Where, O Death, is your Victory?

Last updated on: March 25, 2016 at 6:22 pm by Father Pablo Migone

Where, O Death, is your Victory? 2016-03-25T18:22:34-05:00 Father Pablo Migone

LOGO Patheos Explore the world's faith through different perspectives on religion and spirituality! Patheos has the views of the prevalent religions and spiritualities of the world.

[Homily for the 32nd Sunday of Ordinary Time]

There is one thing in our human experience that we all share simply because we are human beings.

Regardless of where we are born and the color of our skin, regardless of the language we speak and the amount of money we have, regardless of our religious beliefs, intelligence, virtues, overall health, etc. there is one great equalizer in our human experience.

This great equalizer common to us all is death.

As priests we come into contact with death frequently: just this week I was involved in five deaths; ages ranging from 14 to 81.

Death is the great equalizer and it does not discriminate.

In the first reading we heard of the execution of four brothers who refused to renounce their faith in God. This happened when the Greek emperor Antiochus IV desecrated the Temple of Jerusalem and forced Jews to abandon their faith about 150 years before Christ. These four brothers, along with their three youngest brothers, were executed in front of their mother. They were faithful and unafraid. Their belief that God would reward them in the afterlife allowed them to endure horrible deaths, facing the great equalizer peacefully.

Some years ago when I was newly ordained, I entered the hospital room of a woman who had been registered as Catholic when she was admitted into the hospital. To my surprise, after greeting this lady who was close to 100 years old, she told me she was not longer a Catholic, as a matter a fact, she was a professed atheist. She had stopped believing decades ago.

I spoke to her about Jesus’ promise of eternal life, how he promised to take us to a place where there would be no more pain and suffering. She looked at me dazed and said, “Father, I really hope what you say is true. It sounds so nice! If it’s as good as what you say it is, I hope it’s true.”

Jesus has promised us that though we die, we will live forever; that we will rise from our graves, body and soul, and live for eternity. This is why God is not a God of the dead, but of the living, because in Him, we all continue to live. If we live for Christ and are faithful to him, we will receive the greatest promise of the Gospel: eternal life.

Many early Christians were also executed for their faith, being accused of cannibalism, disorderly conduct and disobedience to the emperor. The Christians however went joyfully to their deaths.

Christ has turned upside down the experience and understanding of death. For us Christians, death has lost its power and we should not be afraid.

In the year 165 in Rome, Justin was taken to the prefect Rusticus. The prefect asked, “If you are scourged and beheaded, do you believe that you will ascend to heaven?” Justin answered, “I have confidence. I know that for those who lead a just life, there awaits the divine gift.” Rusticus said, “You think, then, that you will ascend?” Justin replied, “I do not think, but I am fully convinced of it. We are confident that if we suffer the penalty for the sake of our Lord Jesus Christ we shall be saved.”

In the year 203, Felicity and Perpetua were led to their deaths in northern Africa. The ancient account of the martyrdom states that Perpetua was “abashing the gaze of all with high spirit in her eyes. She was singing. Since a wild beat did not kill them, after giving each other the kiss of peace, they were killed by gladiators.

In 304, Julius the Veteran was told by a prefect, “If you do not offer sacrifice, I am going to cut your head off.” “That is a good plan!” answered Julius. “Only I beg you, good prefect, that you execute your plan and pass sentence on me. If I should deserve to suffer like this, I shall have eternal praise.”

Before being executed in 1996, one of the monks of Tibhirine in Algeria said he was not afraid of anything because he had already lost the fear of death. He knew like these early Christians, that death does not have the last word, but eternal life in Christ does.

May Christ fill us the peace that comes from the sure and certain hope that we will live forever if we persevere in our discipleship of Jesus Christ. We gather to eat the food of heaven, food Christ has instructed us to eat so we can have eternal life.

In death, life changes and does not end. Like the seven brothers, like the early Church martyrs, like the many faithful departed before us, we trust in God’s promise of eternal life.

Uncategorized

Previous Post

November 9, 2013

Internet Assessment of Pope Francis

Next Post

November 11, 2013 Luz en las tinieblas

Browse Our Archives

Select a Category Article Catholic Lima Christmas Commentary History Homily Immigration martyrs Meditation Pope Reflection Saint Story Uncategorized

Select a Month September 2026 August 2026 July 2026 June 2026 May 2026 April 2026 December 2025 November 2025 October 2025 September 2025 August 2025 July 2025 June 2025 May 2025 April 2025 March 2025 February 2025 January 2025 December 2024 November 2024 September 2024 August 2024 July 2024 June 2024 May 2024 April 2024 March 2024 February 2024 January 2024 December 2023 November 2023 October 2023 September 2023 August 2023 June 2023 May 2023 April 2023 February 2023 January 2023 December 2022 November 2022 October 2022 September 2022 August 2022 July 2022 June 2022 May 2022 April 2022 March 2022 February 2022 January 2022 December 2021 November 2021 October 2021 September 2021 August 2021 July 2021 June 2021 May 2021 April 2021 March 2021 February 2021 January 2021 December 2020 November 2020 October 2020 September 2020 August 2020 July 2020 June 2020 May 2020 April 2020 March 2020 February 2020 January 2020 December 2019 November 2019 October 2019 September 2019 August 2019 July 2019 June 2019 May 2019 April 2019 March 2019 February 2019 January 2019 December 2018 November 2018 October 2018 September 2018 August 2018 July 2018 June 2018 May 2018 April 2018 March 2018 February 2018 January 2018 December 2017 November 2017 October 2017 September 2017 August 2017 July 2017 June 2017 May 2017 April 2017 March 2017 February 2017 January 2017 December 2016 November 2016 October 2016 September 2016 August 2016 July 2016 June 2016 May 2016 April 2016 March 2016 February 2016 January 2016 December 2015 November 2015 October 2015 September 2015 August 2015 July 2015 June 2015 May 2015 April 2015 March 2015 February 2015 January 2015 December 2014 November 2014 October 2014 September 2014 August 2014 July 2014 June 2014 May 2014 April 2014 March 2014 February 2014 January 2014 December 2013 November 2013 October 2013 September 2013 August 2013 July 2013 June 2013 May 2013 April 2013 March 2013 February 2013 January 2013 December 2012 November 2012 October 2012 September 2012 August 2012 July 2012 June 2012 May 2012 April 2012 March 2012 February 2012 January 2012 December 2011 November 2011 October 2011 September 2011 August 2011 July 2011 June 2011 May 2011 April 2011 March 2011 February 2011 January 2011 December 2010 November 2010 October 2010 September 2010 August 2010 July 2010 June 2010 May 2010 April 2010 January 2010 June 2009 September 2008 August 2008

TAKE THE

Religious Wisdom Quiz

What does "Christ" mean in Greek?

Select your answer to see how you score.

Anointed One Lord of Lords Chosen One Savior