How blessed we are as Catholics not only to believe, but to know of the reality of eternal life. We know this both from Jesus’ own resurrection from the dead and from his teachings in the New Testament.
One such teaching comes from Luke 20:27-38, where we find Jesus discussing the reality of the resurrection of the dead with the Sadducees, who rejected any such reality. The Sadducees began to question Jesus, specifically asking about marriage in this life compared to the next. Jesus replied, “The children of this age marry and are given in marriage; but those who are deemed worthy to attain to the coming age and to the resurrection of the dead neither marry nor are given in marriage. They can no longer die, for they are like angels; and they are the children of God because they are the ones who will rise.”
This requires us to be open to receive the Word of God, the truth that God reveals in both Scripture and Tradition. And it’s in this openness and belief that we receive the gift to be with God in heaven.
I’m so grateful that in my own family, strong faith and spiritual and moral values were passed down through the generations. There was no question about whether or not there was a resurrection; it was such a core part of how my parents raised me and how our extended family believed. The wonderful gift of the resurrection was central to our life of faith because God has revealed truth to us and all we need to do is follow his revealed truths.
Believing in the resurrection allows us to keep our eyes on the end goal of heaven and to face the reality and hardship of death with faith. We ought not think of death in a morbid or despairing way, but in a way that strengthens our faith, so that we can persevere through the tests and challenges this life puts before us. We know that in death, God is our savior.
St. Paul illustrated this call to perseverance well when he wrote to the Thessalonians. In 2 Thessalonians 2:16–3:5, he speaks about how we will face challenges from the Devil and from wicked people in this life. He ends with encouragement, “But the Lord is faithful; he will strengthen you and guard you from the evil one.”
Clinging to St. Paul’s words, the saints throughout history were faithful to the end, sometimes enduring unspeakable hardships and trials. They are examples of courage and faith to us today. That’s why we honor them each November and why they can be found as images and statues in churches throughout our diocese. We also remember and pray for those who are in purgatory who are being purified but are blessed with the gift of hope, knowing one day they, too, will get to be in heaven.
The good news is we are never alone. Whatever trial comes our way, whatever trials we have experienced, all we need to do is draw closer to the Lord, encouraged by the faithful saints who went before us. The Lord is faithful. Do not be tempted or discouraged by the things of this world, including our own weaknesses and sins, but rather, live in the fullness of God’s life and love today and each day, and persevere to the end, knowing he will be with us always.
