Inuusiq Saint Josaphat, Bishop amma Martyr

Pivalliajut inuusiup iluani, qanuq inuusiq asanniniqarpalaurmat. Qiviartariaqarpugut silami, qanuq inuusiq takujariaqarpugut. Paulusa titiraqtuq Philemon-mut, uqaqtuq: 'I have experienced much joy and encouragement from your love, because the hearts of the holy ones have been refreshed by you, brother.' Taanna uqausiq, 'refreshed by you,' qanuippa? Taanna uqausiq takujariaqarpugut inuusiup iluani, qanuq Benjamin asanniniqarpalaurmat. Benjamin, taanna qaujimajavut, taanna qaujimajavut tallimat pivalliajut, nuannaartuq, qajangnartuq, pinniqtuq. Taanna nalligivikluq, nalligikpatiklu qitiqquqsimajuq. Ilisimaliqput inuusiup iluani, qanuq Benjamin asanniniqarpalaurmat, qanuq ataniq asannininga kikkutuinnarnut tunijaupalaurmat. Taimanna atautikkut, qaujimajavut qanugitilluta. Benjamin, taanna 'con chim airlines'-mik uqalaurmat, quviasulluni. Taanna qajuqtuq inuusiup iluani, ataniup asannininga ilisimallugu. Ilisimaliqput taanna asanniniq, kikkut nalligijavut aniguqtilaaqtut.

Alan and Thao, I know the weight of these past four months. I know the way the world can seem to lose its color when you are carrying such a heavy cross. But look at the Gospel, look at the way Jesus speaks of the Kingdom: 'The coming of the Kingdom of God cannot be observed... For behold, the Kingdom of God is among you.' The Kingdom is not something you chase down the road; it is the presence of love that remains even when the body is gone. Benjamin is there, resting in the light, smiling that gentle, brilliant smile. He is not lost; he is found in the heart of the Father. Ryan, my dear brother, your brother Ben loved you. He was your partner. When you look at the sky, when you see a plane soaring high, remember that Ben's spirit is soaring too. He is free, he is full of light, and he is watching over you with a bright, gentle smile.

Kikkut ilissik uqumaittumik atuqtut, kikkut uqalurialiqtut iluani, nalligivikluq ataniq qaninganiittuq. Ilisimajariaqarpugut ataniq qaninganiittuq. Ilissik ilisimajariaqarpugut asanniniq aniguqtilaaqtuq. Benjamin, taanna qaujimajavut Benjamin, qaujimajavut inuusiup iluani, qanuq inuusiq asanniniqarpalaurmat. There is a memory that stays with me, a small, quiet moment that reveals the depth of his spirit. You remember the offer he made, unprompted, to give his entire piggy bank to his uncle William. He didn't break it. He didn't empty it. He didn't need to. The offer itself was the truth of his soul. It was the declaration of a boy who knew that everything he had—every coin, every dream, every hour of his life—was meant to be poured out for those he loved.

I know the temptation, Alan and Thao, to look back at the last year and wonder if you missed a sign, if there was some hidden path that could have led to a different outcome. Let me lift that stone from your heart today. Neither this man nor his parents sinned. Illness is never a punishment, and it is never the fault of those who loved and cared for the one who suffered. You missed nothing. You are not to blame. God does not accuse you, and you must not accuse yourselves. You were the best parents he could have had. You were his comfort, his partners in travel, the ones who listened to his dreams of airplanes and shared his laughter. You are absolved of that guilt. Lay it down. It is not yours to carry.

Benjamin is not a memory. He is a life that has been transformed, not ended. He is a part of the 'perfect four' that exists in the heart of God. He is watching over you, Alan, Thao, and Ryan, with that same gentle, braces-filled smile that used to light up a room. He is cheering for you as you navigate this new, difficult landscape. He is waiting for you at the finish line, where the math will finally make sense, where the planes will all be on time, and where there will be no more goodbyes.

So, what do you carry out the door today? Carry the freedom of the healed. You have been loved by a boy who knew how to give everything away, and you are loved by a God who gave His own Son so that you would never be alone. When you feel the ache, breathe in the grace of that reality. When you feel the weight, remember that you are an heir to eternal life. You are held. You are seen. You are home, even when you are walking through the dark. And that is enough. That is everything.