THE LONG WALK TO IMMORTALITY

When US President George W Bush stepped up pace to invade Iraq two men of towering moral stature spoke up with clarity against the biggest military force ever to confront a much weaker adversary in living memory. The two were Pope John Paul II and Nelson Mandela. Several years ago Blessed John Paul II
went on to belong to the ages. A few days ago Nelson Mandela completed his long walk to immortality on 15 DECEMBER 2013 at 95 years. He had found freedom physically, in South Afric...a, mentality, in a global adulation for the ideal of leading with a head and heart and spirituality in elevating the sense of our humanity.
In many ways all men who seek justice, freedom and the common Good are fruits of his legacy. And so I celebrate filiations with a soul so noble and feel so thankful for the privilege of living in his time.
Today as we celebrate his long walk to freedom and immortality what should matter is what his legacy should mean for the lessons we learn. From him I learn the power of humility as complement to enormous power and influence; a spirit of forgiveness and seeing things from the prism of the other person; having faith; seeing the big picture instead of the small hurts; contentment; and learning when and how to say farewell. So we say farewell without closure because he has earned immortality on earth and will always be with us. For the transiting form of being, we say farewell to the big heart large enough for all his people, a strong moral force for good, freedom fighter and peacemaker. Let the place in the firmament to which we raise your spirit call the leadership of Africa to a heart of flesh for the suffering of their people so they can fight poverty, illiteracy and violence of one group on another. Goodbye Mandela!! Live forever in our hearts.