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Persevere to the End: Reflections on the 32nd Sunday in Ordinary Time
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Dearly beloved,
One of the core tenets of the Christian faith is belief in the resurrection from the dead. We believe that death is not the end, but that life continues even after bodily death. This faith is anchored in the belief that Christ both died and rose from the dead. He is the first fruit from the dead, and by his rising has won victory over death for those who believe in him. We believe that when our own earthly sojourn concludes in death, we too will rise with Christ again. Our earthly bodies, though tired and worn from age and disease, would take on an incorruptible nature when we are raised from our slumber. It is this faith that is at the heart of the Church’s teaching on the Communion of Saints. In the month of November, the emphasis is on praying for the faithful departed. We believe that those who died in friendship with God would be raised into eternal life. However, those, who due to human frailty are not able to attain that perfect friendship with God before they died, but who strove to live according to God’s laws, are still saved by the merits of the prayers and suffrages of those of us who are alive. These are the souls in Purgatory. We can aid them by the Masses we assist at, the Communions we receive, and the prayers and acts of charity we perform.
We began the month with the celebration of the Solemnity of All Saints. These holy men and women are our brothers and sisters who have gone through the great persecution, and have washed their robes clean in the blood of the Lamb. They are examples of faith and perseverance; they did not capitulate in the face of pressure, whether from family, friends or society. They knew that though earthly governments might be powerful enough to kill their bodies, they cannot kill their souls. They could care less about their comfort and longevity if preserving these meant that they denied Christ. These brothers and sisters of ours were prepared to endure the pain of being ostracized, if only they remained faithful to Christ who had bought them with his costly and precious blood. These heroes of our faith continue to call us to persevere as we go through life, especially when we are confronted with situations that challenge our faith and threaten our bodily safety. We are fortunate as a parish to have our beloved St. Thérèse as our patroness. Let us ask her today to intercede for us that we might persevere in faith until the end. Amen.
May Jesus bless you, and may Our Lady protect you!
