Saturday, June 18, 2005
JOHN 11:17-27
When Jesus arrived in Bethany, he found that Lazarus had already been in the tomb for four days. Now Bethany was near Jerusalem, only about two miles away. And many of the Jews had come to Martha and Mary to comfort them about their brother. When Martha heard that Jesus was coming, she went to meet him; but Mary sat at home. Martha said to Jesus, "Lord, if you had been here, my brother would not have died. But even now I know that whatever you ask of God, God will give you." Jesus said to her, "Your brother will rise." Martha said to him, "I know he will rise, in the resurrection on the last day." Jesus told her, "I am the resurrection and the life; he who believes in me, even if he dies, will live, and everyone who lives and believes in me will never die. Do you believe this?" She said to him, "Yes, Lord. I have come to believe that you are the Christ, the Son of God, the one who is coming into the world."
HOMILY
An American Jesuit priest, Walter Ciscek was imprisoned in Russia for more than twenty years. When he was finally freed and returned to the United States he wrote a book, He Leadeth Me. In it he tells many extraordinary stories about life in Russia under the Communists. When he speaks of how Russian peasants remember their dead each year, you'd think he was describing customs celebrated by Filipinos on All Saints and All Souls Days.
Russian peasant families flock to the cemeteries as for a joyous picnic in the park. The graves are cleaned and decorated, and the family sits down to a meal at the graveside. Passersby are invited to join the meal or to drink a toast.
Like the Russian peasants, Filipinos believe that for the dead, life has changed, it has not ended.
The day a loved one dies is among the most difficult and painful days we will ever experience. It's as though a hole were carved in our person, which will never again be filled. On that day, however, the loved one awakens on the other side of death. He awakens to a day of exultant joy. The loved one celebrates the joy of which Isaiah sings in the first reading: God has lifted all mourning veils from all peoples; he has destroyed death and wiped away all tears. He is the God whose love seeks to save us.
Life has not ended for those whom we have loved and have lost to death; their lives have changed. Notice, however: we have not really lost these people we love, to death. We have placed them in the loving, merciful hands of God where they will rest in joy until we too die to death in this world only to awaken to the same joy that sustains them. For us too, life will not end, it will be changed.
After reflecting on today's Gospel, let us ask ourselves: have we ever lost a loved one that made us feel depressed, sad and lonely, but found comfort in today's Gospel? Did the Gospel help us love and trust Jesus' more?
PRAYER
"Lord Jesus Christ, your death brought life and hope where there was once only despair and defeat. Give me the unshakeable hope of everlasting life, the inexpressible joy of knowing your unfailing love, and the unquestioning faith and zeal in doing the will of the Father in heaven."
HOMILY
An American Jesuit priest, Walter Ciscek was imprisoned in Russia for more than twenty years. When he was finally freed and returned to the United States he wrote a book, He Leadeth Me. In it he tells many extraordinary stories about life in Russia under the Communists. When he speaks of how Russian peasants remember their dead each year, you'd think he was describing customs celebrated by Filipinos on All Saints and All Souls Days.
Russian peasant families flock to the cemeteries as for a joyous picnic in the park. The graves are cleaned and decorated, and the family sits down to a meal at the graveside. Passersby are invited to join the meal or to drink a toast.
Like the Russian peasants, Filipinos believe that for the dead, life has changed, it has not ended.
The day a loved one dies is among the most difficult and painful days we will ever experience. It's as though a hole were carved in our person, which will never again be filled. On that day, however, the loved one awakens on the other side of death. He awakens to a day of exultant joy. The loved one celebrates the joy of which Isaiah sings in the first reading: God has lifted all mourning veils from all peoples; he has destroyed death and wiped away all tears. He is the God whose love seeks to save us.
Life has not ended for those whom we have loved and have lost to death; their lives have changed. Notice, however: we have not really lost these people we love, to death. We have placed them in the loving, merciful hands of God where they will rest in joy until we too die to death in this world only to awaken to the same joy that sustains them. For us too, life will not end, it will be changed.
After reflecting on today's Gospel, let us ask ourselves: have we ever lost a loved one that made us feel depressed, sad and lonely, but found comfort in today's Gospel? Did the Gospel help us love and trust Jesus' more?
PRAYER
"Lord Jesus Christ, your death brought life and hope where there was once only despair and defeat. Give me the unshakeable hope of everlasting life, the inexpressible joy of knowing your unfailing love, and the unquestioning faith and zeal in doing the will of the Father in heaven."
# posted by F O O D F O R T H O U G H T @ 4:21 PM 
