podcast" is your passport to a world of knowledge, growth, and inspiration.

Life can get busy, and it's easy to miss out on the captivating moments from your favorite Relevant Radio shows. But now, we've got you covered! "The Best of the Week - Relevant Radio Podcast" brings you the crème de la crème of Relevant Radio's programming. We carefully curate and compile the most engaging and relevant content from the past week, just for you! Get ready to catch up on faith, culture, current events, and personal growth, all in one convenient and easily accessible podcast. It's like having a front-row seat to the most compelling moments from Relevant Radio's diverse range of shows. So, whether you're an active Relevant Radio listener or new to our programming, "The Best of the Week - Relevant Radio Podcast" is your passport to a world of knowledge, growth, and inspiration.

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