THE ESSENCE OF CHRISTIAN LIFE

 

We are approaching the end of the liturgical year. Only two more weeks are left to being the new liturgical year with the first Sunday of advent on 28 November 2021. Hence, the reading of today is about the end time. What will happen at the end of creation? What is at stake after our death? The answers for these questions are addressed in today’s reading. The assurance for life after death is given in the first reading (Dan 12:1-3). In these three passages, we are told that there are two destination points; heaven and hell. The duration of our existence in heaven and hell is eternal (Dan 12:2b). The earth is passing and limited, whereas heaven and hell are eternal. Once entered, we will be there for eternity. The judgment for our destiny happens at the end time, not immediately after our death. But where do we remain until the end time is a great mystery. The apostles themselves found it difficult to answer this mystery.

In the gospel Jesus gives the glimpse of the end time, the judgment day. On that day it is Jesus, the son of man who will deliver justice to everyone. Even here the mystery of one’s existence between death and judgment day remains unanswered. The reason for Jesus, the Son of man to deliver justice is given in the second reading (Heb 10:11-14, 18). The function of high priest was to make reconciliation between God and man through an atoning sacrifice. But, high priest being himself a sinner could not offer a perfect sacrifice that will unite God and man forever. On the other hand, Jesus offered a perfect sacrifice that made a perfect reconciliation between God and man. Jesus’ offering was His own self. He underwent an unjust death penalty. Hence, His death was an offering. He being a man without sin, could present His offering as pure, devoid of any stain. So by claiming part in His sacrifice we are reconciled with God. Thus, there is salvation only through Jesus. And so, it is Jesus who should be appearing at the end time to decide the beneficiaries of His sacrifice. Between His offering and judgment day there is an on-going battle. Through His offering Jesus won our salvation and remains seated at the right hand of God the Father. But He is waiting for us to become part of His offering by living our live based on Gospels. On the one hand, an eternal sacrifice for our salvation had already been made by Jesus. On the other hand, each of us has to receive the benefit of the eternal sacrifice of Jesus by freely accepting Him.

The way to heaven and be partakers of Jesus’ eternal sacrifice is given in the Gospels. The laxity to follow Gospel is due to unknowable nature of the end time and the life after death. In the letters of St. Paul to the Thessalonians we see two different views about the end time. In the first letter, he is very firm about immediacy of end time. As the time prolonged, he changed his view on end time from proximity to unknown near future. This prolonging of time, has created an unbelief in end time and life after. Actually, the prophecy is about end time and the kind of life that we would be having after death. No one knows when these will take place. Even Jesus himself had said that it is only the Father who has knowledge about the end time (Mt 24:36; Mk 13:32; Acts 1:7). Therefore, there is no use in worrying about the specificity of the end time. Our focus should be on where our place will be on that day; heaven or hell. The unknowabilty of end time and life after death is not a certainty about ‘no life after death’ rather; it is a mystery that cannot be comprehended until we pass away from this material world. That’s why Jesus gives the glimpse of end time. It is a revelation. Unless the person who is involved in the end time and life after death says to us we wouldn’t be having any knowledge about it. Christianity is a religion of revelation. Unless we accept this revelation as mystery, we would be in a world of uncertainty that is certain about ‘no life after death’. It is a pity that the uncertain world that is uncertain about one’s origin is certain about one’s destination as void! The essence of Christian life consists in our belief in ‘life after death’. The readings of today invite us to stand firm in this faith of end time and life after death. The impulse to Christian charity comes from our desire to store up treasure in heaven. The inclination to involve in the acts of mercy comes from the parable of rich man whose indifference to poor man Lazarus failed him to uphold heaven. Today, we mark the 5^th world day of the poor that is initiated by Pope Francis. Let our belief in heaven move us to reach out the poor and root out the poverty from the surface of this earth.