READ THE BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: http://www.oneyearbibleonline.com/november.asp?version=63&startmmdd=0101
November 9, 2010(Mat 16:25-27) For he that will save his life, shall lose it: and he that shall lose his life for my sake, shall find it. For what doth it profit a man, if he gain the whole world and suffer the loss of his own soul? Or what exchange shall a man give for his soul? For the Son of man shall come in the glory of his Father with his angels: and then will he render to every man according to his works.
ARCHIVES: On the Lord's Second Coming Pope Benedict XVI
CATHOLIC BLOG: HOMILY FOR 32ND SUNDAY OF ORDINARY TIME--11/7/10--THE LAST THINGS
I. To Not Talk About Something Doesn’t Mean It Goes Away
A. Have you noticed how in the past thirty years or so you hardly ever hear anything from the pulpit about heaven, hell, or purgatory? They just seem to have vanished as a topic for a Sunday homily. And yet, just because we don’t talk about something doesn’t mean the reality of it goes away. What happens is that when the truth about something isn’t told and that something is an important something, that thing gets distorted, twisted, out of all recognition–just like all talk about the last things–heaven, hell, and purgatory.
B. Because we priests mostly, but parents and grandparents too, haven’t talked about heaven, hell or purgatory, there are an awful lot of distorted ideas around about those subjects. Why? Because whether we talk about those subjects or not, people have a need to know what’s going to happen to them after they die. And because we who know don’t speak, others who do not do. What do I mean? Well, just look at the crazy ideas that are out on TV and the movies now about the afterlife. Or what about this very common idea that when people die they become angels in heaven? All those very popular movies and shows twist and pervert what we really believe about the afterlife.
C. Now Jesus faced the same thing from his enemies, the Sadducees. They didn’t believe in the resurrection of the dead so they try to trick him into answering a question about marriage in heaven. Jesus just laughs at them and sets them straight. But Christ was pretty clear in his public ministry to let people know what they could expect from following him. And when we start getting confused over what the afterlife really is, we start questioning what Christ taught and even whether he was right to teach it.
II. The Last Things
A. In these days of autumn, as the earth prepares for winter and the readings talk about the end of the world and the coming of Christ, maybe it’s a good idea to remember what it is we believe.
B. There is an afterlife. Life for humans continues on after death.
C. Life after death is everlasting and it means resurrection of the body. That means once you get to everlasting life, you’ve made it and you will have your body–your very self–perfected. Unlike Hinduism or Buddhism which teaches that you have to come back again and again with different personalities and individualities, we believe that this life is the only chance you get; we don’t come back. Each individual is unique. We are created in God’s image and each of us is special, unique, and important–and our body is a part of that. We don’t get absorbed into the cosmic all, or cease being ourselves, or come back as somebody different. We are who we are, always and forever.
D. Salvation is an invitation by God. All creation was made by God; salvation comes from Christ and is offered to everyone. But it is our yes to God that determines whether we are saved or damned. We must say yes to salvation if we are to be saved. No one goes to heaven or hell against their will.
E. Eternal life is heaven for those who are united with God through Christ. Heaven is absolute unity with God, perfect contentment, eternal joy. I always like to suggest that people think of the best place they’ve ever been, the best day they’ve ever had and think of heaven as a zillion times better.
F. Eternal life is hell for those who reject God directly or indirectly by their selfishness and abuse of other human beings. Hell is separation from God. If you reject God and his commands on earth, you go to hell. It exists, it’s real, Jesus talks about it as something we must avoid.
G. The purification of the person after death is called Purgatory. Everybody sins and goes through life at some time needing purification. People often die without having been purged of all selfishness and imperfection. Until that happens, they cannot see God face to face. Purgatory is not hell. Instead it proclaims God’s mercy toward us by allowing those who are basically good to become perfected after death before seeing the face of God. All who are in purgatory are saved.
H. It is a good and worthy thing to pray for the dead. We do not spring souls from purgatory by our prayers. We do not buy God off by offering prayers. Instead, through the love we express in our prayers, we join them in their suffering. Through our prayers, we support them and give them strength and courage. As the saints pray for us and give us strength, so we pray for the poor souls in purgatory. All the faithful are united as One Body in Christ. We can and must help each other.
III. Conclusion
A. What we have basically talked about today is what we believe about life after death. Instead of remembering just a one sentence main point, I’d like to ask the parents and family members to talk with one another about the basic things our faith believes about life after death. That will help take away the power of some of the silly stuff you see on TV, stuff that is just wrong about the afterlife. In the first reading we heard today, seven sons gave up their lives for their faith. What kept them strong was the sure and certain hope that they would live on in glory after death. To me, life after death is one of the strongest incentives to be good here on earth. Jesus was so up-front about this. Believe in me, he says, and you live forever. Don’t you want to live forever, don’t you want to live in glory, don’t you want to go to heaven?
38. As a ray of sun, passing through a crack, lights everything in the house and shows up even the finest dust, so the fear of the Lord, entering a man's heart, reveals to him all his sins.
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This month's archive can be found at: http://www.catholicprophecy.info/news2.html.
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