Our belief in the Resurrection does not paint a picture of what heaven is like, but it does provide us with some pretty clear truths. Faith in the Resurrection is not just looking forward to the conclusion of a story that we haven’t gotten to the end of yet. Christ reveals the Resurrection to us so that our way of living in this world might be transformed. When we meditate on the Resurrection, we ought to ask ourselves, “if life will be changed at the resurrection, what is the eternal value of my current way of life?” There will be no more marriage, because there will be no more death. There will be no more computers or screens. There will be no toil or necessity in work. There will be no more education, schools, policies, diplomacy or politics. There will no longer be night-time or sleep. There will no longer be a need to explain, or prove, or convince anyone of anything. We will no longer be Americans. We will no longer be homosexual or heterosexual. If we can understand the current conditions of human life as factors that limit human life rather than as what defines it and gives it meaning, we can already begin to enjoy – through hope – the resurrection.
Tuesday of the Thirty-Third Week in Ordinary Time
JEROME:
There certainly is much truth in a certain saying of a philosopher, “Every rich man is either wicked or the heir of wickedness.” That is why the Lord and Savior says that it is difficult for the rich to enter the kingdom of heaven. Someone may raise the objection, “How did wealthy Zacchaeus enter the kingdom of heaven?” He gave away his wealth and immediately replaced it with the riches of the heavenly kingdom. The Lord and Savior did not say that the rich would not enter the kingdom of heaven but that they will enter with difficulty.
Thirty-Third Sunday in Ordinary Time
“The end of all things,” is not something we need to fear. In the vision of God, the end is also always the beginning. By His Words, Jesus is able to destroy what is earthly and lay bare the bases of our heart. How have we built our lives? What criteria has been the ultimate deciding factor in our decisions? When we are tested, how do we respond? The Lord has not created us to crumple in fear, He has not created us so that our weakness might be our downfall. The Lord’s Words to us are sometimes a clear summons to stand firm in the face of evil, of sin, of temptation, and of confusion. We may be afraid that we will not have what it takes to come out victorious. We have seen great men fall: they have been beaten in battle, they have succumbed to the pressures of temptation and brought shame upon themselves and upon us all. Great warriors and heroes of goodness have become slaves to their own passion and lust.