The General Resurrection

 The General Resurrection

Christianity unlike other religions, believes in the Resurrection of the Body.

But why and what will happen at the General Resurrection?

1. Since the soul and the body were united from the moment of their existence, their perpetual separation at death would seem unnatural.
2. As the body is the partner of the soul’s crimes, and the companion of her virtues, the justice of God seems to demand that the body share in the soul’s punishment and its reward.

3. Characteristics of the Risen Body:

All the dead shall rise ENTIRELY in their OWN, IMMORTAL bodies;

The GOOD shall rise to the resurrection of life, while the WICKED to the Resurrection of Judgment. It would destroy the very idea of resurrection, if the dead were to rise in bodies that were not their own.

At the creation all things came to be from the hand of God,

so at the resurrection all things must be perfectly restored by the hand of God.

This restoration is the result of the glorious triumph of Christ over death through His Cross and Resurrection.

All of the Dead, the Just and the Unjust will experience Immortality and Incorruption.

Those destined for Heaven shall be distinguished by four qualities.

1. Impassibility : They will no longer experience pain and inconvenience. (I Cor., 15:42). While the Just will experience the quality of impassibility, the bodies of the Damned while they will be incorruptible will not be impassible. They shall be subject to heat and cold, and all manner of pain.
2. Glory : The bodies of the saints shall shine like the sun and rise in glory” (I Cor., xv, 43; cf. Matt., xiii, 43; xvii, 2; Phil., iii, 21). Each shall be endowed with different degrees of glory. According to St. Paul: “One is the glory of the sun, another the glory of the moon, another the glory of the stars. For stars differ from star in glory” (I Cor., xv, 41-42).
3. Agility : The body shall be freed from its slowness of motion, and endowed with the capability of moving with the utmost ease and quickness wherever the soul pleases. (I Cor., xv, 43).
4. Subtility : The body will become subject to the absolute dominion and direction of the soul.

Time line of the Resurrection

 Time line of the Resurrection :

(I) The holy women carrying the spices previously prepared start out for the sepulchre before dawn, and reach it after sunrise; they are anxious about the heavy stone, but know nothing of the official guard of the sepulchre (Mt. 28: 1-3; Mark, 16: 1-3; Luke, 24:1; John, 20: 1).

(2) The angel frightened the guards by his brightness put them to flight, rolled away the stone, and seated himself above the stone (Matt., 28: 2-4).

(3) Mary Magdalen, Mary the Mother of James, and Salome approach the sepulchre, and see the stone rolled back, whereupon Mary Magdalen immediately returns to inform the Apostles (Mark, 16: 4; Luke, 24: 2; John, 20:1-2).

(4) The other two holy women enter the sepulchre, find an angel seated in the vestibule, who shows them the empty sepulchre, announces the Resurrection, and commissions them to tell the disciples and Peter that they shall see Jesus in Galilee (Matt., 28:5-7; Mark, 16:5-7).

(5) A second group of holy women, consisting of Joanna and her companions, arrive at the sepulchre, where they have probably agreed to meet the first group, enter the empty interior, and are admonished by two angels that Jesus has risen according to His prediction (Luke, 24:10).

(6) Not long after, Peter and John, who were notified by Mary Magdalen, arrive at the sepulchre and find the linen cloth in such a position as to exclude the supposition that the body was stolen; for they lay simply flat on the ground, showing that the sacred body had vanished out of them without touching them. When John notices this he believes (John, 20: 3-10).

(7) Mary Magdalen returns to the sepulchre, sees first two angels within, and then Jesus Himself (John, 20:11-16; Mark, 16: 9).

(8) The two groups of pious women, who probably met on their return to the city, are favored with the sight of Christ arisen, who commissions them to tell His brethren that they will see Him in Galilee (Matt., 28:8-10; Mark, 16: 8).

(9) The holy women relate their experiences to the Apostles, but find no belief (Mark, 16:10-11; Luke, 24: 9-11). (

10) Jesus appears to the disciples at Emmaus, and they return to Jerusalem; the Apostles appear to waver between doubt and belief (Mark, 16:12-13; Luke, 24:13-35).

(11) Christ appears to Peter, and therefore Peter and John firmly believe in the Resurrection (Luke, 24:34; John, 20:8).

(12) After the return of the disciples from Emmaus, Jesus appears to all the Apostles excepting Thomas (Mark, 16:14; Luke 24: 36-43; John, 20:19-25).

The Paschal/Easter Candle

 

The Paschal/Easter Candle

At the beginning of Easter Vigil on Holy Saturday night, The Easter Fire is lit.

As the Paschal Candle which represents the Risen Christ is lit from the Easter Fire,

The priest prays’

“Christ yesterday and today;

the Beginning and the End

Alpha and Omega

His are the times and ages

To Him be glory and dominion

Through all ages of eternity. Amen.

By His Holy and glorious wounds

may he guard and preserve us Christ the Lord. Amen.”

The Paschal Candle is lit during the Easter Season and for Funerals as it represents the Light of the Risen Christ that scatters the darkness of sin and Death.

The Paschal Mystery

Throughout the Easter Season which lasts 8 weeks, we repeatedly hear at Mass the term, "Paschal mystery" or "Paschal Lamb." What does that mean?

According to the Catholic Catechism, "The Paschal Mystery comprises the passion, death, resurrection, and glorification of Jesus."

The word "Paschal" means to "Passover." It refers to the passing of God on the Passover night, when the Israelites left Egypt. God struck the houses of Egyptians and left the Israelites untouched, i.e. passed over, because the blood of the lamb that was sacrificed was put on the door posts of their homes as they celebrated the Passover supper setting them free from slavery in Egypt to journey to the Promised Land.

Jesus is the True Paschal Lamb, (Passover Lamb) Whose death and resurrection has saved us from the slavery of sin and death.

The Eucharist is the New Passover and Jesus is the Paschal Lamb, (Passover Lamb) Whose Body and Blood we eat and was shed to save us from slavery to sin and death so that we can be free as the People of God to journey to our Promised Land, the Kingdom of Heaven.

Every time we come to Mass, by eating the Body and Blood of the Lamb of God, Jesus Christ, we remember His Paschal mystery, namely how we were saved through the death and resurrection of Jesus and are now free from sin and death to enter the Kingdom of Heaven.

 

Easter Sunday

Do you have a favorite song that whenever you hear it you are taken to a different place and item?

Well Sacraments actually do take us there.

A Sacrament makes present to us here and now,

What took place historically 2,000 years ago.

So that we too can actually be present at and experience

The same Saving Acts of Jesus as did,

The disciples, Mary and Mary Magdalene.

What happened in the Upper room and Calvary and the Tomb happens here!

only made present to us in a different form.

Not historically but Sacramentally.

We do here Sacramentally what took place historically.

They are one and the same.

Through the Sacraments,

We are gathered around the table at the Last Supper

We are standing at the foot of the cross.

We are in the tomb.

That is why at the beginning of Mass and at the end

a priest reverences the altar with a kiss.

Because on Holy Thursday,

Jesus laid His Body and Blood on the Table;

And offered them to His disciples to eat and to drink.

The same Body that would hang on the cross the next day

And the same Blood that would flow from it.

Because on Good Friday,

Jesus was laid upon the cross when He Sacrificed His Body and Blood for us.

The Same Body that He gave His Disciples on the night he was betrayed

And poured our the same Blood that they drank on Thursday.

Because on Holy Saturday,

Jesus was laid on upon the stone in the tomb after He was taken down off the cross.

The altar is the Table of the Last Supper.

The altar the cross on which Christ is sacrificed.

And the altar is the tomb on which He is laid after He died.

This is not a piece of furniture in a church

This is the table on which the Lord had His Last Supper

And you are now His disciples who have come to be fed.

This is the cross on which the Body of the Lord is given up and his Blood is poured out

And you are Mary standing at the foot of it.

This is the tomb on which the Body of the Lord is laid

And you are are Mary Magdalene who has come in search of Him.

So when the priest reverences the altar with a kiss,

He is reverencing the table on which the Lord places His Body and Blood for us to eat.

He is reverencing the cross on which the Lord sacrificed Himself for us;

He is reverencing the tomb on which the Lord was laid.

And you are the disciples who have gathered around the table to be fed;

You are Mary and John standing beside the cross as Jesus is sacrificed;

And you are Mary Magdalene coming in search of the Risen Lord at the Tomb.

Good Friday

 

Good Friday is the greatest drama in the history of the world.

For it is the drama of suffering, death, forgiveness and redemption.

Played out on a small stage;

On A tiny hill with only three crosses as props.

Where one Man dies alone for the salvation of the world.

This drama that becomes Real at every Mass.

A drama that most have missed because they are too busy

Or they’d rather watch the game or do something else.

Or because it does not have enough special effects and CGI to interest them.

instead of applauding at the end,

The audience cries out Crucify Him, Crucify Him.

Judas, Peter, Pilate, Caiphas, Annas, Mary, John, Nicodemus, Joseph of Arimethea are a few of the characters.

One betrayed Jesus;

He saw all the miracles and heard all His teaching about Love of enemy and then he turns around betrays Him with a kiss.

Another was given the keys to the Kingdom of Heaven and saw Jesus Transfigured on Mount Tabor but he denied he ever knew Him.

Another was a government official who did not want to get involved in the affairs of religion.

Then there were the religious leaders who were supposed to have known better and who should have spotted the Messiah when He came but were blinded by their own self righteousness.

Then there was a mother;

She bore Him, nursed Him, held Him as a child.

And now has to bear Him once again but this time wipe His wounds and hold His dead body as He comes down from the cross.

And there was a rich man who offered Jesus,

Not a palace,

But a grave in which to rest.

And then there was another man, who came always in the night,

Because he did not want others to see that he believed in Jesus;

But who now has finally stepped out of the shadows to to anoint His dead body.

This drama is never ending;

It is played out everyday in the world.

What part do we play in this Drama of Salvation?

Do we play the role of deniers or betrayers by our actions or our words?

Or Are we just spectators in the audience who don’t really want to get involved?

Do we come only for the Sunday matinee?

Or do we play it out everyday.

are we willing to jump on stage

And get involved and become part of it.

A Part of the drama of salvation.

That includes sacrifice, suffering and death.

The Son of God came into the drama of our life

With all of its messiness, suffering, pain and death.

And only when we are willing to enter into the drama of Christ,

With his sufferings and cross

Will the drama of our lives with all of its messiness, suffering, pain and death,

Make sense and come to an end.

Holy Thursday

 

Giving Thanks.

On the Night He was Betrayed;

On the Night He would be denied;

On the Night He would be arrested;

On the Night He would be rejected;

On the Night before he would be scourged, crowned with Thorns and Crucified.

What did Jesus do?

He gave Thanks!

Just imagine.

Before all of this unbelievable emotional and physical suffering,

He gave thanks!

He took the Bread and gave thanks.

Then He took the Chalice and gave thanks.

He did not complain:

He did not curse His Father;

He did not say, “Why Me?”

Rather He gave thanks!

In our darkest hour do we give thanks to God?

True Faith, Gives Thanks, always and everywhere.

Actually True Faith is revealed,

when we give thanks In our darkest hour.

When we are betrayed.

When we are rejected;

When we are facing the greatest emotional and physical suffering of our lives.

For when we do Give Thanks at these times;

A tremendous sense of Peace comes over us.

For in the very act of giving thanks,

we realize that we are not alone.

And have never been alone.

That no rejection, suffering or death can ultimately overcome us,

For God is with us through it all.

As He has always been with us.

And so we come to Mass,

To Give thanks to God;

And in giving thanks

We realize how blessed we are

And that we are never alone

For God is always with us.

Through it all.

Wednesday of Holy Week

Small Betrayals. Mt. 26:14-25

The name of Judas is synonymous with betrayal.

And for centuries people have wondered how he could betray Jesus.

Was he truly evil?

Was he overcome by his greed?

Was he remorseful in the end?

Why did he not just go to Jesus and ask forgiveness?

The answers to these questions are found in our own hearts!

We may not commit the ultimate betray that Judas did, but through our sins, we commit small betrayals.

Our acts of selfishness are betrayals against the generosity of Jesus Who emptied Himself.

Our acts of anger are betrayals against the love of Jesus Who laid down His life for us.

Our acts of pride are betrayals against Jesus Who humbled Himself.

Our gluttony is a betrayal against Jesus who fed the five thousand.

Our hiding of our Faith is a betrayal against Jesus who was lifted high on the cross for all to see.

When we commit these small betrayals, how do we respond?

Why did we do them?

Were we temporarily overcome by our sinful desires?

Were we remorseful afterward?

Did we ask forgiveness off Jesus?

In our small betrayals is it really so hard to understand the Great Betrayal of Judas?

Tuesday of Holy Week

 

Roosters! Jn. 13:36-38

Roosters announce the dawn.

As soon as they see the first light of day,

They crow!

And tell the whole world the sun is coming.

A rooster crowed early Good Friday morning.

It announced to the world that Peter did not know Him!

It announced not once; not twice but three times

That Peter denied Jesus.

Thank God there are not roosters around to announce to the world

Every time we deny Jesus by our words or our actions.

Or maybe if they did;

We might wake up to what we have done,

And weep as Peter did.

Monday Holy Week

 

How generous are we with God? Jn. 12:1-11

Lazarus was dead and buried.

And Jesus rose him from the dead.

How could Mary his sister ever thank Jesus?

So one night when Jesus came to their house for dinner,

She took a jar of oil and anointed His feet.

Not just any oil;

300 days wages worth of oil!

Her generosity knew no bounds.

How generous are we in return for all God has done for us?

Palm Sunday

 

Praise

When people praise you beware!

The people praised Jesus and laid palm branches at His feet

And cried out Hosanna, Hosanna.

Proclaiming Him the son of David

And thus the King of Israel.

Only a few days later to cry out crucify Him, Crucify Him

And hang a plaque above His throned crowned head,

That mockingly read The King of the Jews.

When people praise you beware;

Their hearts and their words are fickle.

This is why God may hesitate to answer our prayers.

Because after our prayers are answered,

Our fickle hearts may walk away from God,

Until we need Him again.

Jesus however proved His love for His Father,

By humbling Himself and taking the form of a slave.

And rather than carry Palm branches,

He carried His cross,

Until He died.

Because of this God the Father exalted Him,

Because He knew His Love was true.

Our love for God is proved True

Not by the words we say,

But by the crosses we carry.

 

Performing Good works Jn. 10:31-42

Jesus told the Pharisees to believe Him

Because of the works that He does is a sign that the Father sent Him.

What do our actions tell others?

Do our actions tell others that we are Christian?

That we are Really Christian!

Or part time Christian?

Or sort of Christian?

How can we expect anyone to believe in Jesus

Unless our actions do measure up with what we say about Jesus?

Thursday 5th Week of Lent

 

Abraham our Father in Faith Gen. 17:3-9

Why is Abraham our “Father in Faith?”

Because it takes Faith to believe that as an old man,

God is going to bless him with descendants as numerous as the stars in the sky.

Because it takes Faith to Pack up everything and let God lead you to a foreign land.

Because it takes Faith to be willing to sacrifice your own son,

When God asks you to.

When we seem to have nothing,

And when life takes us to unexpected places,

And we lose those we love,

Call upon Abraham;

For he knows what you are going through

And will show you how to hold on to your Faith.

Wednesday 5th Week of Lent

 

Slaves of Sin Jn. 8:31-42

Jesus told the people that everyone who commits sin

Is a slave of sin.

How?

Because when a person hates, hatred gets a hold of them.

When a person is greedy, greed gets a hold of them.

When a person is promiscuous, lust gets a hold of them.

It is the same with gluttony, pride, jealously and every other sin.

Sin gets a hold of us and will not let go.

And we become slaves of sin.

We think we can walk away and change whenever we want;

But not really.

Sin has a much stronger hold on us then we realize or want to admit.

And only Jesus can set us free,

Truly free!

Tuesday 5th Week of Lent

 

Where are you from? Jn. 8:21-30

When people ask you, where are you from?

People usually respond by saying where they were born.

As Jesus tells the Pharisees that He is from Above!

Since He is from above, He speaks of the things of heaven and not of the things of earth. 

And since the Pharisees are from below,

They do not understand Him, for they are concerned only with the things of earth.

Where are we from and what concerns us?

Are we from above?

Are we concerned with the things of heaven?

Or are our roots in this world?

And are we  more concerned with the things below?

St. Paul tells us, "Set your hearts on the things that are above, where Christ is seated at God's right hand!"

St. Paul said this, because he knew where he was from and where he was going.