Beneath is a few snap shots of Christina while she made her first Holy Communion in August of 2014. As you recognize, Christina went to the daddy's condo on January 26, 2018 (Dinner party of the Sts. Timothy and Titus, Partners of St. Paul. She herself is a little bit better half of St. Paul), She lived a lifetime of sanctity. I, as a clergyman, used to be deeply touched through her brief existence. additionally, I've got all the time been encouraged by means of the lifetime of her fogeys Fernando and Monica. i'm so thankful to understand them. Christina's funeral changed into from an identical Church wherein she made her first communion. Her brothers Daniel and David, who introduced the 1st and 2d scripture readings at her first communion, additionally supplied them at their funeral.

This is the homily I furnished at Christina's funeral. It doesn't do justice to the little methods she bought me homilies with the aid of her way of life.
The images beneath inform extra in her pleasing smile and devotion.

Homily for the Funeral of Christina Dangond

“Blessed are the Terrible In Spirit for theirs is the dominion of heaven”
Matthew five:three

We collect the following these days to rejoice the existence and to entrust to God in heaven our little Christina.

Our grief at Christina’s loss runs very deep. However even larger lately soars our gratitude for the colossal grace, which embraced her lifestyles and all who shared in it; a grace which changed into and should remain the fruit of her existence, highly her childlike (for she was once in basic terms eleven) but additionally profound witness in the course of her ailment and pain.

Christina, as many folks recognise, had instructed her mom Monica, that she needed her funeral, on every occasion it became going to ensue, to resemble extra of a party. It'll no longer be a lead to for a specific thing darkish and somber however extra of a party of coloration and pleasure. For she believed in religion that heaven is a spot of pleasure and light-weight and the entire spectral colorings that faded brings.

I’d prefer to word that once Christina was once first clinically determined and merely six years antique, I went over to the home a great number of times…always in my black clerical dresses. Someday she checked out me and spoke of, “Do monks forever must put on black.” [See Endnote 1 at backside] You need to inform through the seem on her face that this wasn’t her favourite. She, as an alternative, become necessarily wearing a lovely array of colours.

In the future, simply by hazard, I passed off to put on a light-weight blue sweatshirt over my clerics. She didn’t pass over it. With a gorgeous vast smile; She pointed out automatically, “I in reality like your shiny sweatshirt.”
In her fresh, childlike approach, she become an individual of existence, coloration, happiness and beautiful pleasure!

St. Augustine taught that the disappointment of dying shouldn't be with the devoted one that has died…but with people who are left at the back of. [See Endnote 2 at backside]

Christina, fairly for one so younger, used to be a woman of exceptional religion and desire. She on no account complained approximately her contamination. I will be able to say extra approximately that later. Alternatively, she lived assured impulses that circulation from a lifetime of religion. I'd now desire to point out a couple of.

"Dwelling inside the second"

From her religion, she claimed the impulse or completely satisfied promptness of “Living inside the Second.”
Allow me come up with an instance:
A little over a month in the past, I used to be at their apartment [See Endnote three at backside] and Christina had simply had a few robust chemo medical care and were getting those prolonged healing procedures for days. She had made numerous visits backward and forward to the medical institution.
If that have been me, after such harrowing studies, I would would like to crash at the mattress. After being positioned by using rather a lot, I'd desire to find the money for myself the precise to bitch.

No longer her, she got here in…looked round for her faculty bag on account that she desired to do her homework. [See Endnote four at backside]

The following lies the adaptation:
She changed into now not watching for her sickness to recover from to are living. She was once dwelling each one second that God gave her.

If you are anxious in regards to the destiny, it’s laborious to seek out God. While you're residing inside the second, God is correct there with you. [See Endnote five at backside]

While Jesus invitations us to consider the Lilies of the Filed and the birds of the air, he isn't simply seeking to get our minds off our issues, however greater importantly he's attempting to get us to peer that the arena is complete with the grandeur of God. He's pointing us to a technique of discerning the bigger applications of God. We lose ourselves inside the wildflowers of God’s everlasting second.

Once we examine our stroll of religion, we have a tendency to cope with what we're looking to gain in the long run. We disregard that each lengthy experience is full of enormous quantities of small steps that require that skill to stay within the second. The Ebook of Proverbs tells us “In his center a person plans his route, however the Lord determines his steps” (Proverbs sixteen:nine).

Residing in religion way taking someday at a time. It approach emerging within the morning, greeting the Lord and having an appreciation for our lifestyles. It approach starting up the day praising Him for this existence and for the abundance that He has promised. It manner dwelling for right this moment and accepting my family members, my peers, my surroundings, my conditions and asking God to work out his presence with them and in them. And it manner soliciting for His counsel and path to satisfy the day to fulfill our desires and His glory…Thy Could be accomplished!

The Bible says that “this is the day the Lord has made”, and even though it says that during overall we can are living to be a definite outdated age, there isn't any make sure that there's a the following day for the reason that the next day hasn’t been made but. All we actually have is that this day and all we must always be dwelling in is that this day. “One Day at a Time, Jesus, it truly is all I’m asking of you. Simply provide me the potential to do everyday what I must do.” Yesterday’s long gone, pricey Jesus. And day after today also can certainly not be mine. Lord, support me these days. Teach me the style. Sooner or later at a time” (Taken from a track I found out as a kid).

After we agree with in God and placed ourselves absolutely in His arms, we resemble the birds of the air and the lilies of the sector. We discover ways to grasp merely to Him. While this travel will likely be fraught with darkness and menace, we are able to be remodeled into dwelling witnesses of the God of affection.

All of us sought after the miracle of Christina’s recuperation and that i understand mostly I seemed to that closing purpose of that day whilst she will be healed. However what the Lord teaches us and that i think Christina lived with trustworthy and comfortable promptness became that if we focal point simplest at the very last target of that day while there will probably be a restoration, then we are able to fail to see what God has given us at the present time. We can overlook praising Him and doing His will in opposition to others. We shall fail to spot seeing the blessing of in these days and all that God desires to divulge to us.

On daily basis is exact as a result of God has made it for us.
Provide to God these days, that which He has given to you!
The current second belongs to us and we truely reside in it once we agree with in His mercy and we quite develop in it once we stroll like just a little kid presenting God day by day our center burning with love for His more advantageous glory.

But, back I say, I wished like every of you…a miracle that had as its very last stop future health for Christina. Yet, what I got here to understand, by using what she turned into educating me, is that each day became a miracle with Christina. And, once we lived inside the second, lets see it.

One of several Sisters (Sr. Margaret Moran, a Daughter of St. Paul) wrote to me several days in the past, “The miracle become Christina herself. What number of lives she has touched together with her instance of religion, wish and love. In simple terms in heaven do we be aware of the best she has finished. And we have now a high-quality intercessor. It truly is we who stay at the back of that mourn.”

Some other Sister (Sr. Carmen Christi, a Daughter of St. Paul) wrote to me ago month, “This illness isn't really unto demise, however for the honor of God, that the Son of God perhaps glorified in her. Religion is usually surrendering to God’s will and occasionally that may be a higher act of religion than believing in a miracle of curative.”

Unconditional Confidence
From her religion, Christina additionally claimed the impulse of unconditional belif.

You could possibly say if there have been a mantra in her lifestyles it'd be “Jesus, I Belief in You.” In Spanish it's Jesús en tí confío.

One can find these phrases it the following at the photo of Divine Mercy earlier than us.
Whenever you scrolled throughout the Spanish online page her oldsters manage for her, which has over fifty five,000 participants, there are infinite movies of her with a grin on her face asserting encouraging and hopeful phrases, consistently finishing with the ones phrases Jesús en tí confío!

What's of unique passion and price is that at the website online, millions of participants have post their very own posts packed with their very own demanding situations and miracles…and so in general they now, in flip, cease their messages with Jesus I Consider in you… Jesús en tí confío.

Christina’s mother and father, Monica and Fernando, taught her to hope this prayer of consider from the Divine Mercy Message, however together with her there has been a traditional, practically spontaneous affinity.

Fr. Ed, my brother priest, shared a few phrases from a homily he gave some days in the past to seminarians “From the instant of her analysis a few 5 years in the past, her center was once touched through a divine grace to have confidence in Jesus and to certainly not seem lower back with feel sorry about, bemoan the lack of a typical formative years or whinge “why” however surprisingly her day-to-day essence become residing with a grin and the natural phrases of the saintly who are suffering, “Jesus, I Accept as true with in you”.

The Divine Mercy mantra, which I observed fitting part of Christina, impacted me maximum while Monica, her mother, made common to me a speak that she’d had with Christina.
Christina requested her mother for permission to make another prayer (I actually chanced on this worthy that she used to be even asking her mom if she may upload one other prayer to the prayers they suggested day to day). Monica answered “of route, what do you need to wish Christy?”

Christina responded, “I like to inform God that He can do some thing He desires with my lifestyles.” [See Endnote 6 at backside]

How Exquisite!
After listening to this type of devoted assertion made by means of this little woman, I needed to seem to be inside myself. May I try this? Should I say that?
If I were dealing with all that she changed into facing, I'd be tempted to battle with God.

She wasn’t wrestling with God. She become clinging to Him!!

How sometimes, once we are afraid to stand the next move, we turn out to be wrestling in lifestyles. We wish to deal with it our personal means.

Yet how a whole lot our heavenly father needs us to dangle to Him in these nervous moments. He says, “Come to me all of you who're weary, and that i provides you with relax. For my yoke is straightforward and my burden faded.”

The prayer of Christina “I are looking to inform God that he can do no matter he wishes with my life” summons up the phrases of Our Blessed Mom who proclaimed to the angel “I am the handmaid of the Lord, Enable or not it's performed unto me in keeping with your Word” (Luke 1:38).

I as soon as heard human being say, “To pray those phrases is to embark on a good travel thru heaven and earth and returned returned. It's to consider the thriller of our salvation, and that's to take delivery of its promise.”

Sooner or later I would like to claim, During the last few days, I've got a considerable number of texts and a few cellphone calls asking that query that will had been spoken via a few of us here…why?

Why did this should ensue?
Why did God take from us any such pretty angel?
Why have been our prayers now not responded?

I can't offer you an ideal reply!

However, I need to offer you a solution from my center.

I feel God is listening carefully to our prayers. I feel widespread, in Christina’s lifestyles, he has been exhibiting us miracles and his being concerned love. And that i don’t have faith that's going to prevent.

It is the anomaly, the thriller on the coronary heart of Christian notion: that during anguish, in loss, in discomfort, someway God is gift and heaven is close to:

How do I do know this?

Due to the fact I suspect with my entire coronary heart that Jesus laid down his very own lifestyles for Christina. I suspect with my complete coronary heart that Jesus loves Christina!

In flip, I feel with my complete middle that Jesus laid down his existence for you and me. I feel with my complete coronary heart, Jesus loves you and me!

With the aid of Christina’s clinging to him, I've come to understand this extra!
So have tens of heaps of others.
I'm the next priest (removed from fantastic) as a result of Christina’s testimonial lifestyles!
I think we're all larger folks simply by Christina’s testimonial lifestyles!

Certain, Tens of 1000s of lives were converted. For one, I’m unique that our Holy Family members neighborhood wouldn't have been ready to do our Family members Retreats, Women’s retreats and Men’s retreats and plenty of different gatherings if it weren't from the graces we had been receiving simply by what become taking place in her life…united to God.
I am hoping she's going to be a Saint of our Holy Relations Institute!

St. Therese of the baby Jesus, who additionally died very younger, taught us in her temporary writings, that to emerge as a saint one ought to go through a whole lot.

St. Therese's most well known became straightforward: "I need to be a saint." She wrote in regards to the Little Manner, it truly is, that the little matters carried out out of affection of God are what's useful. This "Little Manner" notion dramatized the fact that wonderful love, now not colossal deeds, is the essence of sanctity.

She wrote in her memoirs, "How will the tale of a little bit white flower cease? I do not comprehend. Yet I'm convinced of this — the mercy of God might be with me at all times."
Jesus mentioned,

“Blessed are the Terrible in spirit for theirs is the dominion of heaven”
Matthew five:three

Mom Theresa, some other superb Saint, as soon as pronounced concerning the terrible in spirit” "they're those who've not anything to turn out or to guard; no posing, no posturing prior to of us or in the past God. Whilst all you will have is all you have got, all that may be left is to be your self and you'll simplest acquire. Because of this the negative are blessed; they be aware of what surely topics."

I feel this speaks of Christina

Thanks God for the lifetime of our pricey Christina!

We entrust her to you presently with our prayers that she would reside with you for all time.

In a couple of minutes, we shall sing a track called…His glory Seems to be!

It’s phrases say:

You gave me wish, You made me entire on the pass
You took my area, You confirmed me grace
On the go, wherein You died for me
And His glory looks like the sunshine from the sunlight
Age to age He shines
Oh, seem to the skies listen the angels cry
Making a song, "Holy is the Lord"

Monica, her mother, pointed out to me as soon as that Christina made to her right here remark:

“When I am getting to heaven, I actually have such a lot of questions for God.
However of course…when I am getting there and that i see Him,…I could be so blissful that I will be able to put out of your mind all my questions.

Christina we like you!

“Blessed are the Terrible in spirit for theirs is the dominion of heaven”
Matthew five:three

Endnote 1
Symbolically black is related to simplicity and humility and reminds monks in their are looking to imitate the ones virtues. Black may be the colour that represents loss of life and mourning and symbolizes how a clergyman is to die to oneself and reduce in order that God may additionally make bigger in his lifestyles.
Christina, obviously, as a six yr historic newborn is barely stating essentially the most usual pleasure of seeing shade and concentrating on existence. She become the sort of vivacious and active younger woman.

Endnote 2
Saint Augustine (Letter 27, 1) In Augustine’s letter to a far off pal, he tricks on the ecstasy we will believe after we are one in center with any other individual. It additionally tricks on the ecstasy we will believe once we are one in center with our divine good friend in heaven, surrounded by using all the ones whom we have got referred to as company on this lifestyles. We will be able to comprehend the loss Augustine expresses over the lack of a person he cherished if we've ever been in love with every other. After they are offer to us, evidently our existence expands with the excitement of easily being with them. After they depart us, it's far as if the wind is taken out of our sails. Nevertheless, we have to be all set for such separations on this existence. Jointly, we glance with wish to being reunited with them in everlasting lifestyles. evening

Endnote three
Dangond Relations Condominium in Weston, MA

Endnote four
This act jogged my memory of phrases that St. John Bosco as soon as pointed out to the boy Saint Dominic Savio, “Every one is termed to be a Saint, and are you aware, you'll be able to be a Saint. Do just this: diligently do the normal matters of the day in one other known method.”
It additionally now calls to brain a narrative inside Christina’s lifestyles. Monica, Christina’s mom, requested her “Christina, what will be an ideal day for you?” Monica concept that Christina may say: “When I've got not more most cancers or while my chemo treatment options forestall or even once i get my hair to come back.” Christina, in flip, meditated the query and rather then the above solutions spoke of, “The acceptable day will be after i actual realize that I even have carried out completely all that God has requested me to do on that day.” I feel it truly is the proper day of a Saint.

Endnote five
Dwelling within the second isn't the identical issue as self-indulgence. Dwelling a celebration standard of living through which you stick to no matter what whim and fancy comes into your head is just not residing inside the second both. Surely it'd be escapism.
Somewhat, dwelling within the second is responding to Christ’s name inside the Gospel of Matthew 6:24-34.

Endnote 6
It truly is a rare remark for a woman her age to make

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