Mourn and Rejoice Together

"Rejoice with those who rejoice; mourn with those who mourn." - Romans 12:15

Grief and celebration are part of the dichotomy of life. This week the mother of some of my best childhood friends died. Then HFD lost another brother in the line of duty. And, a brother firefighter got to marry the love of his life. To say that life is full of highs and lows is an understatement. 

My take away this week is that no matter what we go through, we are created to go through it together. To rejoice and mourn with others is as simple a command as we can get. Both my extended family and fire family have done this extremely well. We have shed tears, lent empathetic ears, and offered shoulders to cry on. We've shared meals, beers, laughs, and memories together. 

As God's children on this journey called life, we are to come alongside each other and offer our presence as Jesus did. In mourning and in celebration we share in the human experience. We commit to being there for and with our fellow brothers and sisters. We hurt because they hurt, and we celebrate because they celebrate. There are people in our lives right now who need us to mourn or rejoice with them. When we show up for others, we demonstrate that they are loved and they matter. In doing so, we show them the love and presence of God. 

May the Lord Bless You and Keep You!

Senior Captain Bobby Delgado

HFD Chaplain

 

You Are a Mist

"Why, you do not even know what will happen tomorrow. What is your life? You are a mist that appears for a little while and then vanishes." - James 4:14

In our line of work, we are extremely familiar with the brevity of life. Unfortunately we have witnessed the death of newborns, 90 year olds, and everything in between. Often times all in one day. 

This week we laid to rest a brother firefighter who seemed to have so much life left. That same night I spent time comforting a mother and father who had just lost 3 young kids. Life is indeed short. Not one of us is promised tomorrow. 

The deaths of loved ones and the young are reminders of our mortality. Death has been undefeated since Day 1 of Human History, and it shows no signs of ending that streak any time soon. Throughout my career, many people have asked, "Am I going to die?" I almost always answered, "Yes. It might not be today, but we are all going to die."

I think we should all take time to reflect on our lives. How we live our lives matters. How we love God, our neighbors, our families, and even our enemies matters. Every conversation had and every memory made could be our last. Make each moment this side of heaven count. Say, "I love you" and "I'm sorry." Show it. Mean it. Live at peace with everyone and make your peace with God with whom we will all stand face to face.

-Captain Bobby Delgado, HFD Chaplain