ALIVE FOREVER

SERMON PREACHED BY FR. TONY NOBLE ON NOVEMBER 11th, 2007

Luke 20:38 "He is not God of the dead, but of the living; for all live to him."

If you have a similar sense of humor to me, you will have found this Gospel reading rather amusing, with its story of the woman who married the eldest of seven brothers and then in turn all the others. In Jewish Law, if a man died without heirs, his wife should marry the brother to provide an heir - hence this hypothetical story.

I remember years ago hearing this Gospel read, and when the reader came to the line: "likewise all seven left no children and died. Afterward the women also died" - whereupon the priest next to me said: “I should think she would”!

This was asked, of course, to try and trap Jesus, the Sadducees were the group in the Jewish religion who did not believe in the resurrection of the dead. So in order trap Jesus on this doctrinal point they used an old Law from Leviticus about a widow needing to re-marry to produce heirs. If there was such a thing as the resurrection, whose wife would she be? How does Jesus get around this clever trap?

Firstly, he states there is no marriage in heaven. Because there is no death in heaven, therefore we do not need to have heirs to continue our lives. We live forever, therefore there is no birth of children in heaven, nor giving in marriage. In Jewish Law producing children was at the heart of marriage, thus fulfilling the promise given to Abraham, that his descendants would be as numerous as the stars.

Jesus points out that heaven is neither a place for marriage, nor a maternity hospital! Relationships there are different, because our bodies are different - no longer bound by the limits of this world, nor indeed our bodily passions. Having dealt with this hypothetical case from Leviticus, Jesus then moves to the punch-line. Yes, there is a resurrection - and he goes back to the incident when Moses was spoken to by God from the burning bush in the desert. When God said: "I am the God of Abraham, and of Isaac, and of Jacob". Therefore, Jesus points out, the three great Patriarchs are alive in God's presence, even though they had died generations before. So there must be a resurrection. And he is not God of the dead, says Jesus, but of the living - for everyone is alive to God.

Today, November 11^th is Veteran's Day, known in the United Kingdom and Britiish Commonwealth countries as Remembrance Day - established at the end of World War I as a day to remember all those who had lost their lives in war.

The word sacrifice comes readily to mind, as we think of those who gave their lives for this country and others to defend liberty, freedom, and democracy. Some of our parishioners know the pain of lives given in sacrifice in war. November 11^th is also appropriate for this day because in the Church calendar it is Saint Martin's Day. Saint Martin is the soldier who became a saint, and is the patron saint of all men and women in the armed forces.

Today is also appropriate because November is known as the month of the departed, and some parishes have regular requiems throughout November.

It begins on November 2^nd, All Souls' Day. The Requiem Masses celebrated on that day are both moving and emotional, as the departed loved ones are remembered by name at the altar. As we go through the great list of names, I am always moved as many of the names that I read are people I have buried in my four years here at All Saints'.

When Christians celebrate a Requiem Mass, we never offer it for the departed without hope. Of course there is often sadness and certainly memories - but a Mass for the departed is always offered in hope because it was the supreme sacrifice of Jesus on the Cross that gained the whole world the hope and reward of heaven. He proved that by rising from the dead. When we come together for the Eucharist, we recall Christ's great offering of himself on the cross and his resurrection, and we offer that when we come to offer the Eucharist.

Jesus' death was inglorious - described by Saint Paul in the language of a curse - but it was absolutely necessary so that the resurrection could follow. As the saying goes: no Cross, no Resurrection; no Good Friday, no Easter Day.

It is the death and resurrection of our Lord that gives us not only the hope of heaven, but is the means whereby it happens. On many occasions, Saint Paul talks about Baptism as the way we enter into the mystery of Jesus' death and resurrection. It is in fact not a past event but something we participate in - firstly through our Baptism, and then in a special way as we come to offer the Eucharist. Thus through Baptism and the Holy Communion we are already receiving and living eternal life.

In I Thessalonians 4: 40 Saint Paul says: "We believe that Jesus died and rose again; even so, through Jesus, God will bring with him those who have fallen asleep". This is exactly what I was saying in my sermon last week: that for Christians death is our heavenly birthday.

The preface for a requiem Mass says: "To thy faithful people, O Lord, life is changed not ended; and when our mortal body doth lie in death, there is prepared for us a dwelling place eternal in the heavens".

So it was that last Thursday we celebrated the funeral of a parishioner with a Requiem Mass, Mae had lived for 92 years and so a celebration of her life was indeed a celebration through the tears. It was a simple requiem Mass - and this is the usual funeral here following the tradition of the Church. At the time when we come to pray for the departed we can do nothing better than to celebrate the Eucharist.

When you think about it, a Requiem Mass is the perfect way of celebrating the life of someone we have known and loved.

+ Firstly, of course, every Mass proclaims the death and resurrection of Jesus, which is our hope.

+ Secondly, a Eucharist proclaims what Jesus says today: "In God all are alive".

+ Thirdly, when we receive Holy Communion we are of course receiving the very Body and Blood of Jesus. Since Jesus is now in heaven in glory, therefore communion is a touch of heaven. Here at God's altar we are at the gate of heaven, as we receive the very body and blood of our glorified Lord. As we offer Mass for someone who has died, we are so close to heaven that we are there with them, and could almost reach out and touch the gate ourselves.

+ Finally, at a requiem Mass what we are offering for the souls of our departed loved ones is not just our love and prayers - but what we offer is the very sacrifice of Jesus. The sacrifice which takes away our sins, and gains us admission into heaven.

We are used to calling the Eucharist a sacrifice, because we enter into the great sacrifice by what we do when we celebrate Mass. That is what we offer, every time we come to break the bread and share the cup.

And how appropriate it is when we come to say farewell at the end of someone's life, that we should offer the Eucharist. It is the last thing we can do for our loved ones - and it is, of course, the best thing we can do.

Simply because of this - that we take Jesus at his word, that our God "is not God of the dead, but of the livin;, for all are alive to him".