Neville Lee passed away on Tuesday, July 31, at Medical Associates Hospital. He was a beloved friend of mine and the brothers, and of the poor. He was a wonderful family man, businessman, Christian, Roman Catholic, lover of the poor, lover of Jamaica, lover of Christ.
His last audible words were, "God is great!"
He begged me for a cross last week as I blessed him and made the sign of the cross. The cross hanging around my neck hung before his face as he laid on his bed at Medical Associates Hospital.
He grasped it and asked, "Can I have one of these, father?"
On my second visit I brought him one, and he immediately kissed it and placed it around his neck.
"Thank you, father."
Three times he asked me in a whisper, "Why do you and the brothers come and visit me? You are so busy. Why, why, why?"
"Because you are our friend, because you are so kind, because you love the poor," was my reply.
Tears rolled down his eyes.
Neville Lee was 81 years when he died.
Brother Ronel, Brother Alphonse and myself visited at 6:30 p.m. I felt that his time had come. The doctor said his time was near. It can happen anytime now.
The family was all gathered around. They wept and gathered each other in their arms.
Winnie, his wife, was drawn into her husband's deep unconsciousness. He could not speak. I placed my arms around her; she was deeply absorbed looking at the face of her husband.
As she prayed, I said to the family "I do not know if he will live or he will die. That is in God's hands. We must remember St Paul's words, 'If I live, I live in Christ. If I die, I die in Christ so whether I live or die it doesn't matter it is in Christ'. We must remember that for us Christians, death is not the final end, but is only a door that opens to eternal life."
Steve, the eldest of his sons, said to me, "Father, I can tell you his last audible words were 'Our God is great!'"
THE LORD FORGIVES YOU
Neville spoke to me with such humility about his sins.
I told him, "Neville, the Lord forgives you your sins."
He nodded gratefully. "Yes, father, I am a sinner. I have done so much wrong. Forgive me Lord, forgive me!"
"I am sure the Lord forgives you, Neville," I said.
He smiled gratefully.
Neville Lee understands the essences of life - being a family man, being faithful to his friends and his workers; feeding, caring for, loving to his wife and children; loving His Lord and the poor.
The last words he said to me was, "Keep on in your ministry to the poor. Keep serving them."
Neville had the custom of kneeling with his wife Winnie before Christ and the Blessed Sacrament every Sunday after Sunday mass at Sts Peter and Paul. He had learned this habit as a school boy at St George's College.
He turned to me and asked me, "I have taken care of my children materially; I wish for them to come closer to Christ."
I gave him the sacrament of the sick and dying.
We blessed the holy oil, anointed his head, his chest, his hands and feet - anointing of the sick and dying before the entire family. We prayed for him and read the gospel from St Matthew 11:28-30: 'Jesus said to the crowds: "Come to me all you who labour and are burdened, I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am meek and humble of heart; and you will find rest for yourselves. For my yoke is easy, my burden light."
Goodbye Neville, Good bye friend; until we meet again.
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