Remembrance

There is no remembrance of the men of old; nor of those to come will there be any remembrance among those who come after them. Ecclesiastes 1:11

Each night, as I tuck my daughters to sleep, I usually tell them stories of my childhood. I share with the two cute girls how I walked with a back pack full of thick books everyday going to school. I once shared with them how I was serving as an altar boy during school days and afterward I had to walk from the church to school for about a good distance that would cost a public transport fare which was further more than my day’s allowance. I tell them about how I fell from a truck when I was trying to catch up with my friends which fortunately no car was following in the highway. I tell them how I was disciplined by my parents. I discuss sort of stories about me and my siblings.  I tell them how I won quiz bees. I tell them how I lost sporting games. I share to them our family’s trials and victories. After one story, each night, they fall to sleep.

Ecclesiastes reminds us to be reminded. The book is urging us to remember the lives of the men of old. The verse is calling us recall the defeats and triumphs of the men and women before us. It’s only right to remember, it gives us strength in the midst of weakness – “God gave them grace, He will give us the same grace.”  It’s refreshing to review the times of men of old, it brings us hope when darkness engulfed us- “They pass through tough times and we will do so.” It convicts us the conviction to be faithful in living the way of Christ- “Their faithfulness bore us, our faithfulness will have fruits.” It gives us the passion to bounce back- “They fell and they stood up, we can rebound.” We remember the legacy of men of old. We recollect the loyalty of men before us.

No wonder, we use the word remembrance or remember during the Eucharistic celebration. For there is power, there is strength and there is hope in looking back to God’s unwavering faithfulness through all generations.

Let there be remembrance of the men of old. Each night, I bet you will sleep.