METROPOST


MARCH 1 - MARCH 7, 2020 7 EULOGY By Pastor Noel Jon Valente T


he Bible tells us to rejoice with those who rejoice, and to mourn with those who mourn. We mourn with the Lim family for the loss of Elliott Lloyd Hescock Lim. He was three years and 11 months old.


Death is a sobering reality in this life. That pain of being separated from our loved ones can be overwhelming. The truth is, this hurt will l inger even after a few months down the road when the fact that Elliott is gone sinks in.


The little things that remind us of him may hurt the most. His empty chair left behind in the dinner table, the distinct scent of his clothes in the cabinet, his favorite toys which he arranged by himself on the shelf, and the funny stories which once made us laugh may be the very thing which makes us cry.


PATIENTS....FROM P. 3


medical assistance to fill out.


The Malasakit Center is a one-stop-shop inside the hospital manned by personnel of the Department of Health, Department of Social


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school as they walked up to 10 kilometers every day to and from school. I’ll remember the challenges and benefits of being in a formal relationship for the first time in 20 years, no longer living alone, and all that involves.


terrified when experiencing my first typhoon. I thought the world was ending as the house shuddered from the force of


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the quality of cultural and natural heritage sites within the city. These have to be mapped now and documented for the young generation to know and cherish as heritage. Thus, the current initiative of the City government coordinated by Tourism Officer Jacqueline Veloso-Antonio to train local cultural mappers with technical assistance from the NCCA, is an initial step


to balancing cultural and economic growth in the city. The participatory cultural mapping approach the NCCA trainors had employed, led by Dr. Earl Jude Paul Cleope, will not only provide a list or inventory of cultural properties found in the City.


The consolidated cultural picture it will paint will also reinforce the many cultural programs the city has already undertaken as well as define


the gaps that it has to fill in. More importantly, the cultural map that would be accessible to many will further enhance their sense of place of Dumaguete, including those not native here but have considered it as their home place. In the succeeding issues, I will explore place identity, dependence and attachment as components of sense of place relative to the significance of cultural and natural heritage.


I’ll remember being


200 km/h winds and torrential rains. It wasn’t reassuring to look out and see the dirt road turn into mush, then slide down the valley. Being a judge at the Miss Valencia beauty pageant, I was impressed by the elegance, composure, and worldly knowledge of the young ladies. There is much more, but, for now, it’s sufficient to express my gratitude for the overall experience.


questionable driving practices, I’ve learned to have nothing but the utmost respect and appreciation for Filipinos. They are a warm, life- affirming people who have been generous in accepting this Irishman into their society. I ’m simply another foreigner who is a guest in this country, an Outsider Looking In who is deeply grateful for the Filipino generosity. Salamat kaayo.


And apart from their


Welfare & Development, PhilHealth, and Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office to provide and expedite the provision of medical and financial assistance for the poor and marginalized Filipinos. (jct/PIA7 NegOr)


11:35 tells us that Jesus wept. Jesus did not just become teary-eyed, but truly and very deeply experienced the sorrow that death brings. Crying doesn’t mean our faith is weak. Jesus was the purest example of masculinity and strength and yet, He wept. Jesus was a man of sorrows, acquainted with the deepest grief. In this time of grief, we must turn to Christ and His Word for comfort. Paul calls Christ in 2nd Corinthians 1 “the God of all comfort”, and oh yes, He is the God of all comfort. In John 11, Jesus’ friend


But it is okay to cry. John


We can understand her words in two different ways. First, Martha could be saying, “Where were you? What took you so long? You would have been able to stop this. Why weren’t you there?” We’ve all said those words as well, right?


bottom, we can’t help but question God in the same way.


Second, Martha’s words could also be revealing her faith. She said those words because she knew what Christ was capable of. The question remains:


When life hits rock


He loved them enough to let their brother die.


Why didn’t He go immediately? Jesus delayed his arrival so that when He raised


To JB and Matti, you have heard this a billion times, and it’s probably the most cliché of encouragements, but Jesus loves you. He loves you enough to let Elliott die. To behold Christ in His glory, and to know Him is more important than health. Elliot’s illness does not lead to death. The purpose of the Leukemia, the complications, and all that was not death. The purpose was the glory of God, so that the Son of God may be glorified through it.


This is what it means to live for His glory. It means that you are willing to hold God’s glory supremely above your own comfort, your own life, and in this case, your own child. As JB has testified about


his son’s death previously, “The death of my son is not cruel of God. There is nothing more loving than this.”


lost all of his children, “The Lord gave, and the Lord has taken away; blessed be the name of the Lord.” (Job 1:21b) It is possible for us to rejoice in death because Jesus himself is victorious over death. It’s one thing to raise someone else from the dead, it is another thing to raise yourself from the dead. Jesus did both.


Just as Job said when he


Even in Elliott’s death, we are assured of God’s love. That is why Jesus said to


Lazarus is sick, and He is asked to come and heal him, but Jesus delays his trip, and Lazarus dies. When Jesus arrived, he raises Lazarus from the dead.


records seven of the countless miracles Jesus performed during His earthly ministry. The raising of Lazarus was the last miracle before His crucifixion. This was one of the most powerful demonstrations of God’s power and glory. Jesus performed many miracles, but this one would be the most dramatic.


When Jesus heard that Lazarus was ill, he said, “This illness does not lead to death. It is for the glory of God, so that the Son of God may be glorified through it.”


In other words, the purpose of this sickness was not just to end Lazarus’ life, but that his illness would bring glory to God.


says, “Now Jesus loved Martha and her sister and Lazarus. So, when he heard that Lazarus was ill, he stayed two days longer in the place where he was.” John tells us that Jesus


Verses 5 and 6 of John 11 The Gospel of John


Lazarus from the dead, there would be absolutely no doubt that this was a real resurrection.


Martha, “I am the resurrection and the life. Whoever believes in me, though he die, yet shall he live, and everyone who lives and believes in me shall never die.” (John 11:25-26a)


Jesus did not just say “I am able to resurrect people.” He said, “I am the resurrection and the life.”


This wasn’t just a resuscitation. If Jesus were to raise Lazarus within a day or two of his “death”, the witnesses could easily shrug it off and say, “Well, maybe Lazarus wasn’t really dead. He was merely unconscious or in a deep, deep sleep. Jesus’ arrival and Lazarus regaining consciousness was just well timed.” But because it had been four days, they could not explain away the resurrection with that reason. Jesus had raised others from the dead during his ministry, but Lazarus had been in the grave for so long. It was a miracle that could not be denied by the Jews. In fact, when Jesus commanded that they would open the tomb, Martha said, “Lord, by this time there will be an odor, for he has been dead four days.”


loved this family. But what did he do when he heard that Lazarus was very ill? Does he go straight to them? Does he rush to Lazarus’ rescue? No. He intentionally delays going over to Lazarus for another 48 hours.


The Bible says Jesus loved this family. But it also says that he delayed responding to their cry for help. Why would he do that? Isn’t rushing to their aid the most loving thing He could to? The two-day delay meant that by the time Jesus would arrive, Lazarus would have already been dead for four days.


Concreting of a road in Brgy. Maningcao in the town of Sibulan, through the congressional funds of Rep Chiquiting Manuel Sagarbarria.


When Jesus came, Martha said to Jesus, “Lord, if you had been here, my brother would not have died.” (John 11:21)


Lazarus’ body was already decomposing. And so, when he ordered the tomb opened, Jesus exclaimed the life-giving words “Lazarus come forth” and breath returned to Lazarus. Just as God in creation breathed life into dust to create man, Jesus brought life back to this once-dead man. And by doing so, Jesus revealed that He is the same One in creation. Through this, Jesus revealed that He is God. This is what He meant when He said, “This illness does not lead to death. It is for the glory of God, so that the Son of God may be glorified through it.”


Jesus revealed who He is. He revealed His glory to Martha and Mary.


Through this miracle,


Jesus loved them enough to show them that the glory of God is worth far more than their immediate comfort through Lazarus’ healing.


us. He is absent from the body. And because he is absent from the body, he is present with the Lord. That is far better.


We’ve been praying that the LORD would heal Elliott. The LORD has granted us even more. He is healed. No more needles. No more chemo. No maintenance. No blood transfusions.


Elliot has only changed residence. Yes, there is a biological, physical death. But Elliott’s existence continues in the presence of God. That’s true life. And now, he shall never die. He is enjoying the sweet fellowship of our Lord and Savior Jesus; more alive than any of us here. Paul says in Philippians


1:23, “My desire is to depart and be with Christ.”


When he was opening a Christmas gift, playing with mongo seeds, or laying beside his mom Matti. He is now happier with the LORD. Happier than the happiest person on the planet right now. Through his death, God has spared Elliott from the suffering of this fallen world. Jesus has freed us from the fear of death. He became a man so that he could take our place on the cross to die for our sins, and defeat the one who has the power of death. Then, Jesus rose again triumphant over sin and death. Lazarus’ resurrection was a preview of the real deal. Jesus also had a tomb, and his tomb was also opened as He defeated death.


Jesus rose, not only for himself, but for you, for me, and for Elliott.


Elliot Lloyd was the only child of Edrei “JB” Lim & Matilde Irene Hescock-Lim.


You’ve seen Elliott happy. Elliott is no longer with


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