THE MIRACLES AFTER OWEN’S PASSING

The Last Divine Liturgy that Owen Luke Laiyin Boyd Attended, He Also Served in as a Reader and Acolyte, Holding the Precious Body of Our Lord in the Blessed Sacrament while All the Faithful Communed

By Bp. Joseph (Ancient Church of the West) 

"Precious in the sight of the Lord is the death of His saints." 

Psalm 116:15

INTRODUCTION

God, in His infinite mercy, often grants signs and wonders to comfort His faithful in times of loss, revealing glimpses of His providence and the hope of resurrection. After the passing of Owen on June 26th, AD 2024, initially believed to be due to a stroke but later found to be caused by myocarditis, we, his family and friends, witnessed several undeniable miracles - tokens of divine grace that echoes the lives of the saints and the promises of Holy Scripture. While we are sure that Owen loved the Lord and is with Him now together in the Heavenly Kingdom, these miracles brought comfort to our hearts and left us astonished at the goodness of God, even in the midst of incomprehensible tragedy. 

THE WHITE LOTUS

On the night of Owen’s passing, we immediately began a vigil, lighting the Paschal Candle before the icon of Christ, signifying the light of the risen Lord, in whom all who die in faith shall rise again (John 11:25-26). As dawn broke, Salem Paul saw a vision of Owen leaving the chapel, and at that moment, the sound of the front door slamming was heard by others in the house. Upon entering the chapel, the family discovered that wax had dripped from the Paschal Candle, forming the shape of a white lotus - a traditional Chinese symbol for funerals, representing purity, rebirth, and the hope of life beyond death. Remarkably, the wax of the lotus bowed toward the Paschal Cross on the Holy Altar, as if in reverence.

I carefully detached the waxen flower, yet its shape and form were entirely miraculous, untouched by human hands. St. John Chrysostom once wrote, “The righteous man, even in death, bears witness to the truth of Christ” - and so, in this small yet wondrous sign, God affirmed the hope of the resurrection and the promise that Owen, though departed from the body, is alive in Christ.

THE BLOOMING CHERRY BLOSSOMS

Two weeks after Owen’s funeral, the family and I were trimming the trees in the front yard - trees that Owen had loved and tended to with care. As I worked, I recalled that the last time these trees had been pruned, it had been alongside Owen. While clearing the branches, I found two beautifully rugged ones, shaped like bonsai trees in Chinese art, which I instinctively knew had been cut by Owen. I brought them into the house and placed them next to Owen’s memorial.

The vase that held them was empty at first, but when Episcopa Victoria saw that the branches were budding, she added water. Miraculously, these seemingly dead branches bloomed twice, out of season, without nutrients or care. This sign calls to mind the account of Aaron’s rod, which, though a dry staff, budded, blossomed, and bore fruit as a sign of God’s chosen one (Numbers 17:8). Throughout Christian history, similar miracles have occurred in the lives of the saints - where the staffs or crosiers of holy men and women miraculously bloomed, symbolizing God’s divine favor and the promise of new life.

In Chinese tradition, the cherry blossom represents the renewal of spring and the hope of the coming year. In Christian thought, it is a reflection of Christ’s words: “Behold, I make all things new” (Revelation 21:5). Owen’s blossoming branches, flourishing against all natural expectation, serve as a gentle testimony that he, too, is alive in the Lord, whose mercies never fail.

Buds Became Apparent After Owen's 40 Day Commemoration

The Green is the Pine Branch We Used for Asperges in the Forty-Day Commemoration, Added to the Arrangement Because it Would Not Burn Easily (I Tried to Dispose of Them in Fire the Day Before) and Needed to be Disposed of Respectfully

Blossoms Continued to Open

The Little Children Constantly Smelled the Fragrant Blossoms, Which Filled the House with a Sweet Aroma

Owen's Little Sister Especially Loved the Blossoms

THE SUPERNATURAL PROVISION OF FOOD

During the difficult weeks following Owen’s passing, we faced unexpected financial burdens. With local authorities delaying the necessary processes, our stay in the United States was extended, increasing expenses far beyond what we had anticipated. While many friends provided meals and generous donations helped to cover the funeral costs, it was clear that frugality would be necessary in the coming months as we waited for the investigation to finish and permission granted to return to East Asia.

Yet, God, in His loving kindness, miraculously provided for us in a way that defies explanation. Every time Episcopa Victoria went to the grocery store, she would swipe her card, only for the system to announce a discount - sometimes amounting to hundreds of dollars. This happened at multiple stores, with no clear reason. Even when she inquired with the store managers, they all gave the same bewildered answer: “It must have been a store-granted discount or refund, and the money is yours to use.”

This daily provision continued until August 26th, precisely two months after Owen’s passing, when it ceased. However, on September 4th, Owen’s youngest brother’s birthday, the miraculous provision returned for one final day - only to never happen again thereafter. It felt as if Owen had given his baby brother a birthday gift of sorts. In total, the estimated value of the food given in this way exceeded $5,000.

The Scriptures are filled with accounts of God’s supernatural provision for His children: from the manna that sustained Israel in the wilderness (Exodus 16:4), to the widow’s flour and oil that did not run dry when she cared for the prophet Elijah (1 Kings 17:14-16), to the miraculous multiplication of the loaves and fishes by our Lord (Matthew 14:19-20). St. Basil the Great wrote, “When we give to the poor, we lend to God, and He is never outdone in generosity.” We have given to the poor for many decades, and it was remarkable to feel the warmth and love of God returned in this way. In this wondrous provision, God showed His abiding care for us as Owen’s family, sustaining us with unseen hands, as He has always done for those who trust in Him.

A WITNESS TO GOD’S MERCY

None of these miracles could have been arranged or orchestrated by human means. They stand as outward signs of inward grace - tokens of God’s presence for a grieving family, and for all who have eyes to see and ears to hear. There were other private consolations: dreams, prayers, and moments of divine intimacy. But these visible wonders are shared so that all who read may know that God is near to the brokenhearted (Psalm 34:18), that He cares for those who mourn (Matthew 5:4), and that the love of Christ transcends even death itself (Romans 8:38-39). We have hope of eternal life with Christ. He loves us and has prepared a way for us.

Though Owen has departed from this world, the light of Christ shines with us ever brighter through his testimony of love and grace. These miracles, like the signs given to the saints of old, remind us that death is not the end, but the threshold of life eternal. As St. Gregory of Nyssa said, “We are not bound to the limits of this world, but made for the infinite.”

May we, as a family, hold fast to this hope and look forward to the day when all sorrow shall cease, and we shall see our Lord face to face, where we will rejoice with Owen in all the goodness of God and in His plan for our salvation forever!

We Love and Miss Owen, Praying for the Repose of His Soul, Asking the Lord to Have Mercy Upon Him, and Asking Him to Pray for Us Before the Throne of God.
Memory Eternal! Memory Eternal! Memory Eternal!

COLLECT

O Lord, who dost manifest Thy mercy in wondrous ways and dost comfort those that mourn, we give Thee thanks for the tokens of Thy grace shown after the passing of Thy servant Owen. Grant, we beseech Thee, that we who remain may trust ever more in Thy providence, take comfort in Thy promises, and, following in faith, be gathered in Thine everlasting kingdom; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who liveth and reigneth with Thee and the Holy Ghost, one God, world without end. Amen.