Fr. Tim’s grand welcome in heaven
Last week’s Gospel reading calls on us to be alert and vigilant because we do not know when the Lord will come. But in the Second Sunday of this season, the Scripture calls on us to prepare the way for his coming. A voice of one crying out in the desert: “Prepare the way of the Lord, make straight his paths,” says the Gospel of Mark. It announces the coming of John the Baptist, the precursor of the Messiah, who spoke the words of God but also acknowledged that there is one greater than him whose sandal he is not worthy to unstrap. The period when Christ came into the world was a time of uncertainty and insecurity. The chosen people were groaning under the yoke of foreign oppression. John the Baptist’s message resonated among the people who were beginning to doubt God’s providence, feeling that he has abandoned his people. His message was one of hope amid hypocrisy, violence and greed, conflict and confusion. It was at this time when everything seemed hopeless that God sent a messenger to rekindle the hope of the people, calling on them to put their trust in the Lord. Much like in the time of John the Baptist, many are now teetering on the verge of hopelessness, as we reel from the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic and the myriad calamities that face us such. This Advent, the Lord is once again calling on us all to renew ourselves. Just as John called on his people to prepare the way for Jesus, we too are being called to welcome Him this Advent Season and illumine, and to reflect on the words of wisdom of the Holy Father to free ourselves from our internal idols, heed the cry of John the Baptist and focus on the Lord, never doubting his eternal love for us. One person that has prepared the way for Christ for many people, especially priests, is Fr. Timoteo Ofrasio SJ. Fr. Tim, as we fondly call him, is a great liturgist of the Philippine Catholic Church, a lyricist of some of the most beautiful songs for religious celebrations, and a formator of priests in the Philippines and in Mindanao. Last December 1, on the Tuesday of the first week of Advent, sad news from Fr Peter Pojol, Socius of the Society of Jesus: began appearing in my multiple social media and communications channels—in Facebook, Viber, Gmail, Telegram, and Messenger: “This is to inform you that FR. TIMOTEO J. M. OFRASIO, S. J died about 8 p.m. this evening in San Pablo General Community Hospital, San Pablo City. Fr. Tim, 72, had been on home leave and tested positive for the virus. He was hospitalized several days ago but seemed to be recovering. His death is quite unexpected, except that COVID-19 has often been seen to be more treacherous and deadly than anticipated.” When I saw the news, I could not help but cry, posting this in Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram:"His work prepared the Way of the Lord for many of us."
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