November 10, 2019
Post date: Nov 12, 2019 5:3:7 PM
November 10, 2019 Homily by Fr. Karl Schray
What do we celebrate two Sundays from today (Nov. 24th)?
The Feast of Christ the King—the climax of the Church Year.
So now, the Church draws our attention to who and what awaits us
after this earthly life.
An ambitious ruler of Syria & Palestine comes to power in 175 BC.
He decided to stop all minority religions, so he makes it a crime
for the Jews to practice their faith.
Some of the Jews gave in to the Greek gods and culture,
while others like the Jewish mother and her seven sons refused to break faith and were martyred for it.
They draw their strength from faith in the resurrection of the just.
One brother prayed- “it is my choice to die at the hands of men with the
hope God gives of being raised up by him.” This example of
courageous faith prepares us for the Gospel where the Sadducees
challenge Jesus about the resurrection, which is something,
they did not believe in. They say it would be preposterous for a woman to
have 8 husbands in any so-called next life.
Even if there were, it would be like this life.
Jesus tells them that is where they went wrong in their thinking.
Jesus said, the next life would be entirely different. We will be like angels;
we will be children of God and we will rise. Jesus used another argument
to support belief in the resurrection of the dead. He said,
“God is the God of the living- the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob.” In the
Transfiguration the Apostles saw Jesus talking with Moses and Elijah.
This means these patriarchs must be still living.
This gives us a lot to speculate about, especially being like angels.
Remember St. Paul’s statement— ‘Eye has not seen, nor ear heard,
nor has it entered into our hearts what things God has prepared
for those who love him.’
I find it interesting to read about people who have had near death experiences.There’s an inspiring book and movie: HEAVEN IS FOR REAL.
Sometimes today’s Gospel causes people distress because they think that
once they pass into the next life, they lose touch with those they have loved
in this life. I think we will still be in touch with them.
Why should we be separated from those who have supported us and helped us to attain eternal life. One of the common experiences those who
have been clinically dead and who have returned to this life report is
that most often the first persons they meet are parents, grandparents, relatives and friends.
Perhaps the most important message the Gospel gives us today is to
assure us that God has created us for eternal life—a life much more wonderful than anything we can imagine.
As we go on in life, we become more aware of how precarious our hold on it is.
We are forced to think about death, but this should not be a morbid thing. St. Paul says: “May our Lord Jesus Christ himself and God our Father, who has loved us and given us…good hope…, encourage our hearts in every good deed.”
What food does for the body, hope does for the spirit. The conviction that we are doing the right thing gives us great strength. Without faith, life would be a journey to nowhere, With it,
life becomes a journey to eternal life with our God and our loved ones.
Soon, we will pray the Nicene Creed ending with these words: “We look
forward to the resurrection of the dead and the life of the world to come.”