Human beings have always been curious about the future, about what will happen, and about the destiny of humanity. Surely, we too often ponder these thoughts: What is prepared for me in the future? How much time do I have left in this life on earth? What happens after death?
Today, through His word, Jesus wants to shed light on this mystery that humanity has contemplated since the beginning. In the first reading from the book of the prophet Daniel, we are told that there will come a time when those who are “asleep in the dust” will awaken, some to everlasting life and others to shame and everlasting contempt. Therefore, God’s Word tells us clearly and unmistakably that we do not cease to exist after death, but that we shall rise again to eternal life. However, although we all rise, we will not all rise to the same kind of life: “The wise will shine like the brightness of the heavens,” meaning they will resemble God Himself, and especially “those who lead many to righteousness will shine like stars forever and ever.” This means that those who, through their words and lives, have led many to God will have a special brilliance like that of the stars.
What does this mean practically for us?
It means that all that belongs to this world is transient; no matter how much we struggle and toil for material things, sooner or later we must leave it all behind, and its value will mean nothing to us anymore. How foolish is the person who works solely for the things of this world, how foolish is the one who neglects God, their family, and friends, or even themselves, in order to amass worldly wealth. How foolish is the one who fights over inheritance or other material possessions, breaking family unity just to acquire more; the more one has, the heavier the burden becomes in life’s final moments and during God’s judgment.
It also means that we will have to give an account of our lives to God. What is the most important moment of our lives or, rather, of our entire existence? Undoubtedly, it is the moment that comes right after death, when we stand before God and see the whole truth as clear as crystal; we will see how much God loved us and how ungrateful we were with our sins. May we, at that moment, have the strength from the sacraments we celebrated in our lives, through which Jesus forgave our sins and made us ever more like Him. May our poor brothers and sisters, whom we helped with what the Lord provided us in this life, welcome us at that moment. Above all, may we have the spirit of humility of the tax collector in the parable Jesus told us, the one who stood at the back of the temple, praying and beating his chest with his head bowed, saying, “Lord, have mercy on me, a sinner.”
In today’s second reading from the Letter to the Hebrews, we heard: “Christ, after offering one sacrifice for sins, sat down forever at the right hand of God... For by one offering He has made perfect forever those who are being sanctified.” What gives us courage before God, when we appear before Him, is if we have become one with Jesus in His life, death, and resurrection. We do this every time we partake in the Eucharist. However, for the Eucharist to be authentic, it must lead to charity; otherwise, it is merely an external ritual of little value. Let us ask ourselves: How am I living? How do I prepare each day to meet the Lord, or do I live as though the final hour will never come? How aware am I that excessive attachment to worldly things only makes it harder for me to let go when the time comes to leave everything behind?
Lord, we wish to thank You wholeheartedly for Your Word, a challenging yet immensely beneficial Word for us. We ask You to help us use what is transient for our good and that of others, but to attach our hearts solely to You and the eternal life that only You can offer. Amen