Thirty-second Sunday in Ordinary Time
One of the topics we study in our moral theology course in the seminary is titled, “Death and Dying.” As an aside, the professor who taught us this course, died of pancreatic cancer last year. He taught us something which remains fresh in my mind even to this day. He said, for a Christian, ‘death is an act’. What he meant was that, we are all moving toward our death. We should make that movement an intentional movement, an intentional act. In other words, that death should not be something that happens to us, but rather, that we make death a free and intentional event.
Today’s scripture readings are about death and dying, resurrection and life. The first reading from Maccabees is a classic example of the meaning of making death a human act. It is also the only passage in the Old Testament where “resurrection to life” is explicitly mentioned. Belief in the resurrection was not an article of faith in the earlier years of Judaism. It is a latter development. In fact, as we heard in the gospel reading, there were groups like the Sadducees in Jesus’ time who still had not embraced this belief. Today, I would like to reflect on death and dying, resurrection and life. I would like to reflect on them as intentional human acts. Here are my three points for today:
1. Let us begin with the first reading. As I said earlier, it is a great example of intentionality. In 198 BC, the Seleucid Empire took over all of Judea. They began to enforce Greek culture on the Jewish people. This paved for what we know as the Maccabean revolt. Today’s first reading narrates the gruesome end of a mother and seven brothers who are towering examples of faith and fidelity. They freely and intentionally embraced death. However, their intentionality is seen not merely in their heroic death. It is seen in the way they lived their life before they faced death. Their life reveals their faith, their convictions, their fidelity to each other, their integrity, and their undaunted devotion to God. In their life and their death, they were intentional. How are we living our life today? How intentionally are we living our Christian calling? If we live our life intentionally, then our death will be intentional. If we let life simply happen to us, then death too will simply happen to us.
2. Let us continue our reflection on “intentional living.” The best way I can explain this is through the life, illness and death of Fr. Dave. After Fr. Dave retired, he wanted to rest, travel, and be engaged in ministry in Dayton and Trinidad. He was passionate about the Gospel, his calling, his priesthood, and his ministry. And then he was struck with pancreatic cancer. He fought hard, but he fought with faith. He made the community part of this part of his last years, last months, and last days. He spoke about the possibility of recovery, but he also spoke freely, openly, and fearlessly about his death. He met with various people, including me, and planned every aspect of his funeral and the funeral liturgy. He made notes for everything. He never seemed afraid or in doubt. However, it was not merely about his last days. It was his life that prepared him to face his last days the way he did. It was his attitude, his faith, his absolute trust in his God during his life, through his illness and till the very last moment that was special. It was about his intentionality. His made is life and death an intentional act. Whether we like it or not, whether we are terminally ill or not, we are all moving toward our final moment in this world. Making our death a free and intentional human act is not as much about preparing for our funeral, as it is about intentionally living our Christian calling.
3. Perhaps, the real motivation for living intentionally lives comes at the very end of today’s gospel reading. Jesus says, “God is not a God of the dead, but of the living, for to God all are alive” (Lk 20:38). Let us reflect on that last phrase, “for to God all are alive” a little deeply. I often think of my life as two distinct lives – our life here on earth, then we die, and then we begin a new life. I am not sure if you are tempted to think this way as well. However, if we reflect on Jesus’ words, we realize that for God death is non-existent. As far as God is concerned, our life is one seamless existence from our conception to eternity. This has deep implications for us. If we are indeed all alive to God, then we are not awaiting eternity; we are already there! Eternity began at our conception. The life we are living now is not merely a preparation for eternity. The life we are living now IS eternal life. For to God, all are alive, forever.
May this Eucharist be a celebration of our eternity. He who is on this altar is eternal. To Him we owe our eternal life. Amen.
- Fr. Satish Joseph