THE FAITHFUL must cling to the promise of eternal life with God up to the moment of death, Fr. Jayson Gonzales, O.P. of the Priory of St. Thomas Aquinas said in a Mass for the Solemnity of All Souls on Thursday, Nov. 2, at the UST Santisimo Rosario Parish.
“‘Di sila mamamatay sa mundong ito, bagkus meron pong bagong buhay na ipagkakaloob sa kanila ang Diyos at ‘yon ang pinanghahawakan natin,” the Dominican cleric declared in his homily. “Pinagdadasal po natin ang kanilang mga kaluluwa nang sa gayo’y maramdaman nila at makamtan nila ang buhay na ipagkakaloob sa kanila ng Diyos.”
(The deceased won’t die in this world because a new life awaits them to be given by the Lord, and we hold on to this. We pray for their souls to receive God’s gift of eternal life.)
Gonzales urged Catholics to draw hope from the Book of Psalms and the Letters of St. Paul to the Romans, assuring the faithful that the deceased would be embraced by God as long as their faith remained steadfast.
“If God is always in our hearts, there will always be hope,” the priest said. “At kung tanggalin natin ang Diyos sa buhay natin, ‘yong salitang ‘pag-asa’ po magiging ‘paasa.’ Aasa tayo sa wala.”
(If God is always in our hearts, there will always be hope. And if we remove God from our lives, the word ‘hope’ becomes ‘hopeless.’ We’ll expect nothing.)
For the fourth consecutive year, the UST parish conducted a “Pasindi Kandila,” or candle lighting, for the departed.
According to a circular issued by the Office of the Secretary General, a Eucharistic celebration will be offered next Wednesday, Nov. 8, in honor of deceased Thomasians.
Classes and office work in the University will resume on Nov. 7, Tuesday. Ammiel B. Maestrado
