Our souls live on
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 her husband’s cell phone. Imagine her surprise when three days after the burial, she received a text message from him which read: “Here na me. Follow na you!”
—————-
Today is All Souls’ Day, the commemoration of the faithful departed. In today’s Gospel (John 6:37-40), Jesus tells His disciples: “For this is the will of my Father, that everyone who sees the Son and believes in Him may have eternal life, and I will raise him on the last day.” What a tremendous gift, what a blessed assurance that we have received from the Lord!
—————-
Death is one of the most painful, if not the most painful and troubling moment 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!” Yes, our souls live on.
—————-
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.
—————-
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.
—————-
Life is short, and death is certain. Someone once asked: Why do we frantically hold on to our earthly life which we cannot prolong, and forget eternity which we cannot avoid and which surely awaits us all?
—————-
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.”
—————-
Travel light. This is the thumb rule for all of us who are on the way. We are all pilgrims in this world. We are not immigrants here! There are people who claim that they need provisions along the way, that’s why they have to keep money and wealth in their pockets. May I ask: how much money do you need in this life? When is enough really enough? May I remind you, too, that when your pockets get too heavy, you will find the journey difficult and cumbersome. And, if you are too laden, you may not be able to reach your final destination. Sige. Ikaw rin. Bukod sa mahihirapan ka sa biyahe, baka hindi ka makarating (Careful, aside from making the journey difficult, you may not reach your destination).
—————-
It is unfortunate that some people continue to fill their pockets with lots of cash, and lots of trash as they travel on. What are you carrying in your pocket now? Remember, the heavier the pocket, the heavier the heart; the lighter the pocket, the lighter the heart.
—————-
This is a beautiful time of the year. The fields are ready for harvest. Christmas is just around the corner. Even the weather is milder. Yes, we expect more pleasant times ahead. We hope also for better times ahead for our country and for our people. Let us continue to pray to the Lord of the harvest that we will have more good leaders in our land.
—————-
Think about it: We all will die, sooner or later. We carry nothing with us when we leave this world except the faith we have lived and the love we have shared. May we have no regrets in the end that we loved God and people too little, too late, just because we loved ourselves too much.
—————-
A moment with the Lord:
Help us not to forget that we have a soul that will live on after our earthly sojourn. Amen.
—————-
momentswithfrjerry@gmail.com
