+ We have some powerful readings today: the power of death, the power of life, and the power of faith.
It is the power of faith that is the key to understanding the other two. Unless
we see with the “eyes of faith” then we are not seeing reality correctly. Our
human vision can only see so far, our
human intellect can only see so far,
our human intuition can only see so far
– but we know there is more, there is something beyond our grasp that is very
real, but very elusive yet very attractive!
This very yearning inside of
us is a gift from God to lead us to the only entity that “can see beyond” – and
that is the gift of faith! No one is entitled to faith, and that is why God
freely gives it to everyone who asks, and even whets the taste buds of those he
would like to have ask for it! For this gift is a supernatural reality that transforms
everything for us: it allows us to deal with God on his own level, to see
things as he sees them, and to please
him in all we do, proving our love for him by self-sacrificial service to other
people!
And so when real faith takes a
look at death, as we see in the first reading today from the Book of Maccabees,
it can see clearly that the violation of God’s law is not an option for a
member of God’s people, and that the promise of resurrection from the dead
surpasses any form of punishment and torture – even death. But those who do not
hold for “resurrection” from the dead can neither understand the commitment of
these people, nor the reality they are willing to die for: they have refused
the gift of faith – and so are unable to see!
Our gospel passage also
describes the faulty vision of those who use a trick question regarding the
seven marriages of the one woman to fault Jesus on life in the hereafter.
Jesus, however, calmly dismisses the whole thing as petty and assures us that
God is the God of the living, and that those who die live with God as his
children and as brothers and sisters of one another: there is no marriage in
heaven for marriage is a gift for the earthly journey only!
The second reading, finally,
summarizes for us the attitude that is necessary for us to be faith-filled
people: people of supernatural vision: it is the attitude of humble reliance on
the grace of God, coming through the merits of Christ Jesus – so that we may
remain filled with faith - so that we may direct our hearts to the love of God
and to the endurance of living a Christ-centered life – so that one day it will
lead us to the glory of our own resurrection – that is assured because Jesus is
already living that newness of life – and he promised to share it with us!
When
the glory of the Lord appears then our joy will be full –
beyond all our wildest imaginings!
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