No More Night

Beautiful petals that have fallen, a seeming waste.

Precious in the sight of the LORD is the death of his saints.

- Psalm 116:15

While the rest of the world was bidding the old year good-bye, and preparing to welcome the New Year with feasting and fireworks, in a little corner of a hospital here in Bacolod City, a family was grieving the passing away of a beloved member of their family.

A few hours before dawn of December 30, 2016, Lucio Lofranco went home to heaven.

The turn of events was so unexpected, and the pain of loss is devastating.

For the next eight days, family and friends gathered to mourn the death of this dear man.

I spent several nights at the funeral parlor where his body lay in state.

Initially, I went to fulfill a social obligation. Some of the Lofranco sisters were friends of mine, and on two occasions, I had been part of a team that ministered to this family a few years ago. I wanted to offer comfort to them by being with them at this time of deep loss.

But as I sat there, listening to the songs of praise, original compositions, tributes and eulogies given by the family members, and words of hope and comfort given by pastors each night of the wake,  I realized something was happening inside my heart.

Abba Father was giving me a glimpse into the glorious work He had done in the life of a man and his family.

Was it possible that I would get to know a person through his death?

That is exactly what happened to me. Through the words spoken and pictures shown during the nights I spent with the family, God showed me the way He redeemed the life of Tito Lucio. Indeed, what the enemy had intended for evil, the Father was able to turn around for good.

Each night, lines and snippets from Tito Lucio's life story were re-told, from the different perspectives of the children, children-in-law, grandchildren, friends, and extended family.

What a legacy Tito Lucio has left behind! As I listened to the tributes given by his children and grandchildren... many times I was also moved to tears together with them.

Orphaned at only a few hours after he was born, this man reached the ripe old age of 92, finished law school against all odds, and together with his wife Tita Lilies (whom he fondly called Darl) fathered ten children all of whom are now accomplished and successful men and women in their respective fields of endeavor.

Death is really an enemy because it is something that was never planned for by God when He created the world. Because of disobedience, death entered the world, causing an eternal and spiritual separation between God and His creation.

Yet, in the Father's wisdom, a provision for redemption was made... through another act of obedience.

Through His own sacrificial death on the Cross Jesus triumphed over death, and death has lost its sting.

To the one who has trusted in God as his Lord and Savior, death is no longer an enemy but a friend, because death is the door by which we gain entrance into eternal life.

Tito Lucio's passing away may have been unexpected by his family and friends here on earth, but it certainly did not take God by surprise.

In this lies our hope. God holds the times and seasons of our lives in His hands.

God kept speaking this truth to my heart: When we have put our trust in Him, we grieve our loss, but we grieve in dignity and in hope.

What an awesome privilege it was for me to be given an understanding of how He walks with us in our journey through the shadow of death. He is with us in the dark nights of our soul, He partners with us in our deepest pain and sorrow.


Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, 
I will fear no evil, for you are with me; 
your rod and your staff, they comfort me. - Psalm 23:4

Yes, because of His presence, it is possible to rejoice in the midst of sorrow.

Tears flowed, questions were asked, heartfelt prayers were spoken out... and each night ended in songs of praise and worship.

What a beautiful way to grieve.

I am just so thankful for the privilege of knowing God more, and bowing before Him in awe.

And I could understand a bit of what the family was going through, for I, too, had gone through the pain of losing a loved one.

God is faithful to keep His promise. Blessed are they who mourn for they shall be comforted.

In the midst of my pain, God spoke to me that heaven is the place of full and complete restoration and redemption.

In my own season of grief, God had taught me the redemptive value of embracing my loss.

And just as He comforted me in His own time and fashion, I have no doubt that Father God will also give comfort and strength to every member of the Lofranco family.

Despite the doubts and the what ifs  and the what could have beens in our minds, God is Jehovah Shalom, the God of Peace in whose heart rests all the answers to our questions.

Even when we can't understand His plans, He is still the Sovereign God, and we can always trust His heart.


The name Lucio means "light."

The name he was given is not accidental at all. It is God's job description for him.

He lived his life on earth as a carrier of light. He was a fighter.  The word defeat was not in his vocabulary.

That His Maker should call him home on the seventh night of Hanukkah, the Festival of Lights speaks a powerful message to us!

Now, Tito Lucio is in the land where the light of a million mornings shines forever, and where it is eternally spring.

Where he is, there is no more night.

And God's promise to any family that has lost a father, an earthly pillar of strength, can never be proven false:

Father of the fatherless and protector of widows 
is God in his holy habitation.

- Psalm 68:5

A favorite quote of mine:

Sharing songs of comfort and worship:

Sharing blog posts I have written about my own journey through grief:

The Broken Places
The Unveiling of the Tombstone