November 2016

The Church invites us to think about the end of things. Our world, in which we spend so much time planning and securing our worldly future, is only temporary. Our own lives in this world will not last for ever, but, while on earth, we have a duty to be faithful witnesses to the message of peace and love given by Jesus. Jesus warns that His followers will be manhandled, persecuted, summoned before synagogues and imprisoned because of their faith. Some will be betrayed by family, relatives and friends. Jesus asks His followers to remain committed to Him in an often hostile environment. He counsels them not to be frightened but to be faithful. Each follower is encouraged to accept whatever persecution or rejection may come as an opportunity for witnessing to that commitment.

The Gospel challenges us to get involved in the world, working for the common good, justice and peace. Jesus urges His followers not to be passive, complacent or apathetic, but to be willing to take a stand to promote God’s kingdom, regardless of cost. We are called to remain steadfast in our faith in God’s reign. In our times, we are seeing terrible famines, wars and environmental crises, which are threatening life as we have known it, and they frighten us. Jesus promises that good will triumph over evil, love over hate, justice and peace over injustice and war, life over death. However, for many of us, the problem is not anxiety about the end of our world but living as if there were an eternity of tomorrow. The words of Jesus in today’s Gospel are ignored. Yet the readings remind us how short and precious life is, calling us to reflect upon our lives, urging us to look ahead to see where we are headed and ask ourselves: What do we need to go to get ready for Christ?

Today’s readings confront us with the question of what death is – and what comes after. And that question is important because it helps us to shape how we live in the present. In the first reading, those 7 brothers were able to endure terrible hardship because of their faith in God’s ability to raise them up after death. Their belief in the resurrection enabled them to remain true to their identity, to their values, to their God. In the Gospel, the Sadducees, who believed there is no afterlife, dragged up a little-used law about marrying your dead brother’s wife in order to ridicule Jesus’ belief in the resurrection of the dead. Jesus says that for those who belong to God, there is no need for such devices to try to cheat death. Those who have died and “are judged worthy” are living with God, where there is no need to think of marrying and having children to try to preserve your name or to carry on the human race. Why? Quite simply, because there is no more death. Jesus is crystal clear: this life is not the end. God wants us to live in God’s presence for ever.

Our belief in the resurrection shows us that to God, life is absolutely important. God created us for life, not death. God is God of the living, Jesus tells us, and what we do with our life determines our future life with God. Faith in the resurrection led the 7 brothers to resist an evil king. It led Jesus to the cross. For Christians, it leads us to cherish life in the here and now and to defend life for all – especially those whose quality of life is most threatened.