Words of Faith & Hope—Rev. Megan Smith

When I have asked family and friends to describe Manuel to me they have all used the same words: Giving, Energetic, Caring, Passionate, Brilliant, Funny…I also learned he spoke 5 languages, appreciated the challenges of business, enjoyed cooking and classical music and loved his family and his friends.

Manuel also read the Bible-when his daughters looked at his Kindle last week, they weren’t surprised to see the Bible was the Book opened on it and the scripture the Bible was opened to was Psalm 49; The scripture states, “Why should I fear in times of Trouble? ” Why indeed….It is comforting to know that he had read that passage recently. Manuel was a person of faith.

17 years ago, I am told that Manuel had a heart attack. Perhaps that experience led him to live each day to its fullest for he truly seemed to embrace life! Manuel knew that life included ups and downs, health and illness, joys and sorrows, beginnings and endings.

The Bible puts it this way: For everything there is a season, and a time for every matter under heaven: a time to be born, and a time to die; a time to plant, and a time to pluck up what is planted; a time to break down, and a time to build up; a time to weep, and a time to laugh; a time to mourn, and a time to dance.

Today there is sadness, to be sure, but there is also deep gratitude-gratitude to have known this man and to have shared precious moments of life with him.

Poet Richard Fife, writes:

No person is ever truly alone

Those who live no more,

Whom we loved,

Echo still within our thoughts,

Our words, our hearts.

And what they did

And who they were

Becomes a part of all that we are,

Forever.

Manuel meant something to each of you as husband, father, grandfather, friend. To each of you - family and friends I say that you enriched his life as much as he was a blessing in yours. We can all honor Manuel by living as he did- by living fully, loving abundantly and having the courage to be all that we can be.

The Apostle Paul gives us these words of Hope which I pray will speak to you this day- - For I am convinced that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor rulers, nor things present, nor things to come, nor powers, nor height, nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God.

 Friends our faith assures us that Nothing can ever separate us from the love of God, not even death itself.

 And that nothing can take away the memories and blessings of Manuel that you hold so dear in your hearts and minds, not even death itself.

Know that Manuel is now at peace in the loving arms of the God who created him – let us be thankful.

Peace,

Pastor Megan Smith, Associate Minister, Coral Gables United Church of Christ

I always daydreamed that one day I'd be able to stand in front of my father and properly thank him for giving me a lifetime of endless support. I envisioned it would be after the premiere of the first movie I finally directed or something equally noteworthy. He would be sitting in the audience, smiling up at me proudly. Unfortunately, I wasn't able to work hard enough or fast enough to make this happen while he was still alive, so I wanted to tell him now what I would have said:

To my loving, exceptional father, thank you so much for raising your children to follow their happiness. You were one of those rare individuals that partnered up with an equally amazing woman, to teach us that success comes from sincere passion and love of your work, love of your family, and love of your life. 

I know how much you admire Benjamin Franklin, and I remember that quote you hung in your office: "They that can give up essential liberty to obtain a little temporary safety deserve neither safety nor liberty." You lived on the edge, and as rocky and stressful as it was sometimes, you were never afraid to just go for it, and in the end, we all saw how it always worked out. I know Kylie, Alejandro and I instinctively carry this in everything we do. 

You were our number one fan, and still are. You told us every single day you saw us how beautiful, gorgeous, smart, and talented we were. There was never a doubt in our mind how important we were in your life, as you were obviously in ours.

Your remedy for bad times was to drink wine, travel, laugh, go outside and be with people. Something I always find to work incredibly well.

You are a comet, blasting with energy from the inside, soaring through the sky. Your energy has an uncanny ability to fill up a room, even when you are gone. You propel people forward, allowing them to make the most of their capabilities; capabilities they probably did not know they had inside them.

I feel so blessed that I was able to call you my father. And especially blessed that I now have all your important life lessons to draw from if and when I find myself in any difficult situation. I carry you with me always.