Vigil

     Last night I had the privilege of attending an interfaith prayer vigil in remembrance of the victims of the Lapu Lapu Day tragedy: A Community in Mourning. It was held at 5 pm at Miramar Plaza in White Rock and was a moving tribute to the lives lost. Sponsored and organized by the local interfaith community, it included prayers, songs and remembrances delivered by those within the Filipino community as well as those affected, their friends and neighbours. As speaker Jeff Solis indicated, this vigil was holding space so our grief could be shared with others who care.

     The Himig Kabataan Cultural Society Choir gave us several musical offerings both in English and Tagalog that expressed a deep sense of longing to be connected with one another as well as our need to be comforted by our Lord. People from public office, faith leaders like our own Father Joe and community coordinators used words of hope and healing in acknowledgment of the pain and heartbreak caused by the festival catastrophe. In a very moving musical offering composed by The Rev. Eduardo Hontiveros entitled “Pananagutan” which translated means “responsibility” and also sung by the Himig Kabataan Cultural Society Choir, the song encouraged us to look out for one another: “We are all responsible for each other, We are all gathered by God, who is with Him”. I was uplifted as I saw so many of my fellow parishioners in attendance. Some of my friends from outside of the church also attended and were very touched by the service.

     At the end of the vigil we were encouraged to bring forth our flowers and candles which formed a beautiful visual statement of Jesus’ second great commandment: Love thy neighbour as thy self. The final prayer comforted us and readied us to go out in the world once again:

God of Astonishing Mercy, Compassion and Immeasurable Love, restore our broken hearts and enliven our confidence to find new ways to revive our world to become one of peace. Amen

Floor

     About forty years ago the Church of the Holy Trinity had a new linoleum floor installed. According to my father, it was a huge project with the parishioners literally doing all of the heavy lifting. All 30 or more pews were unscrewed from the floor, lifted onto dollies and dragged around the corner to the church library to be stacked and stored until the floor was redone. The job took a couple of weeks and so the Sunday church services were scheduled to take place in the church hall. At the first one the rector at that time, Father John Prince, declared it to be “the best service that we’ve ever had”! The cost of the floor was more than the church had then but he preached a sermon that resonated with the congregation and the money appeared. The linoleum floor lasted for years eventually needing to be taped in certain high traffic areas; it was cracked, dull, old and worn. But over the years that floor had known the tread of many feet: weddings, funerals, baptisms, confirmations, Sunday services, Christmas pageants and Easter celebrations too. Flower petals, ashes, candle wax and tears had dotted the floor along with the innumerable rain drops, snowflakes and debris that floors can gather.

     The floor needed replacement after all those years and this last month it was redone. This also was a huge venture for our parish but fortunately we had help with the heavy lifting. A local contractor and his team assisted us. It still took an enormous effort on the part of parishioners to make this floor a reality. And we also had to have wonderful services in the church hall; close, cozy but wonderful nonetheless. So now we have a a new epoxy floor: bright, clean, colourful and hard-wearing. (And as our daughter found out at the Easter Vigil, it’s fire resistant!) There will be years and years of Sundays and other days: celebrations, funerals, petals and ashes; God is with us always, regardless of where we are.