At first glance our readings for today from 2nd Maccabees 7 and St Luke 20:27-38, can been seen as gruesome and depressing. Their focus on torture and death is disturbing. However, death is not the central theme of these readings. The theme is Resurrection; the resurrection of Jesus and our belief that we too will be raised up to join God in Heaven. All seven of the brothers Maccabee and their mother affirmed their belief that “the King of the world will raise us up to live again forever.” And Jesus told his disciples and he tells us that God our Father “is not God of the dead, but of the living, for to him all are alive.”
Resurrection is about our life in God. Our belief in resurrection is more than a definition of what we hope for when we die; it defines how we live. As people of the resurrection, we live transformed lives as new creations freed from sin and from death. We do not live in fear of death, but we live in the light of Christ Jesus knowing that at the end of time “We shall rise like Christ, with him, and through him” (CCC 995).
In his Post Synodal Apostolic Exhortation Amoris Laetitia, The Joy of Love, Our Holy father addressed how we as Christians can face the challenge of death. He said “The better we live on this earth, the greater the happiness we will be able to share with our loved ones in heaven. The more we ae able to mature and develop in this world, the more gifts will we be able to bring to the heavenly banquet” (258).
During the month of November, we remember in a special way our relatives and friends and all who have died. Pope Francis reminds us that “One way of maintaining fellowship with our loved ones is to pray for them” (257). And the Catechism of the Catholic Church (CCC) teaches us that our prayers for those we love “is capable not only of helping them, but also of making their intersession for us effective” (CCC 958).
God of the living,
you have created us for life, love, and joy.
As we share also in the cross of Jesus,
in the pains and sorrows of life,
keep our hope alive that your faithful love
will have the final say,
and that life will overcome death,
for you have raised Jesus from the dead.
Give us the firm longing and faith
that you will raise us up with him
and let this conviction be our strength
every day of our life.
We ask this through Christ our Lord.
Amen.
