All Souls Day

A Reflection on our own mortality

The Journey

The sky opens

It waits for me

For my return journey

I look back and see

People behind me

They wave good-bye

I wave back

And quickly recall

When not so long ago

Their love

I did in fact ignore

Their friendship

I took for granted

They smile at me now

But for me it's too late

I cannot smile

I am lost

My time has come

To the great beyond

I have got to go.

Tony Fernandes

ALL SAINTS DAY

ALL SAINTS DAY

 - not only for all day today,

but forever. 

Saints offer us 

examples to imitate. 

THE SANCTUS BELL - Memories of an Altar Boy

PICTURESQUE GOA

Memories of an Altar Boy

Calling on the faithful with

THE SANCTUS BELL

“Make a joyful noise to the Lord,

 all the earth;

break forth into joyous songs

 and sing praises!” 

~ A quadruple set of altar bells

 - Chapel of Our Lady of the Rosary,

Canca, Verla, Parra - Bardez.

ALL SAINTS DAY

"The Feast of All Saints

honours the obscure

 as well as 

the famous - the saints

 each of us has known"

Picture above:
Main Altar of
THE CHAPEL OF
OUR LADY OF THE ROSARY
Canca, Verla, Bardez, Goa

ALL SOULS DAY - MY FINAL JOURNEY

Summarizing our own mortality

 while we grieve for our loved ones,

at timeswe comfort those who have lost theirs,

but have to contend with the fact that

we might leave others to grieve for us

when our days on earth are done.

THE JOURNEY

When the final summons

Beckons at my door

To leave for another shore

I know it’s God’s call I can’t ignore.

It will be my life’s journey’s end,

Sudden and abrupt

Unannounced and undecided

I will have to leave in haste.

This departure I cannot

Adjourn, defer or halt

No luggage to cart

No time to prepare

Or say good-bye

Before I acknowledge

My final roll call.

Today I lament for loved ones

That I have lost long ago

But in turn will have to obey God’s command

When I have served my tenure and

And my time on earth is done.

Let me therefore do good,

Pardon my friend or foe

For it may be too late to do so

When God knocks on my door

And I am unable to look back

I have got to go.

When I am gone

My friends and family

May in turn

Grieve in pain and sorrow

And remorse so deep

So help me God to be good to others today

In what ever  I do or say

So that I may be remembered

when the chapel bells toll tomorrow.

From up above I will only silently see

Unable to communicate or respond

Direct , guide or tell

But perhaps I could only wish

And hope there is at least one good thing

That I will be remembered by

If at all.

Tony Fernandes

Cemeteries of Goa

'AIZ MAKA, FALEA TUKA'

Cemetery of St. Thomas Church, Aldona, Bardez, GOA. India

Photograph by Tony Fernandes

(click on picture for a larger view)

Cemeteries of Goa

Every church in Goa has its own cemetery. It consists of a chapel attached to a high walled graveyard. My earliest memory of a visit to the cemetery was as a 9 year old at my grandmother's funeral. In the olden days a hand-drawn hearse was used to carry the coffin to church for the funeral rites. Pall-bearers then carried the coffin to the cemetery for the burial rites and internment, while the twin-tone chimes of the church bell tolled. As we entered the cemetery we saw the memorable and timeless words inscribed in Konkani on the arched doorway of the funeral chapel “AIZ MAKA, FALEAM TUKA”. Literal English translation of this common phrase is: ‘Today for me, tomorrow for you’. These proverbial words are made to appear as though apparently said by the person who has died before us, reminding us that death eventually awaits everyone. In fact the caption significantly makes a reference that death today is for him or her as he or she leaves us, but in the future death in turn it awaits those who have come to bury him or her. But in the broader sense, this rather reminds us that we, human beings, are mortals after all.

****** ****** ******

THE JOURNEY
By Tony Fernandes

When the final summons
Beckons at my door
To leave for another shore
I know it’s God call I can’t ignore.

It will be my life’s journey’s end,
Sudden and abrupt
Unannounced and undecided
I will have to leave in haste.

This departure I cannot
Adjourn, defer or halt
No luggage to cart
No time to prepare
Or say good-bye
Before I acknowledge
My final roll call.

Today I lament for loved ones
That I have lost long ago
But in turn will have to obey God’s command
When I have served my tenure and
And my time on earth is done.

Let me therefore do good,
Pardon my friend or foe
For it may be too late to do so
When God knocks on my door
And I am unable to look back
I have got to go.

When I am gone
My friends and family
May in turn
Grieve in pain and sorrow
And remorse so deep
So help me God to be good to others today
In what ever I do or say
So that I may be remembered
when the chapel bells toll tomorrow.

From up above I will only silently see
Unable to communicate or respond
Direct , guide or tell
But perhaps I could only wish
And hope there is at least one good thing
That I will be remembered by
If at all.