Seventh Thursday of Easter

"My brothers, I am a Pharisee, the son of Pharisees; I am on trial for hope in the resurrection of the dead." When he said this, a dispute broke out between the Pharisees and Sadducees, and the group became divided. For the Sadducees say that there is no resurrection or angels or spirits, while the Pharisees acknowledge all three.

We all hope in the resurrection of the dead, it is one of our core beliefs. After all, if we do not believe in the resurrection, then our faith is dead. Our faith in the resurrection is a founding principle of our Christian traditions and the source of our hope in an everlasting life. We believe if we are good as our Heavenly Father is good, if we are merciful as Jesus is merciful, and if we are holy as the Holy Spirit is holy, then we shall one day join them in Heaven for all eternity. Not just as spirits, but in our resurrected and perfected bodies. This is the promise Jesus made to us through his life, death, and resurrection and if we follow in his footsteps, then we too will join him in Paradise.

What role has the belief in the resurrection played in our lives? How can we make it more meaningful to us? What are we doing to prepare ourselves for it?

O Lord, you are our hope in the resurrection of the dead.

Amen.