Eternal Rest

Travelling to the north of the Philippines with my grandparents and the rest of the clan many years ago, has been informative and instructive for me.  From Manila going to Ilocos Norte, you would easily learn by heart the various provinces that you need to pass through to get to your destination: Bulacan, Pampanga, Tarlac, Pangasinan, La Union,  and Ilocos Sur (now this province makes travel time longer as you have to pass through its entire stretch).  You would also see for yourselves the old churches and other edifices, learn which is the capital of which province, etc.  

As devout Catholics, Lolo Paul and Lola Piling would pray the Rosary as part of our journey.  But what made me wonder was that every time we would pass by a cemetery, Lolo Paul, in his booming voice, would utter "Eternal rest, grant unto them, O Lord".  To which, the rest of us (or at least those who know it) would respond "And let perpetual light shine upon them". "May they rest in peace," Lolo would then say. To which every one would reply "Amen".  You could imagine how many times this "exchange of words" would occur in our itinerary.  

Apart from this practice, I have been tagged along by my grandparents to a number of wakes and have assisted the late Fr Loreto Palafox, St Rita Hospital's Chaplain at that time, in the Mass.  We would also have Masses celebrated by Fr Palafox during All Souls' Day when we visit graves of his siblings at the La Loma Cemetery as well as the cenotaph at the Manila North Cemetery erected in memory of Tito Chito and companion scouts.  

I don't know where exactly my grandfather learned this devotion to the faithful departed, but I would imagine he learned this from his parents or from his older brother, Lolo Padi, whom he would have assisted in Masses for the Dead.    Apart from that, as doctors he and Lola Piling would have often encountered life and death situations. Being religious, they would have that cultivated a spiritual insight on these situations; that life is something to be cherished and shared with others for the glory of God and that death is not the end, but the beginning of life everlasting.

Lola Piling told me that on his last day on earth, Lolo Paul wanted to talk about death while making their way home from church.  Hours later, he would pass away. She told me how she consoled her dying husband, shouting prayers towards his ears.  I am amazed at how strong a woman my grandmother was when my grandfather died. She said "I could not cry, but shouted, “Thy will be done, O Lord".

In our Catechism we are taught of the 7 Corporal and 7 Spiritual Works of Mercy.  One of the Corporal Works is "to bury the dead".  One of the Spiritual Works is "to pray for the living and the dead".  My grandparents have shown, in their own way, how to practice these.  I'm grateful that they have shown me the way.  It gives me hope in what St Augustine once wrote: "Then we will be free and will see, will see and will love, will love and will praise. See, in the end it will be without end".

Lolo Paul, as we remember your 29th Death Anniversary this 19th of November, we implore that the Risen Lord would grant you, as well as Lola Piling and all the faithful departed (particularly those who died in the earthquake and typhoon that hit the Philippines recently), the eternal rest that you have always aspired and prayed for.  May you now enjoy that freedom to see, love, and praise God in His kingdom. We love you!

Saan Ka Man Naroroon

Devotion to the Faithful Departed (a.k.a. Holy Souls) has been embedded in our faith as Catholic Christians. We offer Masses and other prayers for the dead. We visit our loved ones' graves on special occasions.  For Catholic Pinoys, Todos los Santos (All Saints' Day), is a spectacle as we flock to cemeteries to pay tribute to the dead in a festive way.

I recall the many childhood years when my late aunt Mommy Rosie Samaniego would tag me along to 2 religious events devoted to the dead.  The first one is the Rosario Cantada, an old practice in Kawit, Cavite which some families would offer for their dead on occasions such as the pasiyam (Novena for the dead) or 40 days.  (This practice per se is not only held for the dead.  The outgoing Ina, during those days, would have the Rosario Cantada in her house on the night before she and the Ama turn over their responsibilities to their successors.) 

As the name suggests, Mommy and her fellow cantoras (lady singers) would chant the Rosary.  Musical accompaniment is provided by Lolo Gusing and his colleagues.  I don't recall exactly the lyrics, but I have a gut feeling that they were in Latin.  Due to migration abroad and/or death of singers or musicians, I think this devotion became defunct. I wish this could be revived.

Another act of piety which Mommy used to do was to sing during the Funeral Masses in Kawit. Her favourite song was "Saan Ka Man Naroroon" (Wherever You Are), a Tagalog kundiman (love song) composed by National Artist Levi Celerio.  This song was sung during Communion or when people are placing flowers on the casket, as what has been the practice before the burial.  Mommy would change the word sinta from time to time.  If the dead is an elder male, she would use the word "Itay" or "Ama". If it is an elder female, it is "Inay" or "Ina".  There were, as far as I could remember, two funerals when Mommy didn't sing it: during the Mass for Tito Carling (her younger brother) and Lolo Gusing.

Apart from this beautiful song, I was also exposed to the beauty of Kawit's liturgy for the dead such as the priest welcoming the dead and their bereaved at the door of the church, the incensing of the casket, and (during the late Msgr Hernando Godoy's time) the chanting of Requiem aeternam (Eternal rest). I learned the responses by heart so much so that during Mommy's wake, I managed to respond to Msgr Godoy's Latin prayers. 

I was told that there were other good practices for the dead (such as the priest joining the procession to the church and to the cemetery) that used to be in vogue, but have been put in the back burner.  I'm thankful that Mommy showed me what remains of such wonderful tradition.

After the Mass, we would join the rest of the mourners to the cemetery in Barangay Wakas on foot.  There was one incident that I won't forget one time we attended a funeral.  The neighbourhood barber passed away.  During the interment, it rained that the cemetery was muddy.  I saw some kids bigger than me stepped on a big slab of stone. So I followed them. Because of our weight, the slab broke!  Meanwhile,the sepultureros (gravediggers) were looking for a slab that was needed to seal the grave.  They have already cemented 2 together. Suddenly, someone noticed us stepping on the missing slab!  Mommy was so embarrassed and apologised profusely for our naughtiness.

In the family bereavements, Mommy wasn't the weepy type of person.  Though I may have seen her shed and wipe a tear, she exuded confidence and strength of character.  I've also seen her comfort those who are mourning, not thinking so much of her own grief.

Watching the videos that Manong Bob (her only son) took during her last moments on earth, she faced death with calmness and grace drawn from the Risen Lord Jesus. 

Saan ka man naroon, Mommy, thank you for being such a good example of how we should be devoted to those who have gone before us.  May we also show them the love and gratitude you have rendered them.

Here's a tribute to you on your birth anniversary this November 11. May you rest in peace!

Merciful

The devotion to the Divine Mercy has been one of my favorites. I do remember joining other televiewers in the Philippines that blessed day in June 1985 when the "Three O'clock Habit" was launched.

The message of the devotion, according to its promoters, can be summed up as ABC:

A - Ask for God's mercy.
B - Be merciful.
C - Complete trust in God's mercy.

Both A and C are more for one's self I think. B, on the other hand is more focused on others. I believe if we are able to do A, we are in a better position to do B. "You can't give what you don't have" goes a saying. If you haven't experience God's mercy (once you have asked for it) you cannot be merciful.

Some people have been trying to divorce love and mercy from one another citing situations like this lady entered into a relationship with this gentleman because she pitied her ("naawa") for his perseverance in courting her. Or this guy who married this pregnant girl not because of love, but because of an obligation to save the girl from ridicule and all those sorts.

For men it can be true, but never ever for God.

God's mercy has always been based on love. During Holy Week we reflected on that love, a love that took pity of our sorry state that moved God's only Son to offer Himself on the cross. We still continue to remember that love at Easter and particularly this Mercy Sunday, the Second Sunday in Easter.

Mercy is love in action.

I remembered when I was in Grade 5, Mr Joel Cadiz, our Religion teacher, taught us the Corporal and Spiritual Works of Mercy.

The Corporal Works of Mercy refer to the needs of the body:

1. Feed the hungry
2. Give drink to the thirsty
3. Clothe the naked
4. Shelter the homeless
5. Visit the sick
6. Visit the imprisoned
7. Bury the dead

The Spiritual Works of Mercy refer to the needs of the spirit:

1. Instruct the ignorant
2. Counsel the doubtful
3. Admonish the sinner
4. Bear wrongs patiently
5. Forgive offenses willingly
6. Comfort the sorrowful
7. Pray for the living and the dead

We are familiar with most of these. At times we need to go out of our comfort zones to break our already small bread with those who don't even know where to get their next meal, to keep vigil in someone's wake, to take some time-off to attend in a deceased's funeral, to be considerate of others' failures, to be understanding of one's ignorance, or to forgive other's faults.

Sometimes we meet challenges in performing acts of mercy. If they come along the way, remember C! Remember to completely trust God's mercy!

As we celebrate the Feast of the Divine Mercy this 19th April, let us do our best to perform these acts not out of sheer obligation, but because of mercy for others. Mercy offered to others because we love them. Mercy patterned after that of the Merciful Jesus.