My Dad, A Warrior (A Eulogy)

DISCLAIMER: This eulogy was given on my dad's 40th Day Thanksgiving mass on  October 28, 2020 at the Cathedral Church of St. Michael. 

Being the eldest, I had the honor of being the first to add "daddy" to his titles

My Dad, A Warrior

A Eulogy by Manna Alcaraz 

Today is a day of thanksgiving for the life of someone we all hold dear in hearts. But lest we fall into the trap of feeling defeated about this loss, let me share with you an account of how I believe with all my heart, that my dad was a warrior.

Let’s start from the beginning.

Ricardo Alcaraz was raised by warriors. Gregorio, my grandfather was a war veteran. Magdalena, my grandmother, is a war survivor. Before they got married, Gregorio and Magdalena had their fair share of near-death experiences during the 2nd World War, but their lives were preserved. They would, later on, meet and start a family. They had seven children, and Ricardo was their eldest. 

Dad with his family when they were young

As a kid, he was a comic book fan and loved reading about superheroes. Superman and Batman being his prime favorites, closely followed by other DC and Marvel characters. This may be where he first learned the concept of good always triumphing over evil, where the hero always gets to save the day. But it wasn’t until he was 25 that he would actually meet his real hero. In 1982, his life would be forever changed as he accepted Jesus Christ to be his Lord and Savior. 

In the context of this eulogy, we shall call this the first major battle he won on earth. As Luke 15:10 says, “In the same way, I tell you, the angels of God rejoice over one sinner who repents.” And so, just like in his comic books, this was the part when he became a protagonist in the story that he chose to allow God to write for him. 

We all know what happened after that as he pursued a life of complete obedience to God. 

He fought battle, after battle. Always knowing that with God by his side, he will always triumph. 

Whether it was to leave his life in Manila to pastor a church in Kalibo, or to transition from Charismatic to Liturgical - for as long as he believed it was God’s will, he gave no regard to how his personal life would be inconvenienced, and he did not allow criticism or disapproval from the world or even people close to him to stop him from doing God’s will. 

Mom and Dad met in church and were immediately ministry partners

He was the warrior that led the Army of the Lord, and he was the warrior bishop that was ordained at Fort Bonifacio, the  National Headquarters of the Philippine Army. Even if that was a last-minute move, I believe that it was no coincidence. 

Bishop Ordination

His path to being a primate was a battle as well. Perhaps one of his greatest one. But we also know how God really surrounded him with favor and protection through it all. 

Installation as Primate, look how proud the Alcabunch is of him

As you have seen in his life, my dad is not one to back down easily. In fact, I don’t think he will back down at all for as long as he knows he is doing God’s will. 

His last and final battles on earth are proof of that. 

But before we get there, allow me to share a few things about this warrior from the perspective of his children. 

Our dad practices what he preaches. Whether he is preaching at the pulpit, or parenting us, he is consistent. I remember one time I was so upset over a certain person in authority who hurt me and I was telling dad about all the things that were wrong about him. He was listening quietly and then when I was done, he asked me to read Colossians 3:23-24 - “Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for human masters, since you know that you will receive an inheritance from the Lord as a reward. It is the Lord Christ you are serving.”

Reading the bible to me when I was a baby

My last one on one video call with dad where we talked a long time about the Life in the Spirit Seminar

That really put things in perspective for me. It showed me what kind of warrior he was. He was not the type to fight back as the world would fight back. 

Of course, we had several playful moments as well, as I’m sure you’d expect. He is such a happy, playful person that it shows even in his parenting. A few years back, I told him that a crush broke my heart, and for some reason, it drove him into a fit of giggles. He was so amused by the whole situation that he teased me about it endlessly. Without being able to keep a straight face, he told me he wanted to buy me this special ice cream flavor that only Carmen’s Best offered. That ice cream flavor happened to be called “He’s Not Worth It.” This made me laugh as we excitedly went to the groceries to buy that specific type flavor of ice cream, yes it exists, you can google it. 

He wanted to get me this ice cream haha

Here’s another ice cream story. During the pandemic, my sister and I were unfortunately stuck in Cebu. We were stressing over so many things, finances, the virus, our jobs, our mental health, etc. We had just finished a whole day online Youth Congress when my sister received a call from foodpanda. We received a delivery of 2 tubs of ice cream. At first, we thought it was a mistake because we did not order it, later on we learned that our dad ordered it for us as a surprise. Even if we were apart during the pandemic, he still tried his best to spoil us or make us feel like he was there. We would just randomly receive deliveries from him - and this would range from pillows, to different types of face masks, to food. 

Taken from my IG Stories which I posted when we received the masks he sent 

From my IG Stories, when he surprised us with ice cream 

This now brings me to his final battle on earth. When the pandemic hit, he wasted no time in equipping all of us. I remember on the church’s last Midweek service, he gave a powerful teaching which ended in him sharing with us A Prayer for A Divine Restraining Order Against Corona Virus. He stood his ground on continually holding mass because he firmly believed that now more than ever, the church needs to be strong. He started a series of online teachings on Psalm 91: God’s Promises of Protection. He immediately followed that up with another series, Faith for Our Times, wherein week after week, he boldly encouraged us to use our faith. 

I know his death leaves us with a lot of questions. Whatever happened there, for now, is between Jesus and him. But one thing I know for sure, and I know this because dad taught it, is that difficult circumstances like this, like his death, does not, will not, and will never negate God’s promises and truths. 

A few days after he died, I took the bible that he gave me in 2015. It was New King James so I did not use it because my preference is NLT or New Living Translation. But because I just lost him, and I missed him, I took the bible that he gave me which I never really used. I noticed that it was bookmarked so I opened it to that page. It opened to John 5, A Man Healed at the Pool of Bethesda.

Actual photo of the bible on the day I opened it

Rise, take up your bed, and walk 

Now the last time that I was physically with dad was when we went to Israel. On the last day of our pilgrimage, he and I geeked out by the Pool of Bethesda. He and I actually saw it together, so I read the passage. 

Dad and I by the Pool of Bethesda in Old Jerusalem

Pool of Bethesda

Now there is in Jerusalem by the Sheep Gate a pool, which is called in Hebrew, [a]Bethesda, having five porches. 3 In these lay a great multitude of sick people, blind, lame, [b]paralyzed, [c]waiting for the moving of the water. 4 For an angel went down at a certain time into the pool and stirred up the water; then whoever stepped in first, after the stirring of the water, was made well of whatever disease he had. 5 Now a certain man was there who had an infirmity thirty-eight years. 6 When Jesus saw him lying there, and knew that he already had been in that condition a long time, He said to him, “Do you want to be made well?”

7 The sick man answered Him, “Sir, I have no man to put me into the pool when the water is stirred up; but while I am coming, another steps down before me.”

8 Jesus said to him, “Rise, take up your bed and walk.” 9 And immediately the man was made well, took up his bed, and walked.

I think it is not a coincidence that I read this passage from the bible he gave to me on the 38th anniversary of the Cathedral Church of St. Michael. 

The man by the pool had the infirmity for 38 years and told Jesus that he wanted to be made well but that he did not have anyone to put him into the pool. Jesus showed him that he did not to wait for a man to put him into the pool. He told him to Rise, take up his bed and walk. And he did!

We may miss dad. We may long for his teachings. But this time, Jesus is also telling us, Church of St. Michael, “Rise up, pick up your mat, and walk!”

Thank you for loving my dad fiercely. To everybody who battled with him, prayed for him, prayed for our family in our time of grief, the Lord sees your heart. 

Fr. Jun, there are no words to express how grateful we are for everything you did for our dad, our mom, and our whole family during this time. You did exceptionally well in strengthening your brothers. Tita Alys, Cay, Gab, Man, Tom, thank you for sharing Fr. Jun with us during this difficult time. We truly are family. 

To our Roberto cousins, thank you for the logistics support you gave my mom during that time. 

To the intercessors of this church, it is such an honor to be upheld in prayer by such great men and women of faith. 

To each and every one of you, and to the many others who are not here, from the bottom of our hearts, we thank you for your thoughts, prayers, and acts of kindness. Your love and support is appreciated and will never be forgotten. 

To all the clergy, the workers, all church members, you have taken such a beating by the events that happened after that but always remember that God is good, God is sovereign, God is in control. We shall press on and continue the legacy that my dad, our bishop, our warrior has passed on to us. 

Rise up warriors, we will overcome!