Live well, live on. . .

LAST week, I was called to bring the Sacrament of the Sick to a rich old man who was stricken with cancer. He really wanted to get well and live. In fact, three times, as I was praying over him, he interrupted me. The first time he said: "Father Orbos, please, help me get well." The second time, he said: "Father Orbos, if you help me get well, name your price." The third time, he said: "Father Orbos, if I get well, you can ask for anything, and I will give it to you."

Wow! You can just imagine how hard I prayed for him to get well! One part of me was praying for him to get well so that I would receive a big donation for our Filipino missionaries in foreign missions. The other part of me was praying that he would be able to accept the beautiful life awaiting him after this life.

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The desire for immortality is as old as man himself. Human history is filled with accounts of man's quest for forever. There have been many who offered a formula for eternity, but only one has offered His very flesh, for the life of the world, the Living Bread come down from Heaven (Jn. 6, 41-51).

Who doesn't want to live up to 80 or 90 and enjoy a good life? But sooner or later, we all have to accept that life on earth is not forever. It has to come to an end. None of us will stay on in the world. None of us will leave this world alive.

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It is not enough to live or spend our lives making a living. We must have a life. We must have a well-spent life. We must live well, and this doesn't mean living in comfort and luxury. Living well means living a life that is full, i.e., beautiful, meaningful, truthful, God-full and love-full.

What is your life full of?

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Some people hoard so much in life, and their constant concern in life is to hoard even more, at all cost, even at the cost of their health, of their peace of mind, of their good name, and yes, of their very soul. Again, what can we bring with us when we leave this world? Those who have so much should reflect on these words of Mahatma Gandhi: "If people possess something they don't use, they become thieves."

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How does one live? Someone once said that there are three things a man can do to become immortal: plant a tree, write a book or sire a son. Me? Well, I've planted trees, I've written four books to date, and... I'll write another book, and then another book!

Kidding aside, we all hope to live on in the hearts of people because of the goodness we have done. Someone put it so beautifully: "The heart remembers all the moments when a little love made all the difference."

How will you be remembered? Will people remember you at all, the big shot that you are now? A good man is never gone. He lives on in the hearts and minds and stories of people whose lives he has helped, touched or inspired.

Today, let us take time to remember those people who have helped, touched and inspired us. Let us continue the good things they have done. Let them live on in us.

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I do a lot of sick calls. I have been to many hospitals and have walked in and out of so many ICUs. I have often wondered how it would be like when finally I would be in one of those ICU beds (if I ever get there at all). What will my "pre-departure" thoughts be like? Will my thoughts be filled with regrets and remorse? Will I be saddened by the could-have-beens and the should-have-beens in my life? Will I be afraid of facing my Creator soon? Will I come before Him in shame because so often I have ignored Him and disobeyed Him? Will I shudder at the thought that I have hurt, cheated, used and abused people?

How about my loved ones whom I will leave behind? Have I prepared them to be strong and to be dependent on God, or did I just leave to them money and material wealth which will sustain them or destroy them?

Come to think of it, these should be daily thoughts because every day, including today, could be "pre-departure" already.

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My cousin, Msgr. Marlo Peralta, parish priest of Pozorrubio, Pangasinan, sent me this beautiful text message: "Notice how God opens millions of flowers every day without forcing the buds! Don't try to force anything. Let life be a constant letting go and letting God."

Maybe that's what living in God means, "a constant letting go, and letting God." If we do not learn to let go and let God now, our departure from this world will be very turbulent and troubled. We all will have to make that final journey someday. At that point, nothing of what we have and no one among those we know will be able to assist us except the Lord, and the people who will care to pray for us because they were recipients of our love.

Learn to surrender, to let go, to let God. Now.

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Live in God. If you live in God, you will live well. If you live well, you will live on in the hearts of people, and you will live on with God. So live in God. Sino ba ang ka live-in mo?

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A moment with the Lord:

Lord, help me to live in You, so that I can live well, and live on. Amen.