REBORN - MARCH 24TH, 2009

VUTHICHAI WANGSATORNTANAKUN
OUR BELOVED TITI

FUNERAL MASS - MARCH 30, 2009

EULOGY

" 6 weeks ago, I had just returned from my second trip to Tel Aviv and was talking to my sister, Mimi, about the whirlwind of events and the possible outcomes...one of which led to today.
She said, ' Ko, if he dies, it means that his work for God on earth is done, if he lives, then he still has to do God's work here.'
Those were wise and comforting words.
But I could not help but think, ' Why the suffering?'
My daughter, Malika, died when she was thirteen months young having suffered for the better part of nine months from a debilitating cancer.
My sister-in-law's nephew, Big, died from a tragic road accident just months after his high school graduation.
'Why the suffering?'
I am sure that we all know other countless loved ones that have suffered greatly and died.
There is certainly no rationale or logic that can answer this question.
But what the mind cannot comprehend, eyes cannot see nor ears cannot hear cannot be discounted for it is faith in God that can bring peace to our frustrations and resolutions to our despair.
"For God so loved the world that He sent His only begotten Son..to save us from our sins" - the Holy Bible tells us.
Through Jesus Christ, we remember during this Lenten season His Passion in the Garden of Gethsemane, the crown of thorns, the Stations of the Cross, His crucifixion and the lancing of His rib with a spear.
His supreme suffering was necessary to save us from our sins and ensure our redemption.
As Catholics, we were always taught to live life in Christ's image. It is with a leap of faith that I believe that it is the greatest honor and sacrifice to also die in His image. It is God's will that a chosen few, the innocent and those that walk the path of the Lord have been blessed with that honor.
I did say that it is a leap of faith...it is my leap and I am comforted by it.

Shakespeare, in Julius Caesar, said, 'Of all the wonders I have seen or heard, it seemed most strange that men should fear...seeing that death, a necessary end, will come when it will come.'

My brother did not fear death. He fought his battles with cancer without considering this option.
He considered each daily high as a victory 'Thanks to God" he would write in his log and each daily low as a temporary setback.
In our final conversation, he said to me, ' Ko, the Israelites returned to Israel so Thais must return to Thailand.'
And return he did.
And he HAS and IS survived....
- by his wife, Lek..whose courage and determination held firm as she stayed by his side for the entire duration, not allowing herself to fall into a deep sleep nights lest he woke up and needed her. My wife, JoAnne, framed it best, ' Hon, this is the perfect example of true love.'
- by his son, Nicky..who is growing up before our very eyes to be as fine a man as his father.
- by his friends and relatives.. throughout the past four nights of the prayer services, the attendees represented a cross-section of his life..his cousins, nieces and nephews, uncles and aunts whom he grew up and played with, his friends from Assumption College, his friends from Milwaukee, his colleagues and customers from his professional life - all of which held him in the highest regard as a person, a friend and man above reproach.
- but last and certainly not least, he is survived by the pride that I know our parents have for him.
Papa's philosophy and honesty formed the cornerstones of our characters and Mama's proactive acts of kindness, sincerity and thoughtfulness formed the starting points of our daily lives.
Their lives followed closely the path of the Lord and Titi followed that same path unerringly.
I am sure that Papa is proudly greeting him with open arms in Heaven.
We are all blessed for having walked with Titi here on earth.
One day, we will all continue that walk with him in heaven.