ABBA ADELMO

I've always thought and believed that when you hear the death of a friend, you'd start crying or at least sobbing. But that was not what happened to me yesterday when I heard the shocking news about the death of the man who taught me the ABC's of Christianity. He died. He is no more. He is, but not here anymore. He's somewhere else. That fact by itself is mind boggling. I will never see him again. I will never receive the letter I was expecting to receive from every single day of the past few weeks. He will never write letters or books. The only thing he will be able to do would be to praise and worship for eternity the God whom he so dearly loved all his life. 

Oh, death! Until it happens to someone who is close like Fr. Adelmo, or a family member, we don't think of it as it really doesn't exist. And it just comes out of nowhere to upset us. It takes the one we love to the country 'no traveler comes back from'. They go and they are no more. Not here with us anymore. We will never hear their voice or songs again. We will never look into their smiling eyes. We will never hear about the pain of their soul. What is it really? If he is gone, why do I have this weired feeling that he is still here? Why do I 'feel' him? Are you here, Fr. Adelmo? Should I wait for your reply to my letter? Is it coming? Did you happen to write it for me because you don't want to keep me waiting for eternity to hear from you? Will I never find you in your office? Will I never hear your strong deep voice when I knock at your door? 

I remember all the stories, both funny and wise, that you told me. Your homilies, too. I never told you this. I will tell you now. You are the first person who told me it is good to have my own library at home. This inspired me so much that I invest so much money on books. Now when I look at the shelf filled with books, I will always remember you. It is strange. You just said that simple sentence. You may not even remember saying it. But now, my highly treasured property is my books. I came to know great people because of you: St. Thomas Aquinas, Thomas Merton, Henri Nowen, Julia of Norwich, .... 

Do you remember Father the times we used to go for coffee? I never saw you doing this anyone. But you did it with me. You even trusted me to the point of giving me permission to go through your personal diaries for the book that, now, we will never be able publish. Yeah, and when you came to speak to my students at SOS and Beza college? I remember it so well. Even Abay and Abubakar invited you to their classes, too. My students loved you so much because you are funny. 

I salute you, Fr. Adelmo. I salute you for serving God for over half a century faithfully. I salute the work you did for all the young people in Ethiopia, Uganda, Kenya and Sudan. I salute you for being honest to yourself and for resisting the conformity that is so prevalent in the world. I salute you for the books you wrote. I salute you for your love of prayer. (I remember how you used to get up very early in the morning and sing. I can still hear you.) I salute you for keeping your promise to Mother Teresa and for celebrating Mass to her sisters faithfully for many many years. I salute you for all the support you rendered to the poor. 

I know you are at rest. I just want to say, May your rest be with God.