Dear Parishioners of St. James:
Praised be Jesus Christ!
The raising of Lazarus from the dead was a stupendous miracle. Death had always been final; it would be sheer madness to hope that your loved one could come back to life after having died. But Jesus is the resurrection and the life. By simply saying the words, Christ can bring the dead back to life.
For the Jews, death was the end. Departed souls descended into Sheol (the abode of the dead) deep into the bowels of the earth. But the Lord prophesied through Ezekiel in the 6th century B.C. that God would raise His people from the dead. “Then you shall know that I am the Lord, when I open your graves and have you rise from them, O my people!” (Ez. 37:13). Jesus Christ reveals His lordship by raising the dead to life. Jesus is the Lord of both the dead and the living.
We need to meditate more on the Lord’s promise of our own resurrection. At Baptism, we were given the pledge of resurrection. St. Paul assures us that if the Holy Spirit Who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, then the One who raised Jesus will raise us from the dead, also (cf. Rom. 8:11). Jesus Himself said, “Whoever believes in me, even if he dies, will live…Do you believe this?” (Jn. 11:25). The Lord promises resurrection from the grave for those who believe. Do you believe this?
Trust in the Lord’s promise of everlasting life. This life and its sadness are only temporary. We are destined for resurrection from the dead if we only believe and live in Jesus. May the Lord call us out of the grave one day and bring us to new life with Him, forever.
God bless you,
Fr. Geary
Saint James Catholic Church 