He was a successful business executive. Upon his retirement from the corporate world, he pursued another career as a diplomat. He had hid fair share of enemies. Everyone knew of his deep faith. Many were impressed that he went to daily mass no matter where his travels brought him. There were those who doubted the sincerity of his spirituality. I believed him to be a true disciple, struggling to find the Lord even in the often dishonest, greedy and selfish marketplace. Everyone who knows him will not miss nor mistake his love for the Lord and for his wife. I learned dedication and perseverance from him.
He was a brilliant medical practitioner. Yet, he also carved a name for himself as an excellent corporate executive, a respected government technocrat, an acknowledge innovator in the field of education. He was a die-hard golfer and an avid basketball fanatic. He was an authentic hyphen person. He never did anything in half measures. Everything he did, he did with a passion for excellence. Anything worth doing, he did and he did them very well. Deep inside, he was a lover: he loved his family, he loved his friends, he loved the people he worked with, he loved the Church and he loved his country. All with burning passion. From him, I learned what excellence is all about and how to quest for it.
He was one of the few acknowledged Filipino biblical scholars. He did his biblical studies in a very different fashion. He read the scriptures with and for the poor, the oppressed and the marginalized of Philippine society. He saw and learned of the Christ through their eyes. He talked about the third look at Jesus. He studied the mystery of the Incarnation in the lives of the ordinary Filipino. He proclaimed Christ’s message of salvation in terms and images they could understand. His heart constantly beat with love. Anything and everything he had, he shared with all and everyone. I learned authentic Christian spirituality from him.
O Lord, I will sing of your salvation.
When he had gone out, Jesus said,
‘Now the Son of Man has been glorified, and God has been glorified in him.
If God has been glorified in him,
God will also glorify him in himself and will glorify him at once.
Little children, I am with you only a little longer.
You will look for me; and as I said to the Jews so now I say to you,
“Where I am going, you cannot come.”
I give you a new commandment, that you love one another.
Just as I have loved you, you also should love one another.
By this everyone will know that you are my disciples,
if you have love for one another.’
John 13:31-38