The Sunday Sermon Archive

Dear Friends in Christ,

In the world the word "sleep" is often used as a euphemism for death, but to Jesus, Who is God, death is nothing more than a temporary state just like sleeping. In a world that does not know God, death is the end and is something to be avoided at all costs. We fear death and desire to continue in our current state forever. Change is hard and uncomfortable.

Physical death, or the death of our bodies, is more of a reprieve than it is a punishment. It is evident that the longer we live in this world, the greater our pains and sufferings become. The wearing down of our bodies with their subsequent inconveniences is the consequence of sin. The death of our bodies is the freedom from the bodily life of suffering, a comforting thought that should bring peace to our hearts.

The woman in today's Gospel reading (Saint Matthew 9:18-26) suffered a troubling ailment for twelve years. She would likely have continued in this state until she died if Jesus had not intervened. It seems evident that the human means at her disposal were incapable of giving her any relief.

The young maiden who had passed away may have been incredibly blessed to have completed her life with minimal time or suffering, yet Jesus restored her to physical life to return her to her parents.

We cannot help but reflect that our physical lives are not our own. Yes, we belong to God. We are His creatures, and we have been created for Him. However, we have also been created as social beings, and we are commanded to love one another as we love ourselves. In the social realm, we belong to each other. Our lives are intertwined with each other. The young maiden's life was not her own but was entrusted to her parents.

In this life, we do not create ourselves; we do not choose to be created, to be born; we do not choose which family we will be born into. We do not decide when or where we will be born. We do not determine what our native language will be, nor do we choose which talents or abilities we will have. In short, we are who and what we are primarily because of God, and secondarily because of the choices of others around us. Our lives are not our own; therefore, we have responsibilities and obligations to each other.

All of this appears obvious, logical, and factual simply in the material or physical realm. It is even more true when we consider the supernatural or spiritual realm of our existence.

One of our greatest crosses in this life is being ostracized from our families and neighbors. The woman with her ailment was forced away from family, friends, and neighbors. Her isolation was probably a heavier cross to bear than her physical ailment. With her cure at the hands of Jesus, many burdens of this life were lifted from her shoulders, and she was readmitted into the social realm of this world.

In a similar vein, the parents of the maiden suffered the loss of their daughter's company. Her illness was tolerable because she was still with them. The burden became heaviest with her physical death. Jesus had compassion for the parents and for the woman because they were suffering terribly.

However, this is not just a story of Jesus' compassion and mercy for us. These events have been recorded and passed on to us for our instruction. Jesus is God. He has the power of life and death over us. At His word, the dead rise just as if they had been sleeping. If we truly believe Him and follow Him by living a good and virtuous life in this world, we can look forward to one day rising from the grave and being forever united with Him in Heaven. While we naturally find physical death to be unwelcome, like children find bedtime and sleep to be unwelcome, these are both necessary for us. They are both good, and when appreciated in their true light, they become even desirable.

In closing our eyes to sleep, we open them in the morning with greater life, energy, and vitality. In closing our eyes in material or physical death, we open them up with greater spiritual life, energy, and vitality. After our bodies' time of resting in the grave, Jesus will raise us from the dead — uniting our living souls with all of its increased energy and life to our risen bodies. The new or resurrected life will be greater than anything we can imagine.

If we are resurrected to eternal life, suffering and sorrow will never affect us again. Our lives will be eternal, endless joy in the presence of God — a hope that should fill our hearts with anticipation. However, if we have chosen to be eternally separated from Jesus, our bodies will be reunited with our souls to endlessly suffer both physically and spiritually in Hell.

May the Immaculate Heart of Mary inspire, guide, and protect us!

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