Today, Joe Burgos Jr, Jonas' father, would have turned 67. If he were still with us today, we would have had a simple yet joyous celebration with friends, colleagues and relatives. Joe always remembered to thank The Lord for the gift of life. (His daily ordinary 'living' was itself an expression of this gratitude.) His way would be to gather family and friends around him and share whatever blessings he would have at the moment.
During lean times, Joe would still celebrate and share memories and laughter with everyone.
This year, in keeping with this tradition, we celebrate -- and share. We celebrate not only the gift of family which has been a solid anchor in our search for Jonas, but also the gift of relatives and friends who have rallied behind us in these trying times.
We celebrate the gift of strangers who have expressed sympathy wherever we met them. We celebrate unnamed, faceless people from our beloved country and from other distant lands whose hearts wept with us, and who have offered prayers pleading with The Father that Jonas would be alive and well.
You have shared part of yourselves and for this we are truly grateful.
It is, indeed, a rare opportunity that we are blessed with the company of people whose very presence makes us aware that the Heavenly Father loves each and every one of us in a special way. We are reminded that even as Jonas remains missing, he is being taken cared of by Our Father. And that care given by The Father can never be outdone. We share this joyful thought with you.
We firmly believe that when we are ready, all will be revealed to us. We share this belief with you.
On Joe’s 67th birth anniversary and as we start the new year, the Burgos family
offers a prayer of gratitude for all of you. We commend all of you in a special way to the Lord. We pray that you will continue loving others in the way that you have loved Jonas' family.
As we pray for you we also ask you to pray for those who have been responsible for the abductions and the killings. We appeal to all to ask The Lord to give them new hearts. The way of peace can only start when there is forgiveness. We can all start by praying for them.
It may help if we remember that " When the heart is ready, the harvest will come. . . . Don't worry about all the unspoken, the unnamed, the undelivered. . . . Yearn for the yielding, but be patient. . . . Talk to the restlessness. . . . Sit with confusion. . . . Dance with paradoxes and sip tea and smile while you wait."( Joyce Ruppy)
May The Lord keep you and bless you always.
Edith and Peachy, Sonny, Jayel and Ann for Jonas
1 comment:
Ma'am Edith, I read your letter for Jonas in the Inquirer just today, it did just what it intended to do. I'll keep praying for you
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