In High School I took Latin as a foreign language for 4 years.  Along with learning the words of the language we learned the history that took place while it was in use.  One of the most famous days in history is The Ides of March.

 

Wikipedia defined the day with these words:

The Ides of March is a day on the Roman calendar that corresponds to 15 March. It was marked by several religious observances and became notorious as the date of the assassination of Julius Caesar in 44 BC.

 

Anyone alive in the Roman Empire knew where they were when they learned of the assassination of Julius Caesar.  When I meet families at the time of death I observe that the date and time they learned of the loss is written indelibly in their memory.  Death, no matter the cause, is a profound event in our lives.  The actions of processing the information, dealing with the flood of emotions we feel, and wondering what we should be doing next are all things people deal with at a time of loss.

 

I feel blessed that as a Chaplain I am able to be with families at this time to offer spiritual comfort and presence.  I also help the family with questions they have about protocols for how the deceased will be transferred from our facility to the funeral home.  I also look out for their comfort needs which sometimes include getting them a beverage and at other times may include making a phone call for them.  If they seek a better understanding of what happened medically, I arrange for one of the staff involved in direct care of the patient to come and explain how they death happened.

 

Death is never an easy event to process.  However anything I can do to help people in their time of stress and confusion is a ministry that is necessary and brings meaning to my work.  Many times later as I encounter these people months later I hear from them how my ministry was a blessing to them in a time of terrible emotional pain.  I can’t imagine what it was like for the person who filled the role of Chaplain for Julius Caesar’s family, but I am sure they like every family were grateful for any comfort and consideration they were given.