LIFE AFTER DEATH? 

IT MAKES A DIFFERENCE

INTRODUCTION

The title of my homily for All Saints Day is, “Life After Death? It Makes a Difference.” 

This might sound like a homily for tomorrow: All Souls Day - because I address the question of life after death - which is at the heart of All Souls Day.

There are three kinds of people: those who believe in life after death; those who don’t believe there is life after death; and those who are so so, either or - or don’t know for sure - or don't think about it that often.

It makes a difference in one’s attitudes, one’s psyche, one’s behavior, one’s thoughts and feelings for here and now depending on what we believe about whether there is life after death or what have you?

Which of the 3 categories do you put yourself into? I don’t know about you - but I pause before answering that question.

Scientifically I don’t know. Physically I don’t know. My skin is already flaking a bit at times. I have my questions and my doubts. I smile, because if there is nothing after this life, then I’ll never know.

However, if there is life, I will enter into eternity as someone who is in the group of those who believe by faith in life after death.

Now I can’t prove there is life after death - but I can know there is life after death - by faith.

There are philosophers and theologians and writers who hold that there is  life after death. They say things like:  “We find believe in life after death in all cultures, therefore if it’s a human instinct, therefore there has to be life after death.”

Mark Link in his Homily Series gives this example: “Years ago Peter Berger wrote a best-selling book called, A Rumor of Angels. In the book, Berger speaks of ‘signals of transcendence.’ A signal of transcendence is something in this life that points to something beyond this life.  One of these signals of transcendence is the hunger in this life that points for something more than this world can offer.”

We can go there. That can help.  I find myself simply going to the gift of faith that I have received from my mom and dad and parish and Church and say, “I believe in eternal life with God.”

I make that leap of faith. And I’m assuming that God will catch me when I make that jump.  The image I like to use is this. It’s winter. It has snowed. The city sidewalks are  mushy black  and white snow and ice. I come to end of the sidewalk - so as to step down and cross the street. But there is melting water and snow and ice right there at that curb - and if I want to cross the street I have to make a leap - and hope I don’t land on ice and fall on my butt. Faith is coming to that point - but it’s night - and we don’t know how far away that street is across over  the melting ice, water, slush and snow at that corner.

I have to believe I’m going to make it. Faith is the belief that God is out there in the dark and he’s going to catch me when I jump into and across  dark slushy, icy, cold, unknown on the other side death.

CHRISTIAN BELIEF

A central belief - a central teaching - for the Christian is that there is life after death - and Jesus’ is the key - the other side. We believe that Jesus rose from the dead. In fact, as St. Paul puts it, if Christ didn’t rise from the dead, we Christians are a bunch of fools because we base everything on that.

The Creed till last Advent had “We believe in one Lord, Jesus Christ, the only Son of God.... We look for the resurrection of the dead and the life of the world to come. Amen.”

After last First Sunday of Advent the wording was changed from “We” to “I” - to get it exactly like the Latin, “Credo” “I believe”. I prefer the “we” because we’re all in this together. However, the benefit of the “I” as in “I believe” and “Credo” is that each of us has to face these basic faith beliefs - and speak up for me, myself and I.

So today for All Saints Day I’m asking the question: “Life After Death? It Makes a Difference.”

For starters I believe by faith that Jesus Christ rose from the dead and is living again after he died on the cross. Jesus is the key. That’s the core or our faith in life after death.

That goes for Christians.  Catholic Christians add all those who have died and are with the God. Today’s first reading from the Book of Revelation give numbers - 144,000 and then the great multitude that can’t be counted - and that’s the group I hope I’m going to be marching into heaven with.

Some Christians think something is wrong with the Catholic tradition and the Catholic belief in saints with a small “s” and a capital “S”. I haven’t talked to many of them on this. I sense they think we bypass Jesus and go to Mary and / or Saints.

We’ve all seen people come into Mass - or into church - and from all appearances bypass Jesus and go to the picture of Mary or a statue or picture of a Saint - and then walk out.  I’ve learned to say to myself, “It’s none of my business. I don’t know what’s going on in the mind of this person. I don’t know their story.”

Moreover - because of the Catholic Tradition of Mary and the Saints - I think having saints - known and unknown - as part of our faith life is wonderful. Their example - their living out the gospels - their prayers for us - hopefully all help.

Some of these saints - small “s” and capital “S” we know by name - St. Paul and St. Francis of Assisi - St. Catherine of Siena and St. Teresa of Avila - as well as grandparents - neighbors - friends - who were all around wonderful - generous - giving folks.

CONCLUSION: ONE CRUCIAL QUESTION

The title of my homily is, “Life After Death? It Makes a Difference.”

In other words: “Would my life be any different if I thought this life was it - and when I die, I die for good - for ever.”

In other words: “Does a belief in a Heaven and a Hell after this life make a difference in how I live this life now?"  Or another way of asking this same question is to read Matthew 25: 31-46 - The Parable of the Sheep and the Goats - and Luke 16-19-31 - The Parable of the Rich Man and Lazarus. Then  ask, “Do these 2 parables make a difference in how I live my life here because both have implications for my hereafter?”

P.S. If this homily didn’t make any sense or didn’t grab you, I hope the following will grab you. I received an e-mail from my sister Peggy who is a nun. She simply said, “Happy All Saints Day. I said a prayer to my two favorite saints for you today: Mom and Dad.”

OOOOOOO

Engraving on top: Dante Among the Slothful, Gustave Dore, c. 1868

PURPLE

Grapes glisten with light 

every time the sun roams across

its naked purple skin. Purple grapes

just love to hang around - cleavage -

clinging to each other at a party -
clinking glasses, laughing, spending
an evening together on the vine.

We all have our glory days.

We all know that the past, the present, 

isn't going to last. The reckoning

is coming. Harvest is on the horizon.

Grapes became silent - when picked - 

when packed in crates - 

when dumped - when crushed 

and pressed - and then 

the purple juice gradually 

becomes wine  - becomes joy -

and then sometimes people 

with purple lips and purple passions 

drink too much and then comes the

harvest - the regret of the night before - 

silence. Sometimes purple stains

remain - especially those that last
from one’s past on white gowns,
white shirts and white blouses.

© Andy Costello, Reflections, 2012

PURPLE QUOTES 

Quote for Today - November 1,  2012

"He wrapped himself in quotations - as a beggar would enfold himself in the purple of emperors.” 

Rudyard Kipling [1865-1936], Many Inventions [1893]. The Finest Story in the World

Painting on top: Deep Purple Mist by Ruth Palmer

YELLOW

Yellow: every sunrise

screams “Hello! It’s a new day."

But let’s be honest now,

yellow is not the first color

the kid picks when opening

a box of crayons or Magic Markers.

First choice: it’s red - bright red.

Or it’s blue - bright blue.

Okay, but what about Bananas -

neat yellow bananas in a bunch?

Answer: They are so common place  -

the choice of monkeys and folks still in

pajamas and bathrobes eating breakfast.  

So too butter, it’s there. It’s on the table,

but it doesn’t get noticed unless there’s

fresh corn on the cob. Ooops!

Well, that’s an exception

when it comes to things yellow.

So, in general, yellow is an unnoticed fellow.

Ooops! Another ooops: unless yellow

is the color of sashaying hair,

and she’s young, slim, a blond floating

into the room. Then ….

© Andy Costello, Reflections 2012

Photograph on top: Crossing the Road by David Librach

YELLOW LEAVES

Quote for Today  October 31,  2012

"Coldly, sadly descends
The Autumn evening. The field
Strewn with its dank yellow drifts
Of withered leaves, and the elms
Fade into dimness apace,
Silent; hardly a shout
From a few boys late at their play."

Matthew Arnold [1822-1888], Rugby Chapel [1867], stanza 1

Abstract painting on top: Fantasy in Yellow by Sessarego

MARRIAGE: 

COMMUNICATION, 

COOPERATION 

AND  COMPROMISE

INTRODUCTION

The title of my homily for this 30^th Tuesday in Ordinary Time  is, “Marriage: Communication, Cooperation and Compromise.”

Some people get nervous or they just don't like today's first reading from Ephesians 5: 21-33. The fact that the Lectionary offers a compromise shorter version - Ephesians 5: 2a, 25-32 indicates to me that someone is aware of possible "Uh oh's!"  I sense that the following two sentences with the word "subordinate" in them - are the issue. "Wives should be subordinate to their husbands as to the Lord." That's the first sentence. The next is, "As the Church is subordinate to Christ, so wives should be subordinate to their husbands in everything."  In the meanwhile, the challenges in the text to husbands to reverence and love their wives might be lost in the hub bub.

COMMUNICATION

I think any couple if they are wise should communicate who’s stronger where and when and who has this talent and who has that talent. I’ve heard enough talks and read enough articles on marriage to know that some couples marry for this very reason. One is better with organization and one is better with people skills. One is better with money and the other is better with mechanics. Or what have you.

If couples don’t realize their gifts and possible disasters in themselves as well as in the other and then communicate their similarities and differences they are crazy. These can be the kind of stuff that sometimes causes problems. It can also cause laughter and growth and help a couple to become a great team.

COOPERATION AND COMPROMISE

After the communication comes the action steps of working things out. These are the calls for cooperation and compromise.

Then a couple needs to communicate how they are doing and how they are working together - giving and taking - and on and on and on.

DOMINANT MONKEY

I once saw a program on TV about monkeys. I hope this doesn’t end up as a felt insult - like the word “subordinate” is sometimes taken. The example is something I think about at times when I’m with folks.

The documentary or whatever it is - I saw this a long time ago - went like this. Some experimenters asked if in every group of monkeys there was a dominant monkey. They studied various groups of monkeys as part of this experimentation. Sure enough - at least for the experimenters - they determined who the dominant monkey in a group was. Then they asked if in a group of all female monkeys if one of the monkeys was the dominant female. Sure enough they said so and so was the dominant monkey. They noticed the dominating traces and behaviors. In all this they noticed that the strongest monkey stood with the straightest back. She was the one who was the “boss”.

Next they took a dominant female monkey and put her into another female group - one in which they also knew who was the dominant female monkey. They studied what happened. One of the two would dominate the other and if the new gal took over, the former dominant female monkey would slouch her shoulders more.

The word “slouch” grabbed me because I tend to slouch. I know this because a lot of people have said to me, “Straighten up!”

If I was married my wife would be the boss. Smile. But that wasn’t the lesson I learned from the monkeys.

What I learned was to look for who is the boss in different  groupings.

I learned to look for signs of power struggles in conversations and projects.  

I learned to assume that in every group and every marriage and every family and every relationship and every parish and every group, there is struggle going on.

I assume that if someone had a camera and studied us and then we looked at the film and the study we would get an earful and eyeful.  

I assume that In every person there is the stuff we bring from our parents and our family. I assume that our place in our family order - oldest - youngest - middle - only - what have you - we bring into the classroom, into our marriage and into our work place.

I assume that Ephesians 5: 21 to 33 - as well as Colossians 3:18-19 - comes out of customs and culture of the Mediterranean Basin in the First Century - and that background can be found today as well as different ways for wives and husbands to work and function together.  

I also assume that people take the Bible literally - and/or use it not to communicate, but to dominate.

I have found in talking to couples that sometimes they have “aha” or “epiphany” moments when I ask them to talk about how their moms and dads argued - communicated - worked together - and what have you.

I love the saying, “If you want to change someone you have to change their grandmother.”

CONCLUSION

So for peace and growth, one has to learn from life - from monkeys and parents and grandparents and from each other. There is call for communication and compromise and cooperation.

Human beings can learn. Human beings can grow. Human beings can learn new tricks. Human beings can change. People need to talk to each other about what they see and what their questions are.

Today’s gospel has two images of growth and change. One is male - maybe - the man planting the seed in a garden. The other is female -maybe - a woman making bread.

I assume humor helps. I assume we have the choice to be like the Three Wise Monkeys and “See No Evil”, “Hear No Evil”, and “Speak No Evil.” Or we can communicate - cooperate - and compromise - with each other. 

Well, I’ll be a monkey’s uncle. Human beings can evolve.

O O O

I found the picture on top on Google. It was entitled: 3 Monkeys on the Beach in Barcelona. I was there but didn't see these monkeys.

BLACK

Black - the beautiful black curtains

of each Dark Night …. Thank You God.

Black night - helping me to see the stars

that I’m missing in the daylight sky ….

Wait! Watch! When it comes to black 

there’s more - much, much more.

Black - a shining - glistening

grand piano - with black and white keys -

sharps and flats - and half steps

in between  - all 12 notes -

the music only works when

sounding and resounding

with all the keys intermingling ….

Black - wait, there's more!
Black marble - stones and skin ….

Black  - the deep lakes and rivers ....

Black - ink - a zillion, trillion, million letters

arranged on white paper  - becoming

books, newspapers, magazines

telling, forming and informing the world

how to be together to announce news

and poetry and words for the songs.

Black -  too often I’m not noticing you

because these too words get in the way.

© Andy Costello, Reflections 2012