Frank Arena
Amanda Arena
My godchild, Amanda was all about three things. Faith, family and love.
During this past year especially, Amanda re embraced the faith of her Baptism with enthusiasm and great joy.
By always bearing loving, faithful witness to that faith, Marian and Frank made sure that the Baptim candle entrusted to them on that most special of days was never extinguished. Many times, even as an adolescent, Amanda would tell me how in awe of her parents' faith she had always been and how she wished that the day would come when she could have faith like that. She especially noted the serenity on their faces when they received Holy Communion. That day came and she was ecstatic! In the past year or so, excited to share that faith, she would often send me prayers, Christian inspirational stories and contemporary Christian music sometimes at the wee hours of the morning. Neither of us was the best of sleepers. Aunt Ro, what are you doing up? But before I could answer she'd say, check this song out. Tell me what you think. You might be surprised to know that there's actually even some good Christian rap.
How great is our God , who so lovingly and joyfully prepared her for her journey home.
"I can only imagine" Amanda in the embrace of her Savior who whispers "Well done my good and faithful child. Welcome home.
And now she is with Granpa Pat and Grandma Jennie and Nana Bessie, the grandparents she adored and whose lives she filled with joy and laughter. And finally she will meet her Papa Lenny after hearing a lifetime of stories about him.
All of her life, she was the total center of her parents' lives. They lived for her and the future now seems empty. With the grace of God and Amanda's intercession, there will come a time when we can celebrate her life with a smile, rather than mourn with tears.
Don't cry for Amanda.
We are an Easter people of faith and are assured of eventual reunion.
Cry for the rest of us who are now forced to plod along on our journey home without my godchild's beautiful face, her unshakable faith, her shows of affection and her sense of fun. Because, our world will be a little dimmer without this little firecracker with us to help us on our own voyage home.
