Reward and punishment after death
3:1 The souls of those who do what is right are in God’s hand. They won’t feel the pain of torment. 2 To those who don’t know any better, it seems as if they have died. Their departure from this life was considered their misfortune. 3 Their leaving us seemed to be their destruction, but in reality they are at peace. 4 It may look to others as if they have been punished, but they have the hope of living forever. 5 They were disciplined a little, but they will be rewarded with abundant good things, because God tested them and found that they deserve to be with him. 6 He tested them like gold in the furnace; he accepted them like an entirely burned offering. 7 Then, when the time comes for judgment, the godly will burst forth and run about like fiery sparks among dry straw. 8 The godly will judge nations and hold power over peoples, even as the Lord will rule over them forever. 9 Those who trust in the Lord will know the truth. Those who are faithful will always be with him in love. Favor and mercy belong to the holy ones. God watches over God’s chosen ones.
Saint Leo the Great, Pope and Doctor of the Church (Memorial)
God formed man to be imperishable. (Wisdom 2:23)As anyone who has suffered the death of a loved one can tell you, loss can be very painful. It’s hard to lose someone you love. Your lives have been deeply intertwined, and tearing one away can feel like it will be the end of both. But the truth is that death is not our enemy. God made us for eternal life, and even though it is very difficult to lose someone, our grief speaks to us of our hope for eternal life.
We all experience grief; it’s a natural and healthy response to loss. It makes us feel lonely, abandoned, and forgotten. But that’s not the end of our story. Grief is a process we go through; it’s a phase, not a destination. It is meant to bring us, over time, to peace. As time passes, the hope of heaven shines more and more brightly, and our pain and loss slowly diminish. As we draw closer to the Lord, holding on to the truths of who we are and what we were made for, the veil between this life and the next becomes thinner and thinner—to the point that we begin longing for the Second Coming.
That’s why these words from the Book of Wisdom are so comforting. They remind us that heaven is our true home. They tell us that our loved ones are precious to God, and having passed through bodily death, they have the joys of heaven. St. Francis of Assisi proclaimed this as he praised God for “Sister Bodily Death,” saying, “Happy those she finds doing your most holy will. The second death can do no harm to them.”
If you have lost a loved one recently, let today’s reading bring you comfort. As you go through the process of grieving, know that the pain won’t last forever. Stay close to Jesus, and know that a life lived for him in this world is not all that far from the heavenly life he has in store for you.
“Lord Jesus, I believe that death is not my enemy because you have defeated it! Help me stay close to you so that I can experience your eternal life.” Amen!
Psalm 34:
2 (1) I will bless Adonai at all times;
his praise will always be in my mouth.
3 (2) When I boast, it will be about Adonai;
the humble will hear of it and be glad.
16 (15) The eyes of Adonai watch over the righteous,
and his ears are open to their cry.
17 (16) But the face of Adonai opposes those who do evil,
to cut off all memory of them from the earth.
18 (17) [The righteous] cried out, and Adonai heard,
and he saved them from all their troubles.
19 (18) Adonai is near those with broken hearts;
he saves those whose spirit is crushed.
Luke 17:7 If one of you has a slave tending the sheep or plowing, when he comes back from the field, will you say to him, ‘Come along now, sit down and eat’? 8 No, you’ll say, ‘Get my supper ready, dress for work, and serve me until I have finished eating and drinking; after that, you may eat and drink.’ 9 Does he thank the slave because he did what he was told to do? No! 10 It’s the same with you — when you have done everything you were told to do, you should be saying, ‘We’re just ordinary slaves, we have only done our duty.’”____________________________
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