Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ Jesus,
First, please join me in welcoming Fr. David Gunter, MIC, to our parishes! He will offer our Bi-Parish Mission beginning with sermons this weekend, and continuing each evening, Monday – Thursday at the Church of St. Paul in Zumbrota. I encourage all our parishioners to attend this Mission as much as you are able. We are blessed to have Fr. Gunter with us once again!
During these last few weeks of our liturgical year, which ends with the Solemnity of Christ, the King, on November 24, our Church looks to the end of all things - the end of time on earth. This is traditionally a good time to reflect on the four last things we all must deal with: death, judgment, Heaven, and Hell. The following is a brief presentation on the first two of these topics. I encourage you to take some time for personal meditation.
Death: it is certain that each of us will experience physical death. At the time of death the soul, or the basic source of life that animates each human person, separates from the body. This separation was not intended by our Creator when He made our first parents. Rather, death is the consequence of Original Sin. The Catechism of the Cath-olic Church teaches us:
“‘It is in regard to death that man's condition is most shrouded in doubt (Gaudium et Spes 18).’ In a sense bodily death is natural, but for Faith it is in fact ‘the wages of sin’ (Rom 6:23; Gen 2:17). For those who die in Christ's grace it is a participation in the death of the Lord, so that they can also share his Resurrection (Rom 6:3-9; Phil 3:10-11).
Death is the end of earthly life. Our lives are measured by time, in the course of which we change, grow old and, as with all living beings on earth, death seems like the normal end of life. That aspect of death lends urgency to our lives: remembering our mortality helps us realize that we have only a limited time in which to bring our lives to fulfillment:
Remember also your Creator in the days of your youth, . . . before the dust returns to the earth as it was, and the spirit returns to God who gave it. (Eccl 12:1, 7)
Death is a consequence of sin. The Church's Magisterium, as authentic interpreter of the affirmations of Scripture and Tradition, teaches that death entered the world on account of man's sin. (Gen 2:17; 3:3; 3:19; Wis 1:13; Rom 5:12; 6:23;) Even though man's nature is mortal God had destined him not to die. Death was therefore contrary to the plans of God the Creator and entered the world as a consequence of sin. (Wis 2:23-24) ‘Bodily death, from which man would have been immune had he not sinned’ is thus ‘the last enemy’ of man left to be conquered. (Gaudium et Spes 18; 1 Cor 15:26)
Death is transformed by Christ. Jesus, the Son of God, also himself suffered the death that is part of the human condition. Yet, despite his anguish as he faced death, he accepted it in an act of complete and free submission to his Father's will. (Mk 14:33-34; Heb 5:7-8) The obedience of Jesus has transformed the curse of death into a blessing. (Rom 5:19-1)
Because of Christ, Christian death has a positive meaning: ‘For to me to live is Christ, and to die is gain.’ (Phil 1:21) ‘The saying is sure: if we have died with Him, we will also live with Him.’ (2 Tim 2:11)What is essentially new about Christian death is this: through Baptism, the Christian has already ‘died with Christ’ sacramentally, in order to live a new life; and if we die in Christ's Grace, physical death completes this ‘dying with Christ’ and so completes our incorporation into Him in His redeeming act:
It is better for me to die in Christ Jesus than to reign over the ends of the earth. Him it is I seek - Who died for us. Him it is I desire - Who rose for us. I am on the point of giving birth ... Let me receive pure Light; when I shall have arrived there, then shall I be a man. (St. Ignatius of Antioch, Ad Rom., 6, 1-2)
In death, God calls man to Himself. Therefore the Christian can experience a desire for death like St. Paul's: ‘My desire is to depart and be with Christ.’ (Phil 1:23) He can transform his own death into an act of obedience and love towards
the Father, after the example of Christ… (Lk 23:46)” (CCC 1006-1011)
Judgment: after death each of us will undergo what is called the particular judgment. Our Catechism teaches us:
“‘Death puts an end to human life as the time open to either accepting or rejecting the Divine Grace manifested in Christ’ (2 Tim 1:9-10). The New Testament speaks of judgment primarily in its aspect of the final encounter with Christ in His second coming, but also repeatedly affirms that each will be rewarded immediately after death in accordance with his works and Faith. The parable of the poor man Lazarus and the words of Christ on the Cross to the good thief, as well as other New Testament texts speak of a final destiny of the soul - a destiny which can be different for some and for others (Lk 16:22; 23:43; Mt 16:26; 2 Cor 5:8; Phil 1:23; Heb 9:27; 12:23).
Each man receives his eternal retribution in his immortal soul at the very moment of his death, in a particular judgment that refers his life to Christ: either entrance into the blessedness of Heaven - through a purification (Council of Lyons II - 1274; Council of Florence - 1439; Council of Trent -1563) or immediately (Benedict XII, Benedictus Deus - 1336; John XXII, Ne super his – 1334) - or immediate and everlasting damnation (Benedict XII, Benedictus Deus – 1336).
‘At the evening of life, we shall be judged on our love’ (St. John of the Cross).” (CCC 1021-1022)
Let us take time to pray with our Lord Jesus on these realities and make every effort through the Sacraments to befriend Him, especially through Confession and the Holy Eucharist.
Through the intercession of the Mary, Queen of Heaven, St. Joseph, St. Paul, and St. Michael, may the Holy Spirit prepare us for Eternal Life!
In Christ through Mary,
Fr. Kasel
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