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There is one thing in our human experience that we all share simply because we are human beings.<\/p>\n
Regardless of where we are born and the color of our skin, regardless of the language we speak and the amount of money we have, regardless of our religious beliefs, intelligence, virtues, overall health, etc. there is one great equalizer in our human experience.<\/p>\n
This great equalizer common to us all is death.<\/p>\n
As priests we come into contact with death frequently: just this week I was involved in five deaths; ages ranging from 14 to 81.<\/p>\n
Death is the great equalizer and it does not discriminate.<\/p>\n
In the first reading we heard of the execution of four brothers who refused to renounce their faith in God. \u00a0This happened when the Greek emperor Antiochus IV desecrated the Temple of Jerusalem and forced Jews to abandon their faith about 150 years before Christ. \u00a0These four brothers, along with their three youngest brothers, were executed in front of their mother. \u00a0They were faithful and unafraid. \u00a0Their belief that God would reward them in the afterlife allowed them to endure horrible deaths, facing the great equalizer peacefully.<\/p>\n
Some years ago when I was newly ordained, I entered the hospital room of a woman who had been registered as Catholic when she was admitted into the hospital. \u00a0To my surprise, after greeting this lady who was close to 100 years old, she told me she was not longer a Catholic, as a matter a fact, she was a professed atheist. \u00a0She had stopped believing decades ago.<\/p>\n
I spoke to her about Jesus\u2019 promise of eternal life, how he promised to take us to a place where there would be no more pain and suffering. \u00a0She looked at me dazed and said, \u201cFather, I really hope what you say is true. \u00a0It sounds so nice! \u00a0If it\u2019s as good as what you say it is, I hope it\u2019s true.\u201d<\/p>\n
Jesus has promised us that though we die, we will live forever; that we will rise from our graves, body and soul, and live for eternity. \u00a0This is why God is not a God of the dead, but of the living, because in Him, we all continue to live. \u00a0If we live for Christ and are faithful to him, we will receive the greatest promise of the Gospel: eternal life.<\/p>\n
Many early Christians were also executed for their faith, being accused of cannibalism, disorderly conduct and disobedience to the emperor. \u00a0The Christians however went joyfully to their deaths.<\/p>\n
Christ has turned upside down the experience and understanding of death. \u00a0For us Christians, death has lost its power and we should not be afraid.<\/p>\n
In the year 165 in Rome, Justin was taken to the prefect Rusticus. \u00a0The prefect asked, \u201cIf you are scourged and beheaded, do you believe that you will ascend to heaven?\u201d \u00a0Justin answered, \u201cI have confidence. \u00a0I know that for those who lead a just life, there awaits the divine gift.\u201d \u00a0Rusticus said, \u201cYou think, then, that you will ascend?\u201d \u00a0Justin replied, \u201cI do not think, but I am fully convinced of it. \u00a0We are confident that if we suffer the penalty for the sake of our Lord Jesus Christ we shall be saved.\u201d<\/p>\n
In the year 203, Felicity and Perpetua were led to their deaths in northern Africa. \u00a0The ancient account of the martyrdom states that Perpetua was \u201cabashing the gaze of all with high spirit in her eyes. \u00a0She was singing. \u00a0Since a wild beat did not kill them, after giving each other the kiss of peace, they were killed by gladiators.<\/p>\n
In 304, Julius the Veteran was told by a prefect, \u201cIf you do not offer sacrifice, I am going to cut your head off.\u201d \u00a0\u201cThat is a good plan!\u201d answered Julius. \u00a0\u201cOnly I beg you, good prefect, that you execute your plan and pass sentence on me. \u00a0If I should deserve to suffer like this, I shall have eternal praise.\u201d<\/p>\n
Before being executed in 1996, one of the monks of Tibhirine in Algeria said he was not afraid of anything because he had already lost the fear of death. \u00a0He knew like these early Christians, that death does not have the last word, but eternal life in Christ does.<\/p>\n
May Christ fill us the peace that comes from the sure and certain hope that we will live forever if we persevere in our discipleship of Jesus Christ. \u00a0We gather to eat the food of heaven, food Christ has instructed us to eat so we can have eternal life.<\/p>\n
In death, life changes and does not end. \u00a0Like the seven brothers, like the early Church martyrs, like the many faithful departed before us, we trust in God\u2019s promise of eternal life.<\/p>\n
Pictures are mine, all rights reserved<\/p>\n<\/body><\/html>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
[Homily for the 32nd Sunday of Ordinary Time] There is one thing in our human experience that we all share simply because we are human beings. Regardless of where we are born and the color of our skin, regardless of the language we speak and the amount of money we have, regardless of our religious […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2533,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-200","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-uncategorized"],"yoast_head":"\n
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