The Sunday Sermon Archive

Dear Friend,

When Adam sinned he brought forth a dual death, if you will, into the world. We have the death of the soul through sin and the death of the body in consequence of the death of the soul.

We tend to focus all our attention upon the lesser of these evils the death of the body rather than the greater evil, the death of the soul. We morn and pine for the bodies of our loved ones who have passed away, often forgetting that the death of the body is not the greatest evil. And that the body will one day be raised from the dead.

The second Adam (Jesus Christ) came to restore that which was lost through the sin of Adam. The first consequence of Christ's sacrificial redemption upon the Cross for our sins is to free us from the greater death _ the death of our soul. Through the sacraments that Christ instituted in His Church we have the source of grace _ the life of our soul restored, healed and nourished. But, we are still subject to the first death _ the lesser evil _ the death of our bodies.

This you might say leaves the merits of Christ's redemptive act incomplete. But, this will all be rectified at the end of the world. Then our bodies will rise from the dead just as our souls have risen from the dead through the reception of Baptism and Penance.

We see that the death of this body is nothing to fear. The death of the body is more like an extended sleep. Just as Christ brought this girl in today's Gospel back from the dead and rose Himself from the dead, so too we will rise.

Man was created with both body and soul and until our bodies rise up and reunite with our souls we are incomplete. Even though the Saints in Heaven are happy and enjoy the Beatific Vision they still have a kind of desire to be reunited to their bodies. They are not complete without this body that allowed them to unite their sacrifices with Christ's and merit the reward (inheritance) of Heaven. This will all be rectified on the last day when all those who have died will rise again from the dead.

Those who are Saints and have merited the rewards of Heaven will have their bodies rise from the dead in a glorified state. They will have the very same bodies that they had here on earth but they will be glorified. They will suffer nothing ever again in their bodies. Their bodies will be perfect in their kind. They will be restored to their prime condition complete and entire. Yet, these bodies will not ever be harmed again. They will not be able to be cut, burned, or broken. Our bodies will be in a sense spiritualized. They will not be restricted by time or place. Our bodies will travel with the speed of our thoughts. There will be no wall or lock that will bar us from anything. These bodies will come and go just as Christ did after His resurrection. These bodies will not suffer any need of food or any other animal need. They will be perfect.

But, on the other hand those who have died the second death _ the death of their souls will _ undergo a different kind of resurrection. They will rise from the dead as the just have done but, their bodies will be filled with all the ignominies of their sins. Their bodies will forever suffer with their souls the eternal torments of Hell. Their bodies will constantly feel pain and suffering with no alleviation or mitigation of any kind. Their bodies will suffer just as their souls suffer the eternal longing to be united with God but will ever be held back and frustrated because of their crimes.

The day of the resurrection will be a joyful time for the Saints and a day of dread and despair for the damned.

Let us think of the death of our bodies not with the fear and loathing of the pagans and those that do not know or trust in God. Those that do not know God, do all they can to preserve their mortal lives here on earth as long as they can, and seek to become immortal in their present state. We have been given God's promise of a resurrection. We who have the faith realize that physical death is a just punishment for our sins, and we accept and look forward to the day when we will rise with a glorious body ever to be united with Christ.

Let us fear and tremble and do all that we can to avoid the death of our souls. Those that do not know God never give a thought to this death. They flaunt their sins and the sickness and even death of their souls before the rest of the world.

If we can avoid the death of our souls here on earth then we have nothing to fear concerning the death of our bodies because it is only temporary. And we can avoid the death of our souls and we can even restore them to life while we are here on earth if we will only receive the sacraments that Christ has given us and cooperate with the grace that He has merited for us with the sacrifice of His body on the Cross.

Franciscan Benefactor Seraph Subscription Vocations Have you remembered God?