The story is told about a wife who lost her husband whom she loved so much. On the day of his burial, as a sign of her undying love and devotion, and with hope that they will still be in communication, she slipped into the coffin pit her husband’s cell phone. Imagine her surprise when three days after the burial, she received a text message which read: “Here na me. Follow na you!”
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Today is All Souls’ Day, the commemoration of the faithful departed. In today’s Gospel (Jn. 14, 1-6), Jesus tells His disciples: “In my Father’s house, there are many dwelling places.” Along with this is His loving assurance that He is going to prepare a place for us, and that He will come back for us and take us to Himself so that where He is, we also may be. What a blessed assurance! What a gift unto us is eternal life!
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“Do not let your hearts be troubled.” Death is one of the most painful, if not the most painful and troubling moments of our lives. The pain of losing a loved one is never really gone. We just learn to cope and accept in time. What makes our painful goodbye bearable and meaningful is our faith in the resurrection and the promise of eternal life. In death, we don’t say goodbye, but “until we meet again, in the resurrection!”
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I have heard many of our “formators” in the seminary say that, during their time, when they were sent to go to their foreign mission assignment, their parting word to their relatives and friends was: “If we don’t meet again, see you in the resurrection!” Indeed, our earthly goodbyes and separation take a new and profound meaning because there is a resurrection.
The last line of our Creed says: “I look forward to the resurrection of the dead and the life of the world to come. Amen.” We profess that in faith. But do we live in such a way that we will get there? Jesus tells us today to follow Him so that we will make it there.
“I am the Way, the Truth, and the Life.” We who are in this “valley of tears” must not get discouraged with our trials and sufferings. Neither should we be too comfortable lest we forget that there is heaven that awaits us.
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On a personal note, I look forward to eternity and to be reunited with my loved ones again. What a reunion that would be! In that kingdom where there are no more tears, no more pain, no more problems, and no more goodbyes, I look forward to singing our praises unto God, together with those who have gone ahead of us. Too much heaven in our minds? Precisely, the thought of heaven should make us strong in our resolve to live meaningful lives on earth. Eternal life should motivate us to live beautiful, earthly lives.
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Someone once said in jest that there is no signal for cell phones in the cemetery. Why? Because there are many “dead spots” there! Today, let us ask the Lord to help us see and revive whatever “dead spots” we have in our lives, in our character, in our relationships. Today we pray that the Lord will heal and cleanse us of whatever or whoever prevents us from truly following Him.
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Life is short, and death is certain. Someone once asked why we frantically hold on to our earthly life which we cannot prolong, and forget eternity which we cannot avoid and which surely awaits all of us.
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For those who are so engrossed in worldly treasures and agenda, remember, we carry nothing with us when we leave this world. And for those who are so worried about death and dying, remember no one among us will leave this world alive. Think about this: “Only in God are we truly safe and secure; anything else is false security; whether you are surrounded by mighty walls of stone, a comfortable home, or a secure job, no one can predict what tomorrow may bring; our relationship with God is the only security that cannot be taken away.”
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“Eternal rest grant unto them O, Lord, and let perpetual light shine upon them. May they rest in peace. Amen.” To this prayer we add: “And may we, the living, live in peace!” Let us not waste our limited time in this world carrying hatred, conflicts and unforgiveness in our hearts. Time spent on negative thoughts, feelings and deeds is wasted time.
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Let me end with a story about a driver who was on the lead funeral car bearing the coffin on the way to the cemetery. He felt hungry. What did he do? He went to the drive-through of a fast-food chain and because of that, some 20 cars behind followed him! Imagine the inconvenience and confusion he created just because he was focused on his personal agenda.
Today, let all people who are in public service remember that their personal agenda can affect so many people in so many ways. May the Lord grant us good, selfless and able leaders in our land. Let us make sure that we do not follow selfish, greedy and uncaring leaders.
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Be blessed and share your blessings with others! “One Touch” app by Ligaya One Digital, is available both from Apple app store and Google Play Store. Hear inspirational life stories, music, testimonies, prayers, reflections, and even jokes. Try it, and feel God’s presence in your busy or weary day.
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A moment with the Lord: Lord, help me to follow You now, and to eternity. Amen.