DAILY HOMILIES #death

The death of the Holy innocents casts a dark shadow on our Christmas celebration. It gives us a glimpse of the darkness that so filled the earth before Christ’s birth brought light to the world. It also gives us a glimpse of what life on earth would have been if Jesus had not brought salvation. If Jesus wasn’t born, I guess none of us would have been alive today.

Is it the case that this very flesh will be given to us again? Yes. Does it mean that at the resurrection, we would be able to recognize each other’s faces? Yes. So, our hands, our eyes, our tongue, etc. would be restored to us again? Yes. Does it then mean we shall be capable of falling in love, getting married, and so on? Jesus says: “Those who are accounted worthy to attain to that age and to the resurrection from the dead neither marry nor are given in marriage, for they cannot die anymore

What we are celebrating today is HOPE. Hope that it is not yet over for the dead. Hope that one day, when we too depart, there would be people around here praying for us. Death is not the end. It is only a passage; a new beginning and our prayers go a long way to affect what comes to a person after they have died.

Always remember the end; always remember that even the air you breathe is borrowed and you will have to relinquish it someday. Thinking of our death often helps us to be less materialistic, it also helps us to forgive easily. Reminding ourselves that we shall die helps us to take life lightly and refrain from complaining when we don’t seem to have all we need.

Do you feel like abandoning your faith because it has become too difficult for you to continue practicing Christian virtues (keeping the commandments of God)? Reflect on St. Paul’s words in today’s second reading. Jesus obeyed even to the point of accepting death but today, the name of Jesus is above every name in heaven and on earth and under the earth and every knee shall bow and every tongue shall confess and Jesus Christ is God. Obedience to God might be difficult but the reward is worth more than all the sacrifices.

Can a woman forget her sucking child, that she should have no compassion for the son of her womb? Even these may forget, yet I will not forget you.” (Isaiah 49:13-15). God is a prodigal father who will never forget his children. If today you hear these words, harden not your heart, repent and come back to Him. You never can tell what day would be your last on earth but you can cheat death now by living a righteous life.

Wash the inside of your cup. Believe that you can do without sin. Make efforts like the men who brought their paralytic friend to Jesus through the roof. Let Jesus see your faith and He would reward you with grace to overcome temptation. Don’t look down on yourself.

Jesus explains that in the resurrection, we are going to be like the Angels – pure spirits who would not need to marry or give birth.

Death is very sweet when we prepare for it. Dear friends let us begin to live not as people trying to avoid death but as people who look up to death as an opportunity to start enjoying a better life.

Nothing can be more painful than knowing that a time will come when no living person will remember you anymore. Thanks be to God, the church sets aside this day for us to remember the dead.

When your mind is set on things of the flesh, you become hostile to the things of God and you cannot please God but if the Holy Spirit dwells in you, you begin to live a resurrected life even while in your flesh.

Until we begin to tell ourselves the truth about sin, that its only reward is death, that sin ultimately deprives us of the true pleasures of life, it would remain a great challenge to us.