This message was delivered during the Memorial Mass (45th death anniversary) in honor of Antonio Anievas last September 20.
A little over two months ago, a worldwide phenomenon ended. Everyone in this venue knows what this is but since I am not yet saying what it is, I would like you my listeners to guess. What phenomenon ended last July 15 that was felt all over the world, extending some few weeks thereafter?
Harry Potter, of course.
Today’s occasion has moved me to find some striking similarities between Harry Potter and Antonio Montemayor Anievas. In the first book published in 1997, Harry slowly discovers that he had a gift of wizardry. In order to hone his talent, he had to study in a very special school, the Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. Each day in this school was a time for Harry to unearth his skills in the art of spell-ing (pun intended). It was also a time for him to understand how different this wizarding world was compared to the life of the Muggles. In his desire to grab a hold of his newfound skills, you saw the boy Harry when he almost destroyed Ollivanders Wand Shop with a flick of the magical wand in his untrained hand. How many times did he almost fall off his broomstick in a game of Quidditch? And oh, he wasn’t always sure about his feelings towards that pretty girl Hermione. Did he purposely set aside his feelings for her because he knew that Ron Weasley, his best friend, was somehow enamored with her too?
The list of the interests of Tony as a student was quite extraordinary for a school boy his age. This is shown through the different awards given out each year in the areas of Academics, Arts, Athletics, Leadership, Music, Rhetoric, and Faith. I could just imagine Tony participating in many different activities in school and off-campus, unearthing his talents in each of these areas. I bet there were times that he also fumbled with some school projects or exams, sang a bit out of tune, or thought of quitting during a sporting event. Yet like Harry, our boy hero, Tony always managed to succeed and do well in these areas.
The time given to me to speak is not enough to talk about the 7 books and 8 movies that were created about Harry Potter. Instead, I will make mention of the most popular description of Harry Potter which is also the running theme of the whole series. Harry Potter: the Boy Who Lived. The theme of death and life run through each of the books, Harry escaping death while He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named was obsessed with conquering death by taking Harry’s life. Spoiler Alert: If you haven’t read the last book or if you haven’t watched the last installment of the 7th Harry Potter movie, I beg your forgiveness because I will tell you now that in that movie, Harry will be killed… but he will actually not die. After all, he is Harry Potter: the Boy who Lived.
For me, Antonio can be given that same title. We said our goodbye’s to him many years ago but he never really died. He lives on and on in Lasallian students who have outstanding qualities and share these talents with others. You will realize that those who have died are never really gone. I say the same for Mrs Elsa Anievas, Tony’s mother, who also died a month ago in August.
Just as Neville Longbottom said to Voldemort near the end of the movie Harry Potter version 7.2, “the things we cherish most, will always live on in our hearts.” Tony Anievas is the boy who lives on and on, in you.
May we also remember to cherish Jesus always every time we say: Live Jesus in our hearts… forever.
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POW – Sep 12 – 30
Attended several Board meetings of different La Salle Schools
– Sept 12 at De La Salle ASMC in Cebu
– Sept 16 at La Salle Green Hills
– Sept 19 at St Joseph School – La Salle and University of St La Salle in Bacolod
Held iPad 2 – related meetings and training sessions
– Sept 13 and 20: Genius Bars for newbies
– Sept 14: Meeting with Vibal publishing on e-textbooks
– Sept 15: Meeting with Jun Lozada on Personal Device Management
Other Activities
– Sept 15: General Faculty Assembly
Updated the assembly on the ongoing and future projects of the school
– Sept 16: GOLD Season 2 Talk on Making IT Work for you
Organized a session on how some Lasallians use IT for personal and office related activities
– Sept 16: Grade 3 Level Get-Together
Back to the 80’s while remembering those who helped make the level succeed in its projects
– September 20: Memorial Mass for Antonio Anievas
Compared how Tony was similar to Harry Potter in many ways
– Sept 26- 27: Joined the PAASCU team in a resurvey visit to Unversity of San Agustin in Iloilo City