Death is such a downer for us. It’s hard to lose someone we love. Without faith, without hope, I believe this despair would kill us all, not pun intended. But through God, through Faith, we do have hope. Our readings for today are a reminder of what that hope is, what that promise is, what our future is.
I would guess if you’ve ever been to a funeral Mass in your life, you’ve heard the promise of the first reading from Wisdom…
The souls of the just are in the hand of God,
and no torment shall touch them.
They seemed, in the view of the foolish, to be dead;
and their passing away was thought an affliction
and their going forth from us, utter destruction.
But they are in peace.
But the souls of the just are in PEACE because they are in the HANDS of God. We need not fear death if we live of life justly and obediently for we will always be in the hands of God and in the hands of God we will find rest.
R. Though I walk in the valley of darkness, I fear no evil, for you are with me.
The LORD is my shepherd; I shall not want.
In verdant pastures he gives me repose;
beside restful waters he leads me;
he refreshes my soul.
I fear NO evil, for God is with me. I do not fear death, for God is with me. These are some powerful words and thoughts to contemplate this morning. Don’t get me wrong, I’m not ready for death yet because I absolutely love what God has given me here in my life. My beautiful wife, my beautiful children and grand-children, my brothers and sisters, my in-laws, my close friends, my job, my love of music and my love of the Faith. I have so much to be thankful for and I am in no way ready to leave this. But, as I say every morning, God’s will – NOT mine – be done. When the time comes for me to go, I am ready. I do not fear Death because Jesus conquered it for me.
Brothers and sisters:
Are you unaware that we who were baptized into Christ Jesus
were baptized into his death?
We were indeed buried with him through baptism into death,
so that, just as Christ was raised from the dead
by the glory of the Father,
we too might live in newness of life.
Jesus said to the crowds:
“Everything that the Father gives me will come to me,
and I will not reject anyone who comes to me,
because I came down from heaven not to do my own will
but the will of the one who sent me.
And this is the will of the one who sent me,
that I should not lose anything of what he gave me,
but that I should raise it on the last day.
For this is the will of my Father,
that everyone who sees the Son and believes in him
may have eternal life,
and I shall raise him on the last day.”
For this is the will of my Father,
that everyone who sees the Son and believes in him
may have eternal life,
and I shall raise him on the last day.
What a great way to start the day; what a great way to live the rest of my life here on earth. I believe in you Jesus; I will live my life in praise of your name, my King and my God.
Do something great for our Lord today – find Jesus and believe in Him so that you too may have eternal life.
God’s will, not mine, be done.
Be not afraid; just have faith.
Jesus, I trust in You.
He must increase; I must decrease.
But you, man of God, pursue righteousness,
devotion, faith, love, patience, and gentleness.
Compete well for the faith.
St. Mary Magdalen Men of God 