St James Catholic Church

During the month of November, we call to mind and pray for those who have died: friends, family, and members of our faith community of St. James.  November also brings the end of the church liturgical year.  For this reason, our readings focus on the subject of death.  But more importantly, they also affirm the resurrection.  We are a people filled with hope, because we believe that death is not the end. 

In our first reading 2 Maccabees 7:1-2,9-14, seven brothers are confident in their beliefs, both in following religious practices and in the reward of the resurrection, that they are willing to die for their faith.

Jesus’ answer to those who deny the resurrection is perfectly logical (without falling into the trap of trying to explain the afterlife on the Sadducees terms.)  To the Sadducees, there could be no afterlife because there was no satisfactory answer to this tricky question.  If a person is married more than once and even seven times who would be their spouse in heaven if there is an afterlife?  Jesus explains that marriage is not an issue after death.  Moreover the afterlife could be inferred long before Moses because if God is God of the living and God was the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, then even they are still alive.  The afterlife is a life that is completely new, not possible to think of in terms of this world.  It exceeds our ability to imagine or understand.  As the scriptures tell us; eye has not seen, ear has not heard what God has in store for those who love him.  How does the assurance of an afterlife change the way I live my life today?

Love, Peace, Joy

Fr. Bob