God keeps promises One thing that is both certain and uncertain is death. Its ambiguity creates a sense of anxiety and a desire to escape its grip at all costs. We fear death; we fear that we will be forgotten; we fear going to hell. We need to pause and reflect on Christian hope and “the last things.” In the gospel, Jesus talks to those who do not believe in the resurrection. What will happen to us after we die? What will the resurrection be like? Will I see my family and loved ones? Jesus avoids the details. God is “not God of the dead, but of the living.” St. Paul says that God is always faithful, directing our lives toward love of God in Christ. God wants everyone to have everlasting life. Traditional Catholic teaching claims that life after death is open to all people. God condemns no one, but we can condemn ourselves. Like the Maccabean brothers, we have the freedom to choose life or death. Belief in the resurrection of the dead involves a surrender of the total self into the loving arms of God. We prepare for death by the way we live. Daily moments of prayer are moments of surrender to God, who is always faithful. Our communal prayer at the Eucharist is our “yes” to a future life of promise. Rev. Robert Dueweke, OSA
Posted on: Sun, 10 Nov 2013 00:43:41 +0000
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