It is about justice
Luke 20:27-40. November 19, 2022 - Saturday, 33rd Week
Is there a life after death? I do believe, there is. Jesus’ teaching and his resurrection affirms that there is life after death. Today, we hear that those “worthy of taking part in the age to come and in the resurrection from the dead” cannot die. But what life after death look like is, in my view, impossible to describe. What does it mean to be equal to angels (Luke 20:35-36)? Moreover, the statement that they “will neither marry nor be given in marriage” (Luke 20:35) can be either liberating or depressing: liberating for those who experienced marriage as a tragic mistake of their lives; depressing for those who dream to be with their loved ones beyond the grave.
As Catholic Christians, we describe life after death with three concepts: hell, purgatory, and heaven. The idea of purgatory is supported by the passages from the 2 Book of Maccabees 12:38-45 and 1 Cor 3:15. The concept of hell goes back to the terrible ritual of sacrificing children to pagan gods practised in ancient Israel in the valley of Ben-hinnon near Jerusalem. When the practice was finally abolished, the place was only fitted for a garbage dump. Its smouldering fires burning “endlessly” gave Jews and Christians a metaphor to describe hell. Finally, talking about heaven, we can turn to the famous passage about a new heaven and a new earth in the Book of Revelation 21. We read there that God “will wipe every tear from [our] eyes. There will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain, for the order of things has passed away” (Rev 21:4). But, in reality, we do not know. After all, as St. Paul says “no eye has seen” what God prepared for those who love Him (1 Cor 2:9; see also 1 John 3:2).
However, the discussion between Jesus and the Sadducees about the resurrection contains one striking message. Jesus reminds us that God associates himself with concrete people. He is called the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob (Luke 20:37). We can include our ancestors and deceased loved ones and call him, the God of Augustine, the God of Irene, the God of Joseph, and the God of Caroline (those are the names of my grandparents). Moreover, although we consider them to be dead, Jesus considers them to be alive. God “is not the God of the dead, but the God of the living, for to him all are alive” (Luke 20:38).
Belief in the resurrection of the dead is the cornerstone of our faith. Moreover, the uniqueness of Christianity lies in the proclamation that with the resurrection of Jesus the resurrection of the dead has already begun. Why is this belief so vital? Resurrection is about justice. Many believe in the immortality of souls and the migration of souls known as reincarnation. Many hold on to Buddhists' belief in nirvana and dream of escaping from the sufferings of this life. Perhaps, one day some may be able to leave this planet earth behind, with its unresolved problems, fly a space shuttle to the Moon, and try to build a better civilisation there. But, this ‘heavenly escape’ will never do justice to the martyrs and the earth. Earthly transfiguration and the resurrection of the dead are powerful expressions of our faith in good and just God.