Brother Bernard
THE RAIN FELL HEAVILY the day Brother Bernard died. The relentless torrent drenched the streets causing chaos. The intensity of the downpour was so great that it led to flooding, resulting in the destruction of buildings, electric poles, and trees being uprooted. It seemed as if even the heavens were shedding tears in mourning for the departure of a truly exceptional individual, Brother Bernard, who was regarded as a rare gem by those who knew him.
The Catholic Archdiocese of Manakaka was thrown into a state of mourning at the death of one of its members. The deceased wasn’t a priest, catchiest , deacon nor an alter person but his death sent cold shivers down the spines of the whole congregation. The people of Manakaka trooped into the church, some had come just to confirm what they were hearing, they couldn’t believe it. They wanted to hear it from the mouth of the priest himself. “Why him? Why Brother Bernard?” Was the question on the lips and hearts of a lot of people.
“Why doesn’t the good people ever last?” Sister Monica asked, sobbing.
His school program for the children of the widowed and less privileged which was set up a decade ago has greatly assisted children in their academic pursuits, not only of the church but in the community. His healthcare project has alleviated the heavy burden of medical bills from the shoulders of the less privileged. One doesn’t even need to be a member of the church to benefit. Brother Bernard believes that the Lord gives life liberally to all people and it is the responsibility of those who have the means to preserve that life.
Sister Monica was distressed by the occurrence of that day. Just two days before then, he was at her house to check up on her, he had brought in provisions for her and her two children as well as some medications as she had complained about symptoms of malaria the day before. While she stood sobbing, she reminisced how he used to joke and laugh about random things. She thought of how he used to play with the children. Nothing in the world ever caused him worries, he was always out there to care and cater for others.
Brother Aquila was one of those who went with the priest to confirm the death of Brother Bernard, but Aquila wouldn’t agree with what was being said. “What if he isn’t dead but in a state of trance?” he had told the priest when he was about to say a prayer for the deceased. The priest had replied “it’s going to be alright, son. He has gone to be with the Lord.” Brother Aquila didn’t say a word anymore, but he had his reservations. He believes that a person like Brother Bernard who was working and has dedicated himself to the Lord cannot just die like that. But he had to console himself with the belief that the Good Lord knows what He was doing and had a greater purpose for Brother Bernard beyond the realms of this earth.
The priest has been in the church for decades, he had blessed infants whom in their adulthood had brought in their own children to be blessed by him. He had also said a prayer for the deceased, so many that he had lost count. He knows deep down that as the Good Lord gives life; life is also taken. This is a law of nature. He also knows that though people die everyday, we would never get used to death. He remembers vividly when the young Corper Bernard was posted to that community and how he joined the work force in the church. In the young man, he saw the zeal and gusto not only to serve the Lord but also to take care of the Lord’s people. He was also instrumental to the nurturing of the young man who turned out to be loved by all. He watched young Bernard grown in grace and favour with God and man. It broke his heart that it wasn’t his own death the people had gathered for but that of a rare gem. He blessed the name of the Lord who kills and makes alive, he encouraged himself in the Lord so as to be strong enough to console the people whom the Lord had brought into him. To the people, the death of Brother Bernard was a loss, but the heavens just gained a soul.
Amidst the chaos, a sense of disbelief lingered. Brother Bernard had been a beacon of light, a source of guidance and compassion for all who crossed his path. His gentle smile and words of wisdom had touched countless lives, his charitable contributions has ensured families had something to eat on a daily and his absence left an immense void that could never be filled. He didn’t look sick, Brother Bernard never fell ill. The people in church had concluded that because he had a very big heart, the Good Lord had blessed him with so much good health that any feeling of sickness would only be like a thirst which can easily be quenched with water.
Two months after the death and burial of Brother Bernard, the priest and the elders in the church received an autopsy report that stupefied them: Brother Bernard didn’t die of natural causes, he had been battling with cancer for years. All his fight and struggle for his life was shrouded in his gentle smile, jokes, words of wisdom and his charity works. He never looked sick because he ate well and took his medications religiously.
While the priests and elders grappled with this new revelation, his lawyer read his will to them; they were even astounded when they discovered the contents of the will: Brother Bernard has amassed enough wealth from the running of his business which has helped in his charity works, in his will he had bestowed 50% of his assets to his two children Janet and Jason whom they didn’t recognize as members of the church. Everyone in the church knew Brother Bernard was not married and he never had any children, he lived alone. It turned out that Brother Bernard had married, fathered two children and gotten divorced even before he became a Corper. The remaining portion of his wealth was bequeathed to the church to continue his charitable endeavors, including the payment of school fees, healthcare and providing for those in need. The congregation was left both amazed and grateful for the selfless generosity and hidden complexities of the man they held in such high regard.
