“Always be joyful in the Lord” (Phil 4:4). Today is a day when I can assure you that I experience mixed feelings, but I am certainly joyful in the Lord and I thank you, Lord, for calling me to serve you in the Church, in your Church, and confirm your call today. But above all, I thank you for your patience with me, for encouraging me and helping me to hold my yes firm to this day, sure that I will continue to count on your presence in my life so that I can say yes to the end.
Thank you for making you present in my way through so many people in my vocational process, my two bishops: Cardinal Jaime, who sent me to the Seminary and even while I was away, never closed the doors to me and Cardinal John for trusting me and for receiving today for his laying on of hands and prayer the sacred order in the degree of the diaconate.
Priests like Father Ariel, who has accompanied me on my path of growth in faith, received me in El Angel as a CUJAE student and sent me to the Seminary in 2011 from here, from Los Pinos, with a more mature and proven faith. Other priests such as Father Mario Delgado, Father Pablo Alvarez, Father Juan Carlos Fuentes, in particular Father Félix Hernández, whom I have much to thank and have not yet been able or able to reciprocte. Also to Archbishop Rodolfo, Archbishop Polcari, Father Formoso, Father Yosvani, Father Israel and all my priests, teachers, friends and brothers: Father Luciano, Fathers Jorge Luis Gil and Pérez Soto, here present. To you, Father Dariel, I have much to thank you and Father Rolando for always cheering me up.
To all my seminary companions, today priests, thank you. Father Emilito who today is on the anniversary of priestly ordination, Rubido, Kenny, Elixander, Eduardo.
In many deachos you also became present in my life, Lord: Abraham, Maximus Orlando, and John. Thank you, John, for the example of faith of your family and that of Leticia, my godmother, through which I became part of your family.
Away from my house you never allowed me to be alone, sir. You made your Church my home and your children, my family. Thanks to the families present here: Verde-Valdés, Suaréz-Jáuregui, Mejías-Pérez and Puga-Lamas, for making me feel at home like my own.
Thank you, Lord, for my family. It saddens me to note that they are not physically present, but those who do not accompany me from heaven as my grandparents, my Aunt Anita and Joseph, my dear grandmother Eda, do so today through technologies. Mommy and Daddy are here, thank you for saying yes to life, having me and educating me. Thank you for all the love I have received from you and received. To my sister and her husband, to my nephew and to my child and the great gift given to me by my great-nephew, whom I have not been able to squeeze in my arms, but I hope God will grant me the joy of baptizing. Thank you to my whole family for your support and joy.
In the elongated family, as Father Ariel, the Church, taught us, he has always shown me your face, Lord: El Angel, San Antonio de los Baños when I worked in the ICU, Los Pinos and the Island, of course, Our Lady of Sorrows, Santa Marta, Santa Barbara.
I’m a pine man, but I ordered myself in the parish of Los Pinos. Only God, only you know, Lord. In this family you became very close to me through many religious: the Missionary Sisters of the Heart of Jesus, the Missionaries of Charity, the Carmelite Sisters of San José, Jesus Mary of Upper Havana and the Crusades. All of them, my sisters. Thank you for your presence in my life through them, Lord.
Thank you to my brothers in the seminary, to those of my course, and above all to those who witnessed that these years have been a fruitful time of configuration with the crucified Christ, but also and above all with the Risen Christ. If the Christ of the Chapel, the Stained glass windows of St. Charles and St. Ambrose, the images of Joseph and Mary Most Holy, St. John Mary Vianney, even those of the viacrucis could be expressed verbally, they would attest to all that I have to thank and for all the times you have overcome in me, Lord.
To all the workers, teachers and trainers I thank you because somehow mysteriously you have also used them to make me this Lazarus who appeared at the altar and said, “Present, here I am, Lord.”
Thank you community of Los Pinos, to those who are and to those who wanted to be and accompany me with prayer.
You received me in 2008, you welcomed me, reaffirmed to me in 2014 that I was your son and in each of the grandparents of the nursing home, God managed to put an ointment in my heart, heal the wounds, restore me joy and confirm me in my vocation, which is not mine but yours, Lord.
Thanks to the choir he rehearsed in his house, thanks to those who cleaned and embellished and prepared this beautiful liturgy and the sharing that at the end we will have.
Thank you, Los Pinos, this community where there are few saints on the walls, but many on the benches and today have joined me from their homes in prayer. Thanks also to the family of Los Pinos who are abroad, whom, through technology these days, God willing, I will personally thank.
Thank you, Lord, for everything, for everyone and for this day. I confess that I was saddened because for nine years I have dreamed of this different day, but you never cease to amaze me with your divine pedagogy, you teach me every day that only one thing remains, only one thing is forever: only God, only you. That’s why you never tire of repeating to me: “Gaudete in dominus Semper”.
May St. Mary Queen, mother of the only King, accompany me and take me by her hand today and always, amen.
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