For the past few days, we have been faced with the stark reality of death. A helicopter crash off Zamboanga City last August 17 killed Pilots Joseph Corpuz and Jayrald Tamayo. A Eso-Nice bus fell down a steep ravine in Sablan, Benguet, on August 18, claiming 41 lives.
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The head-on collision of a bus and van in Bula, Camarines Sur, snuffed out three lives, including that of 2009 Miss International semifinalist Melody Gersbach. The death “spree” reached its peak in the bloody hostage-taking incident on August 23 which took the lives of eight Hong Kong nationals along with the hostage-taker, dismissed Senior Inspector Rolando Mendoza.
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All the above deaths were sudden and unexpected. In the hostage-taking drama, the Hong Kong tourists were already on their way to the airport but having enough time left, they were making a stop at the Oceanarium in Luneta when the hostage taker commandeered their bus, and the rest is history.
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When such tragedies strike, we ask: “Why could God allow them to happen on innocent people?” Tough question. But to paraphrase the existentialist philosopher, “Death is not a problem to be solved but a mystery to be lived.”

All we can do is to commend those hapless victims to the hands of a good and compassionate God.
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The unexpected deaths reminds us how fragile and uncertain life is. That’s why the Lord constantly reminds us: “Be vigilant for you know not when the Master comes...He comes at an hour you least expect.” (Mt 24,44).
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The big question is: When the Lord comes to take you, are you prepared? And I don’t mean only prepared with your Last Will and memorial plan but rather spiritually. Are you living according to His will or are you living in sin or illegal ways?
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In 1888, a man who invented dynamite had become very rich by selling guns and ammunition. One morning, he woke up to read his own death notice in the newspaper.
Actually, it was his brother who had died but a reporter had mistakenly written his name.
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Now for the first time the man saw himself as the world saw him: the “dynamite king” and nothing more.
Horrified, he regretted that his invention had been used for killing and destructive purposes. So he left a substantial fund, the interest from which was used to establish the Nobel Peace Prize Foundation and support prizes for outstanding contributions in the fields of physics, chemistry, medicine, literature, the economic sciences and the pursuit of world peace.
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That’s the story of the Swedish chemist-industrialist Bernhard Alfred Nobel. Instead of being remembered as a “merchant of explosives,” he left behind a more noble name as “man of peace.”
Your business may not be dealing with explosives, but it could be trafficking in dangerous drugs or pornographic materials or are engaged in corrupt deals. In short, are you contributing to the solution of society’s numerous problems or are you part of the problem?
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When you leave this world, will you be remembered for something good or something bad?
In the words of the writer Stephen Grellet, “I shall pass this world but once. Any good, therefore, that I can do or any kindness that I can show, let me do it now. Let me not neglect nor defer it for I shall not pass this way again.”
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THE LIGHTER SIDE. A teacher asks her class in Religious Education: “Who wants to go to heaven? Raise your hand.” Everyone did. Then she said: “Who wants to die?” Nobody raised a hand!
LESSON: You can’t go to heaven if you don’t die. So, you should “befriend” death. Only sinners are afraid of death.
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Two kids were observing their old grandmother who was sitting in her favorite armchair reading the Bible. “Why does Grandma spend so much time reading the Bible?” asked one.
“I think she’s cramming for her final exams,” said the other.
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APPEAL. Talking of doing good works while in this world, how about helping poor seminarians in their schooling? There are some who cannot continue due to poverty. Hence, this appeal.
You may chip in an amount or sponsor a seminarian’s schooling for one year or two.
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Please send donation payable to "Adopt a Seminarian" c/o Fr. Bel San Luis, SVD at Christ the King Seminary, 1101 E. Rodriguez Blvd., Quezon City.
For inquiries, call Precy at Christ the King Seminary (cf. tel. directory) or e-mail: belsvd@yahoo.com.