-Last Sunday's homily is available By email
-This Sunday's Scriptures can be found at Sunday readings
-Check out this weeks LinC letter at LinC Letter
-I will be celebrating mass this weekend at 8:00am, 12:30pm, and 6:00pm
It's not about believing in God!
What makes us Christian is not our belief in God - but our belief that God raised Jesus from the dead. If we don't believe in the resurrection, then our "faith" in God is "in vain".
All Souls Day is a poignant occasion for us to "check our faith". With Martha we really need to ask ourselves about the effect that the death of our loved ones has had upon our lives. Do we grieve like the pagans do (as St Paul warns us against)?
If we believe in resurrection our sadness is the invitation to believe. If we don't believe in the resurrection our sadness replaces our life.
So, what is it with you? Do you believe in the resurrection of Jesus from the dead, eternal life, reunion in heaven forever? Or are you disappointed with the ultimate loss of life?
3 comments:
yes yes yes.
Jesus died, for my sin,
Jesus was raised to promise me life eternal w Him
The Holy Spirit enables me to proclaim my faith in His death & Resurrection.
All souls unites us w all the saints who have preceded us. We find strength and inspiration from the lives of saints and ask for their prayers. It is the true unity of the body & bride of Christ on earth and in Heaven.
addition:
I can speak daily with those I love who have past who have walked this path of life. If we believe it do we actually practice it. That is the proof of our belief. Daily we need to proclaim that death is the gateway to everlasting life and all this is temporal. It is so difficult to remember this during life's pressures but we need to continual realize God's grace, promise, & gifts to us which starts w the death of our Lord Jesus Christ.
I like Tom Sawyer's comments. They are such good and true sentiments of our Catholic faith!
When I read the Matador's homily prep I thought back to the times I have asked myself this question. Do I believe this? I remember the time that I really internalized the witness of the apostles that we read about in the New Testament. I remember at the time thinking that they - having walked with Jesus on this earth, experienced his love, listened to his teaching, having been exposed to the faith he had in God the Father, and then being in his midst after he rose from the dead – they were ready to die for proclaiming their faith in him. After all they saw and heard, they couldn't possibly deny him. They knew that dying for his sake was the only way they could live with themselves.
And so through their testimony and through the tradition of our church my faith has been strengthened – and I realize that it's my turn/our turn to be those same witnesses. These feasts of All Saints and All Souls help us in proclaiming this faith. These feasts bring us consolation, encouragement, and support in our mission to share this Good News with other loved ones who might need our help in having their eyes and ears opened to this wondrous truth.
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