Homily preached at the Funeral Mass of Fr. Vasco do Rego, S.J. at St. Xavier Church, Camp, Pune on 19.02.2021 at 4.00 p.m.
Pratapananda Naik, S.J. Most of the flowers bloom in the morning and wither at night. Four O’clock flowers bloom in the evening and at sunset they fade away. Night queen blooms at night and at sunrise it dwindles. Brahma Kamal or the lotus of Brahma blooms around 9 pm and at midnight it droops. Bougainvillea, Zinnia, Orchids and a few other flowers last approximately for 3 weeks. We value a flower not merely for its durability, but for its colour, shape, beauty, and fragrance. Our life could be compared to flowers around us. Unfortunately, we give much importance to the quantity of years a person lived rather than to his or her quality of life. The quality of life depends on our vision, focus and the selfless dedicated service we render to God and his people. This evening, we have gathered here not to mourn, not to feel sad or to cry but to praise and thank our heavenly Abba Father, for the wonderful and great things He did in the life of his loving son and our brother Fr. Vasco do Rego and through him, wonderful things done by his Abba in the lives of countless persons, irrespective of religion, region, caste, colour, gender, age, skin colour, language, culture, etc. Among his close friends and followers, he was known as Guruji or Pitaji. His life was focused, centred and rooted in Holy Trinity. He always used a phrase, “My loving Abba Father…” This phrase became the mantra of his entire life of 96 years and 40 days. This mantra guided not only his life but all his activities. He lived to the fullest the Jesuit Motto propagated by their founder, St. Ignatius of Loyola, namely, “Ad maiorem Dei gloriam” it means, “for the greater glory of God”. The Jesuit term “Magis” which means “more” or “greater” was Guruji Vasco’s goal. Therefore, in the words of St. Paul to Timothy, Pitaji Vasco humbly but with assurance could say “I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. Henceforth there is laid up for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, will award to me on that day, and not only to me, but also to all who have loved his appearing.” (2 Tim 4:7-8) In the Book of Wisdom of Solomon 5:15-16 it is written, “But the righteous live forever, and their reward is with the Lord; the Most High takes care of them. Therefore they will receive a glorious crown and a beautiful diadem from the hand of the Lord, because with his right hand he will cover them, and with his arm he will shield them.” Guruji Vasco chose the best day, namely Ash Wednesday to return to his Abba Father. Lenten season is a holy and grace filled season which invites us to “metanoia” which refers to change in one’s way of life. On the parade ground we constantly hear words like, “Savdhan”, “Vishrøm”, “Age chøl” and “Piche mudd”. Soldiers while marching, when they hear the word “Piche mudd” they turn back, without a second thought. Lent is an occasion for us to “Piche mudd” and return to follow the teaching of Jesus. All these years, Fr. Vasco heard these words and finally on 17th February his Abba Father ordered him to Piche mudd forever and to return to him. He was longing all these years to go to the embrace of his Abba. Hence today let us rejoice and give thanks and praise our heavenly Father for the gift of Guruji Vasco, to the Society of Jesus, to the Church, and to human society. Fr. Vasco’s life could be summarized mainly into 4 main features. 1. He was a man of God. The Trinitarian spirituality which he lived, shared with others through his retreats, talks, sermons, spiritual guidance, writings, conversations and as the editor of Dor Mhoineachi Rotti, the oldest Konknni monthly established in 1915 in Karachi, Pakistan. He shared this Trinitarian spirituality with Jesuits, priests, sisters, scholastics, seminarians, people of God, and including people of other faiths. He achieved this as a student counselor, novice master, retreat preacher, spiritual director of Rachol Seminary and of many others, director of retreat house, rector of Bom Jesus Basilica, pastor, and as a chaplain at Miramar. His listeners might have got tired to hear his constant repeated term ‘Abba Father’, but he was never tired to use this phrase. He lived, talked, breathed, dreamt this phrase like that of a 24x7 TV channel. He practiced and preached spirituality and not religiosity or ritualism. Today’s both the readings focus on the true meaning of fast, namely, to do justice, reaching out the needy and righteous life. Fr. Vasco followed all these while propagating spirituality. He was a Jesuit who walked his talk most of the times, though he had a few shortcomings. 2. He was a man of knowledge and wisdom. Being a brilliant talented person and as a hard-working Jesuit he contributed much to Konknni liturgy and Konknni Bible. He tirelessly worked to spread the dream of the Second Vatican Council, namely, the greater participation of the faithful in liturgy through their local languages. The switch over from Latin to Konknni liturgy was a herculean task for a minor language like Konknni. He shouldered this great responsibility with courage and determination. He has more than the lion’s share in the translation, editing and production of Konknni Missal, Konknni Lectionary and Konknni Bible in Roman script. The Konknni hymnal “Gionancho Jhelo” which is used in our churches for Konknni Mass is due to his vision and contribution. There are 511 hymns in it. Out of which he has composed lyrics for 332 hymns. In statistical term 64.97% hymns are his contribution. He has composed music for 52 of his own lyrics. He has composed music for different parts of the Mass. His lyrics are not only rich in Konknni language but filled with profound modern theology and biblical themes. He was the crusader and stalwart of Konknni language. Let me sing for you two verses of his Konknni hymn “Tuji Pøvitray” for which he composed both lyrics and music. This hymn is sung during the Lenten season in churches of Goa. Tuji Pøvitray surya vøri fankta Dp: Tøri hanvem tuka, økman kelo Deva! Bhøgøs mhaka, Saiba! Tuzo øprimit môg sannak zøllto uzo! Due to his efforts the written Konknni in Roman script got the standard form. All this he has done without expecting any appreciation, name, fame, or reward. He was a silent worker bee in the Konknni beehive. His only desire was to do the will of his Abba and to please him alone. 3. He was a competent administrator and organizer. The Novenas and Feast of St. Francis Xavier, at Old Goa are the most important events every year in Goa. It was Fr. Vasco who restored the sanctity and dignity of the shrine and instrumental to conduct well organized and theme based liturgy during the novenas, feast and exposition of the relics of St. Francis Xavier. There are no two opinions regarding his greatest contribution to this task. He cleared all the shops and vendors from the compound of the shrine. He had to pay a heavy price to achieve this by receiving abuses, curses, and threats. Maybe he has left behind as a memento the big stone that was hurled at him and landed through the window into his room. It was meant for his head, but miraculously missed the target!!! During his term as the Rector of Bom Jesus Basilica many prominent global figures visited the shrine, including Pope John Paul II. 4. He was a man for others and for all seasons. Though he loved and served all, his special love was for the marginalized and neglected persons. He has helped the needy persons for which there is no count. While he was in St. Vincent High School, Pune in 1959, feeling called to found a new religious family in the Church, Fr. Vasco founded in 1961 Ishaprema-Vinamra-Sevika (Humble Servants of God’s Love), with the collaboration of Norberta Lobo (later known as Mataji Nirmala), to make all persons, particularly the most needy, know and experience our heavenly Father’s love and concern for each one. Their homes are known as Ishaprema-Niketan (Home of God’s Love). It has two branches in Goa. He continued, till the end, as its silent, humble, hidden Pitaji and he surrendered his spirit in the hands of his Abba here at Ishaprema-Niketan, Pune. He loved them dearly and they cared for him tenderly till the end. To conclude, I have no better apt words than my favorite Lebanese writer, poet, and philosopher Khalil Gibran of 20th century, to summarize the feelings of Guruji Vasco as he bids farewell to us and we to him. In his world-famous book “The Prophet” in the last chapter, Khalil Gibran writes: “Fare you well, people of Orphalese. This day has ended. It is closing upon us even as the water-lily upon its own tomorrow. What has given us here we shall keep, And if it suffices not, then again must we come together and together stretch our hands unto the giver. Forget not that I shall come back to you. A little while, and my longing shall gather dust and foam for another body. Farewell to you and the youth I have spent with you. It was but yesterday we met in a dream. You have sung to me in my aloneness, and I of your longings have built a tower in the sky. But now our sleep has fled and our dream is over, and it is no longer dawn. The noontide is upon us and our half waking has turned to fuller day, and we must part. If in the twilight of memory we should meet once more, we shall speak again together and you shall sing to me a deeper song. And if our hands should meet in another dream we shall build another tower in the sky.” Farewell guruji. As you rest in the arms of your Abba Father, together with Jesus and the Holy Spirit, send us divine blessings and graces. Till we join you, Adeus Guruji. Vøchun ye.