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furnace[1] of your affliction, and that one whose form is like the Son of God, walketh among you, ministering strength to your souls. Else how could you endure as you have done but that "God is your helper," and in the deep places of your sorrow you feel that underneath are the "everlasting arms" to uphold and support you.
May the God of all comfort and consolation[2] comfort your hearts indeed; and after you have suffered awhile, strengthen, stablish, settle, and confirm you in every good word and work.[3]
Finally, my brethren, while we bless God and give Him thanks for the graces manifested in others who have departed out of this world in His faith and fear, let us remember that what they attained may also be attained by us; and that if we would find peace in the hour of death, or hope in the day of judgment, as we believe of them, we must make it our chief care to live as they lived, and to love God with that integrity and constancy which they were by His grace enabled to maintain.
Now unto Him that is able to keep us from falling and do for us exceedingly abundantly above all that we can ask or think, according to the power that worketh in us:[4] to Him be glory in the Church by Christ Jesus throughout all ages, world without end. Amen.
W. B.
