In 2005, I arrived at the Resurrection of Our Lord Parish and it was my first time to meet Vic. He was an innocent young man then who would play the keyboard/organ during the Sunday afternoon mass for the youth. He really loved to play the keyboard everyday even if he was alone in the church. I even saw him playing piano at Alabang Town Center. He was so silent and reserved during his younger years. This was the Vic I knew until I left the parish.
In 2015, I came back to the Resurrection of Our Lord Parish, and I met Vic again. This time Vic was a different man. He could express his own thoughts, ideas, opinions and even his emotion without fear or hesitation. He would give me a hug whenever he would fetch me to meet the group (ROLP Young Professionals). When he learned that I was preparing for the 2015 Bar Exams, he provided me some reviewer and books I needed for my review. He informed me of all the schedules announced by the Supreme Court regarding the Bar. He even brought me his transparent bag because he said other kinds of bag were prohibited due to security reason. There was a night when I needed someone at Starbucks to accompany me in my review, Vic who was tired from work showed up with his book on Civil Law. He joined me in my review that night until the next morning. Vic really made everything easy for me. When the Bar result came out, he was one of those who shared in my happiness. He made himself available up to my signing in the roll of attorney at the Supreme Court. He acted as my personal driver, as my photographer and above all as my guide and mentor as he knew every step and detail of what I should do while we were at the Supreme Court. He even was the first one to suggest that I should apply for Notary Public.
It happened last year, Vic was working in an insurance company when I was invited as a substitite teacher on the subject Insurance by the dean of a Law School. I had to ask Vic to explain to me what is an insurance. He explained it well that he convinced me to take an insurance policy from him. I agreed with him but with the parish that I have at present, I could not raise the right amount for my insurance.
I told you all these tonight to let you know that Vic has been part of my life. Now, that he is gone, then part of me is also gone. Death has stolen him from me and from you who love him. Death wants us to stop loving because if someone we love dies, we get hurt. And if we do not love the person, whether he lives or dies, we do not care and we do not waste our tears for him. Death sends us a message that no love is forever because death puts an end to it. But my dear friends, just as the Scripture says, "Death where is your sting?", I say to you that death cannot take away my love and your love for Vic. I am here to say I love Vic and I will not allow death to triumph over my love for him. I came from Kalibo, Aklan, I have to leave my parish where I am the only priest assigned and I have to cancel all the parish schedules because Vic is important to me. As Vic has been important to me when he was alive, he remains important to me even now that he has gone ahead of us. I am here to say this mass for him to assure him that there is a community that loves him dearly. There is a parish community that loves Vic. Death cannot put an end to this love. Death has no power to end our love because we now entrust Vic to the love of God through this Holy Sacrifice of the Mass. Vic is totally safe now. Vic can now feel the love which the world cannot give to him, which we cannot give to him. And so tonight we pray that God may grant eternal rest on the soul of our beloved Vic and may he rest in peace. Amen.
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
No comments:
Post a Comment