Ed. Note: This homily was from a funeral mass last year. We have included it here because as always, Fr Mon’s words pertain to all of our lives.

Since time immemorial, it was the desire of man to live forever. That is why throughout history they did everything to live forever. From medicines to potions, from meditation to diet, from beauty products to exercise, the desire is to live forever. 

In fact, a famous quote tells us the three things every man should do during his time on earth: “Plant a tree, have a child, and write a book”. The reason behind this quote is generally believed to be that we are only here for a short time and these three things will live on long after we have passed. It’s like leaving a legacy and in a sense, achieving a kind of immortality. 

As we reflect on the life of Arch Jun, yes, he brought seven children into this world. Not sure if he planted trees but he designed beautiful homes and buildings. He has not written a book but the knowledge imparted to his co-workers at the Design Consultancy Firm surely will go down from generation to generation. 

Further, in talking about living forever, in our faith we are told that we are only passing in this life. There is life eternal and the seeds we have planted during our lives, eventually bear fruit – “Unless a grain of wheat falls to the ground and dies it bears fruit.”

In the life of Arch Jun, there are three seeds that have been planted:

• Seed of Family – Along with Tita Remy, a family of seven children was born into the world: five girls and two boys. Eventually, the children came, and then the grandchildren. Always remember in the life of Arch Jun, the family came first with all the shared experiences and the food. 
  
• Seed of Character – Arch Jun was known to be a gentleman. When he made a promise, he would deliver. It was a good name that mattered. The many visitors here are a testimony of his character. 
  
• Seed of Faith – Even when he had an oxygen tank, he would still go to the Masses at the Asian Institute of Management. He was blessed with a Mass on his birthday and received the Sacrament of the Anointing of the Sick, which means not only healing of the body but also forgiveness of sins. In other words, passing away in the state of grace. 

In this Mass, we thank God for the long life Arch Jun was given. We pray for his eternal peace and rest. Also, we continue to journey with Tita Remy and the rest of the family. While there is sadness in the goodbyes of life, we take comfort in a quotation from Chuck Palahniuk:

“We will all die. The goal is not to live forever, the goal is to create something that will.”

In other words, Seeds of family, Seeds of Character, and Seeds of Faith.