What is the greatest question you feel persisting deep in your heart? Surely, deep in our hearts, we harbour great questions. One of the greatest questions of life is undoubtedly about our own existence: where do we come from? What is the meaning of the life we are living? Where are we heading? Does everything end after death?
Today's first reading from the Book of Wisdom tells us: 'God did not make death; nor does he delight in the destruction of the living.' It is normal to ask, 'then where did death come from?' The answer is found at the beginning of the Book of Genesis: God created man in His own image and made him from the dust of the ground, then breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; this means that man was created in some way similar to other creatures because he is material, and in another way similar to God himself because he has a soul that never dies. The material body, like every material thing, naturally does not last forever, so man, by his very nature, had to somehow come to an end: common sense tells us that no machine keeps working forever. But God, after creating man, made the Garden of Eden to place him in. This garden signifies that man, due to the special relationship he had with God, was exempt from death, which was natural to him as a material creature. To understand this, we compare God to light; man was created to live in the light that is God and thus no darkness could approach him. It was by man's free decision that he chose to turn away from the Light and move towards darkness. 'Through the envy of the devil, death entered the world; and those who belong to him understand what that means.'
In today's Gospel, Jesus not only shows us that He has the power to heal, but above all, shows us that He is God because He has power even over death. This should mean for us that for those who believe in Him, even if they must experience death as a material creature, with the power of Jesus they will live again, and this even with the body. In this new life, there is no more death, suffering, sin, and all the ugliness we see around us. Thus, we find answers to the great questions of life only if we believe in Jesus and in His Word.
In the second reading today, St. Paul tells us how a Christian should face this life burdened with suffering and death: 'Brothers, just as you excel in everything—in faith, in speech, in knowledge, in complete earnestness, and in your love for us—see that you also excel in this grace of giving.' If suffering and death are not going to disappear from this life because we believe in Jesus, then as a family of faith, we must help each other carry the weight of the cross, and above all, we do this with love and mercy. Jesus does not want anyone to suffer alone, neither because one closes in on himself nor because he finds no one to love and help him. This is so important that He will judge us on this. Let us ask ourselves: How do I view life and death? How much do I believe in what Jesus told us even if my mind does not always understand or see the evidence of what He said? How much do I feel that God wants to show His love to others, especially to those who are suffering, through me?
Lord, today first and foremost we want to thank You for the gift of life, and above all, thank You for giving us the opportunity to experience Your love. Help us, Lord, not to let the harsh experiences of life dim the beautiful ideal towards which we are walking, and above all help us not to let any of our brothers and sisters suffer without our love. Amen.
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