We Love You Too, Abouna

Respect, humility, service, love
Kindness, gentleness, caring, love
Purity, passion, self-control, love
Meekness, joy, peace, love

From your first day as priest of our church
you inspired many of us, touched all of our hearts.
You walked into the room so happy to see your new children,
the same sparkle in your eyes as a father when he carries his newborn

Within seconds of meeting us and hearing our names for the first time
you said, "I love you."
At first it was hard to believe,
the initial thought being, 'he doesn't even know me.'

But after a short time we could see it, feel it
You did love us from the beginning
before we even loved ourselves or each other.
You taught us what love is.

Love encompasses so much but seems so simple to you
Your life, your actions, even the joy in your step
expresses the overflowing love you have for us,
the same love that inspires us to love no matter what.

You taught us humility,
you taught us prayer,
you taught us service...

You taught us how our love for God and His church
should glorify Him in all that we do;
To understand that everything is for the Master of the house
rather than the house itself or our own egos.

"When I was a child, I spoke as a child, I understood as a child, I thought as a child. But when I became a man, I put away childish things." (1 Cor. 13:11)

In the last 5 years, we have learned so much from you
grown in ways that can only be attributed to your love for us
to your never-faltering compassion and understanding
your gentle guidance towards our Lord, showing us His love.

Our individual families became one
as a man and woman become one in Christ
one spirit, one body, working together
with love between us, protecting us.

You celebrated every occasion with us,
baptisms, birthdays, graduations, PCAL games
You're an integral part of our families
a seamless addition, the missing piece of a puzzle.

You are close to our hearts in many ways
a candle in a world of darkness
an inspiration to a lost generation
more than just a priest, our father.

"And now abide faith, hope, love, these three; but the greatest of these is love." (1 Cor. 13:13)


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ix5vTrecep4&feature=channel
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WsW9pkAKHrc&feature=related