Ed. Note: This was a homily from a memorial mass for the Laurel family last year. As is always the case with Fr. Mon, we are including it here because his words of wisdom apply to all of us and our daily lives.

Someone once said, “Life is like the weather: there are sunny days and there are dark days; there are quiet days and there are noisy days; there are days that all seems well and there are days that are stormy.” 

In discussing the storms of life, typically, we are not prepared for them. It can be very difficult and we are not sure how the storm will be. 

It has been 20 years since the passing away of Salvador Laurel at the age of 75. This is the paradox of time – it has been a long time but it seems so recent. The other day, we had a Mass for Baby Herrera’s 65th birthday anniversary. She worked for Tito Doy since 1986. Freddy still vividly remembers that in a dinner, he and Atty Buns decided to go immediately to the States to visit Tito Doy in Atherton. That visit was so timely because after that Tito Doy passed away. It has been a long time, these 20 years, but it seems so recent, especially for the late Tita Celia and the children and grandchildren. Not only that, death is typically one of the strongest typhoons of life. The biggest question at the time was – How would the family manage after the death of Tito Doy? After about 53 years of marriage, how does the family move on? 

We are familiar with the Gospel story about the apostles experiencing a storm. The good news for them was that Jesus calmed the storm. Three ways we can deal with the storms of life:

• First, there are storms that God takes away. These are the answered prayers in life: a sick person who was healed; money that was provided from an unexpected source; a deal that surprisingly pushed through, etc.
• Second, there are storms meant to clear up and not to destroy. We came into this world with nothing and we are leaving this world with nothing. Hence, storms challenge us to let go of things and relationships.
• Third, there are storms that we just have to go through in life. As to how long this typhoon lasts, we do not know. Yet, in these storms, we remain hopeful because, after night comes day, and what cannot break us will only make us stronger.

In this Mass, we pray for the Laurel family members whom we have said goodbye to Salvador, Celia, Stella, and Kristipi.  We last said goodbye to Tita Celia in 2021. We remember the legacy they stood for in life. 

For the rest of the Laurels, in a life wherein nothing is certain, storms included, you are never alone. We friends and relatives continue to journey with you. 

All of us in the Mass, we live in a life where nothing is certain. Yet we continue to go through life sunny days or stormy.