“And he is not God of the dead, but of the living, for to him all are alive.” (Luke 20:38)
The major theme for this 32nd Sunday in Ordinary Time focuses on the reality of our life after death, which implies the relationship between our present life in this world, and the possibility of a future life of glory in heaven or of punishment and suffering in hell. In other words, it is about the resurrection of the dead in which some people do not believe or some even reject.
However, the “resurrection” of the dead is the central tenet of our Christian faith, the indisputable dogma and essence of our faith, our trust in God and Lord and Savior Christ Jesus, without which we will not be authentic “Christians.”
Resurrection or anastasis is the concept of coming back to life after death, a standard eschatological belief in the Abrahamic religions. As a religious concept, it is used in two distinct respects: (1) of all souls together resurrected as explained in the Christian eschatology, or (2) of a singular individual resurrection of the dead at the end of the world.
Furthermore, the debate of the resurrection continues, whether it is (1) a spiritual resurrection with a spiritual body into Heaven, or (2) a material resurrection with a restored human body. While most Christians believe Jesus' resurrection from the dead and ascension to Heaven was in a material body, some believe it was spiritual.
St. Paul specifically writes about the “resurrection of the dead” in chapter 15 of his first letter to the Corinthians and explains that the denial of the resurrection involves logical inconsistencies, that if there is no resurrection, then it has not taken place even in Christ’s case. Therefore, the forgiveness of sins and our salvation would be an illusion.
God does not want us holding a relationship of Transaction but Transformation. Therefore, Dynamic Christian disciples are those who (1) BELIEVE, (2) GROW, (3) SERVE, (4) LOVE and (5) LEAD others to Jesus. Today’s topic invites us to believe in the resurrection of the dead, to repent our sins, to exercise our Christian stewardship, to use our time, treasure and talents to love God above all and to love our neighbors as ourselves, participating in the works of mercy, to accomplish God’s will in our lives to glorify God.
How can we help each other live as people of the resurrection?