Acts 3:13-15, 17-19 / 1 John 2:1-5 / Luke 24:35-48
If we had to keep watch at a funeral wake, there is not much that we can do but to wait for people to come and pay respects.
And if the wake is at the void deck of a block, then when it comes to the late hours of the night, there can be some things to keep us occupied.
Some might gamble the night away; some might be occupied with their hand-phones; some might just watch TV or whatever.
But when I was growing up, when it comes to the late hours of the night, that will be the time when the uncles and aunties will start to tell ghost stories.
And we the kids will be huddled together in terror as we listen and we won’t even dare to go to the toilet.
Some ghost stories sound so ridiculous as I think of it now, but still it made a deep impression on me and my cousins then.
One story is that we have to keep watch around the coffin and to prevent any black cat from jumping over the coffin.
Otherwise the body will rise and start jumping all over the place.
So the legs of the deceased will be tied together so that they can only jump around and can’t chase people. That’s what we kids were told.
It sounds so ridiculous, right? But when we were kids we just believed everything that was told to us. And we even remember it until now. And maybe even until our dying day.
But seriously, ghost stories only instill fear and at times death and darkness become bigger than our faith in God.
In the gospel, the two disciples told their story of what had happened on the road to Emmaus and how they had recognized Jesus at the breaking of bread. But then He vanished from their sight.
To the rest of the disciples, that sounded like some kind of ghost story. So when Jesus appeared and stood among them, they were in a state of alarm and fright, and they thought they were seeing a ghost.
And if Jesus had vanished from their sight again, then what we would end up with is a ghost story. After all, it seems that ghosts would appear here and there and then disappear.
But Jesus calmed their fears when He showed them His hands and feet. He invited them to touch Him and He even ate a piece of grilled fish before their eyes.
He proved to them that He was no ghost, and that He was alive.
And they were overjoyed though they were dumbfounded.
And as He opened their minds to understand the scriptures, there is one truth that came across profoundly.
And that is the God that they believed in is the God of the living and not of the dead, for in God, all are alive.
And the proof is that Jesus is standing right there before them, and certainly more alive than they are.
When death strikes and takes a loved one away, it is difficult to think about that person in the other world.
We might wonder where that person is and other questions that seem to have no answers.
My father, my papa, passed on in June last year. He is the first in my immediate family to pass on and with no experience of a death in the family it was quite chaotic.
Nonetheless, a wake was held, the funeral was conducted, he was cremated and we continued to offer Masses and pray for his soul.
Then at All Souls Day last year, my mum asked me if papa was already in heaven.
I was a bit stumped for an answer and so I told her that I will try to find out, although I didn’t know how.
And then I was told, at short notice, of my posting here. So I squeezed some time to visit my papa at his niche.
Well, I told him that I am coming here, and I might as well tell you that this was the church of his baptism and also my parents were married here.
Anyway I told my papa that I need to tell my mum whether he is already in heaven so I asked him to pray for my intentions as I begin my ministry in this parish.
As we may know, in the canonization process, at least two miracles must have been performed through the saint's intercession after his or her death, besides an additional miracle for granting beatification. So all in all, it’s three miracles.
Of course, I am not going to put up a cause for my papa’s canonization, but if he is in heaven then I would need his prayers.
So I asked my papa to pray for my intentions for this parish, not just for three intentions, but I think by now it’s already three thousand and still counting.
To say the least, all my petitions were answered – difficulties were eased, things got started and going, problems had solutions.
And I will keep asking my papa to pray, not just for me but also for you.
And I want to share with you one sign that enabled me to confidently tell my mum that my papa is in heaven.
About a month or so after coming here I had to fill up a form and I needed to know Fr. Paul Tong’s birthdate. So I asked him and then I had to ask what year was he born in and he told me it’s 1927. He was born in the same year as my papa. And indeed Fr. Paul Tong is like a father to me.
And as if that is not enough, only recently I had to ask Fr. Vincent Chee what year he was born in, and he told me it’s 1937. It’s the same year as my mum! I doubt no more!
It’s not an awesome sign but it’s enough for me to say that my papa is alive and interceding for me and for you and for the parish.
Yes, my papa and all our deceased loved ones are alive and share in the Resurrection of Christ.
So ask your deceased loved ones to intercede for you in your struggles and difficulties of life.
And when we have our prayers answered, then let us give thanks to God.
Let us forget about those ridiculous ghost stories and be witnesses of the Resurrection of Christ and His presence among us.
And rising from our sinfulness, let us also be witnesses to repentance for the forgiveness of sins.
It has to begin with us; it has to begin from us.