As disciples of Jesus Christ, we anchor our hope in a simple fact: Christ has been raised from the dead. The Lord’s triumph over sin and death fundamentally alters the universe and we have hope of eternal life. May the power of the resurrection direct every aspect of our lives!
Mass Readings – 32nd Sunday of the Year
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In the Letter to the Corinthians St. Paul teaches that we are temples of the Holy Spirit, and it is crucial that we take tremendous care and effort regarding how we build our lives upon the rock of Jesus Christ.
Mass Readings – Dedication of the Lateran Basilica in Rome
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Both St. Paul and the Psalmist show how we are able to accomplish great things through the power of the Holy Spirit of God working through us. May we take this message to heart and allow the Spirit to tackle the needs before us this day.
Mass Readings – Friday of the 31st Week of the Year
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St. Paul reminds the Romans that in both living and dying we are the Lord’s. We, too, owe everything we have to God…and how we face life, death and eternal life will reveal to others our desire to be disciples of Jesus Christ.
Mass Readings – Thursday of the 31st Week of the Year
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The Psalm Response inspires us to help one another with a kind and gracious heart. As we determine what we can do today, may we also decide how to do it in a manner worthy of Jesus.
Mass Readings – Wednesday of the 31st Week of the Year
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St. Paul inspires the Romans to use the God-given gifts they have received for one another. What’s your gift? How will you use what the Lord has lavished upon you?
Mass Readings – Tuesday of the 31st Week of the Year
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Study: What comes to mind when you think of Heaven? Have you or someone you know ever had a near-death experience? How does thinking of Heaven shape how you live your life?
Pray: Is there something that is keeping you away from God? Take time to pray and consider receiving the Sacrament of Confession.
Serve: Are there any tasks that you have neglected that would cause hardship to others if you died suddenly? What steps can you take to make sure that you are ready when the Lord calls you home?
Mass Readings – 32nd Sunday of the Year
Both the 1st Reading and the Gospel point to the resurrection of the dead. In the Second Book of Maccabees we hear how those who are tortured for their faith find hope in the resurrection to eternal life, and in the Gospel of Luke Jesus teaches the Sadducees that the dead will rise.
To talk about heaven is not some sort of “pie in the sky” thinking. We look to this world – where we experience birth, life and death – as a pilgrim progress. We are travelers passing through, confident that there is more to the journey when death comes our way.
This understanding of the resurrection of the dead is thus both a consolation and a challenge. As a consolation we have hope! We seek to love and know the Lord in this life so that we are prepared to be with him forever in heaven. Life on earth leads to the eternal; we find that our longings in this world point toward a fulfillment that comes in the next chapter of our story.
Yet the challenge is also real. Will we be prepared at the hour of our death? Will we look upon the face of Jesus with love, or will shame, fear, sin and vice drive us away? For in the end all will be fully known: either we will run to the Lord to seek his mercy for our sins, or we will run away because we see our sins as insurmountable obstacles.
The Church Fathers used the image of Holy Fire as a fitting example. When we are called from this life we will stand before the burning fire of God’s love. The elect will draw near to this fire for warmth (and very possibly) a cleansing that burns away all impurities. The damned will simply burn up…unable to receive the mercy and grace. Why? Because they did not acknowledge their sins and accept God’s mercy and forgiveness during their journey on earth.
As we head toward the end of the Liturgical Year and the Extraordinary Year of Mercy, I invite all of us to ponder life, death and resurrection – seeking the Lord’s saving grace in this life so that we are prepared to meet Jesus Christ in the eternal life to come.
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Note: This post was first published on October 31, 2016.
The Last Judgment, Michelangelo, 1536-1541, Sistine Chapel, Rome. Photo credit: Dennis Jarvis.
