Remembering my father

With my parents on their 40th wedding anniversary in 1988

My father John passed away 21 years ago, on January 4, 2002, and I share with you today a brief section of the homily I gave during his funeral: 

The tremendous amount of good that my father accomplished was done with sincere and genuine humility. Whether he was painting a room, or plastering a roof before the rainy season, whether he was decorating a cake or weeding a garden, whether he was ironing a mountain of clothes or preparing a rabbit or a chicken for us to eat, he did everything with a sincere interest, sheer joy and a total commitment. In one of the letters he used to write to me every week, precisely on the occasion of my parents' 50^th Anniversary, I remember my dad writing to me that the best thing that ever happened to him was when he met my mother. . . . . they knew each other since they were very young, and got married young too, but the way they raised our family is nothing short of a masterpiece. I do not say this just to show off, but those who knew him well, know exactly what I mean. The Christian and spiritual education we received from them is a priceless memory. Their example was always sincere, authentic and built on a strong foundation. Someone once said: "Children have never been known to obey their parents, but they never fail to imitate them." On their example, I doubt if ever one of us children missed a Sunday Mass. I doubt if ever in their 54 years of Marriage they went to sleep without saying the Rosary together, and all of us together when we were still all at home. He was so proud of knowing the Litany in Latin by heart, especially since I did not know it by heart, neither in Maltese nor in Latin. In fact the last thing they did together before my father was called to Eternal life, was to listen to an interview I gave on RTK Radio (which was like a short biography of my Priesthood) and then said the Rosary along with the Poor Clares Sisters. God grant him the eternal rest he so richly deserves, and may the perpetual light shine upon him. May he rest in peace.