By Fabian Dicom
Homily for the funeral of Bele Joseph at the Church of the Risen Christ, Air Itam, Penang on 5 August 2024
We gather here today to remember and celebrate the life of Bele, a man whose presence among us was a testament to the boundless grace and love of God.
As we reflect on his life, we are drawn to Jesus’ words, which remind us that “where your treasure is, there your heart will be also” (Matthew 6:21).
Bele’s life was a vivid illustration of this truth, as his treasure was always in serving others and glorifying God.
As we come together to remember Bele, it is natural to wonder about the meaning of his suffering and if there was something more we could have done. We might feel guilty, thinking that our actions or inactions could have changed things.
But it is important to remember that illness and death are part of being human. They don’t always make sense, and they can affect anyone, no matter who they are or what they do. Illness and death do not discriminate and there is no cause and effect to it.
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Let’s remember that our love and support for Bele were important and that we did what we could.
Sometimes, things are beyond our control, and our compassion remains a valuable gift.
Bele faced his illness with remarkable strength and resilience. He endured pain and suffering with dignity, never losing his capacity for love. His journey reminds us that our time on this earth is finite, and that even in the face of adversity, we can find moments of beauty and grace.
Bele was a man of deep faith and unwavering commitment. His motto “Use things and love people” was not just a phrase, but a guiding principle that he lived out every day.
He had a heart that yearned to serve God and show love to those around him. This was evident in his relationship with his wife Anne and their children.
Anne, both of you had a tremendous love for each other. You were the centre of his life and yet the love the both of you shared was very inclusive, with space for others. Bele had so much space in his heart for others, family and friends. He was your great companion, and you have always been so precious to him.
Gideon and Odelia, he was proud of you. He loved you very much and had his own unique way of showing it. And you know that he would do absolutely anything for you.
Bele’s love for his family was deeply rooted in his faith. He was quick to forgive, always ready to reconcile, and demonstrated a love so strong he would surely have won “Father of the year”, every year.
Yet, Bele’s journey was marked by more than just his devotion to his family. In 2002, he made a bold and courageous decision – a decision that would define his legacy.
Bele felt a profound calling from the Lord to serve in a special way. He left behind the security of a stable job to answer this divine call, choosing to minister to those who were mentally and emotionally troubled.
This decision was not made lightly; it required immense faith and trust in God’s plan. He took this leap of faith with eagerness and enthusiasm.
However, while Bele was still fine-tuning his plans, the organisation he joined, the Penang Office for Human Development (POHD, had already committed to starting a new project, securing the location and the necessary resources. At this point, it seemed that Bele’s initial project was still in the planning stage.
When the opportunity arose to run the Lighthouse Feeding Centre – an urgent need for which we at that point, did not have the right person – Bele was faced with a choice. Despite having no prior experience and being deeply invested in his original project, he embraced this new challenge.
Once again, Bele demonstrated his characteristic faith and surrender to God. He set aside his own plans and desires, trusting this was where he was being called to serve.
This act of selflessness was so typical of Bele. His life was never about advancing his own interests but about responding to what was asked of him with total generosity. He took on the leadership of the feeding centre with a heart full of faith and a willingness to serve, even though he knew not what lay ahead.
It is important to acknowledge the incredible support Bele received from his colleagues at POHD – Joachim Xavier, Susan Lim, Damian Denis and Vincent Lim (and the many volunteers and members of the POHD board) – who stood by him through the many challenges and helped turn this vision of the diocese into a reality.
Their dedication and support were instrumental in the success of the Lighthouse Feeding Centre, and their collaboration with Bele was a testament to the spirit of community and shared mission that defined his work.
Under Bele’s stewardship (as posted on Facebook), the Lighthouse Feeding Centre evolved from a humble beginning, serving a few clients, to a beacon of hope for 120 individuals today.
Bele’s unwavering compassion, patience and faith transformed countless lives and became a symbol of the difference one person’s dedication can make.
It is true to say that for Bele, time, as we know it, has stopped: for him existence is now on a new shore in closer communion with God. He has gone to another home. For him, the dawn of the new day, the day that shall not ever end, has come.
Bele’s death was like a silent stopping of a candle flame, and he now knows, in a way that we do not, why he does not require it anymore. The light that he possesses now is that of Christ himself, the Risen One, and so the warmth and happiness of his eternal home is his.
The first reading today affirms this. “When we were baptised in Christ Jesus, we were baptised in his death; in other words when we were baptised, we went into the tomb with him and joined him in death, so that as Christ was raised from the dead by the Father’s glory, we too might live a new life.” … “but we believe that having died with Christ we shall return to life with Him”.
Bele is in God’s hands, the loving, welcoming, warm hands of his Creator. These hands have come down to embrace him and take him back, and you (the family) can take great comfort in that.
In the words of the Psalmist, we find reassurance that God, the loving shepherd, now welcomes Bele into eternal rest, watching over him with unwavering care.
And in the teachings of Jesus in the Gospel today, we encounter the boundless love of our Creator, a love without conditions, without discrimination. “I should lose nothing of all that He has given to Me,” says Jesus.
It is a love that transcends human understanding – a love that Bele embraced and embodied throughout his life.
Bele’s legacy, his gift to us, lies not only in the memories we hold dear but also in the way he lived his life – a life characterised by selflessness, compassion and unwavering devotion to his family and those in need.
Today, as we bid farewell to Bele, we do so with courage and hope, knowing that his spirit lives on in each of us.
Though our hearts ache with his absence, we take comfort in the knowledge that Bele has found peace in the embrace of the Divine. And as we journey forward, may we carry his memory in our hearts, drawing strength from his example of love and grace.
Today, then, we bid farewell to Bele. Despite our sense of loss, we face the future with courage and hope, knowing that this is what Bele would want us to do. We comfort one another in the sure confidence that for Bele, life has changed, not ended.
We also derive comfort from the conviction that Bele is at peace with God.
Fr Fabian Dicom was director of the Penang Office for Human Development when Bele started his work at the Lighthouse Feeding Centre. Fabian is currently the director of Caritas Malaysia, the office for the promotion of the social mission of the Catholic Church in Malaysia.
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