Di Dead Go Rise

November 6, 2022
Sunday Nomba 32 for Ordinary Time, Year C
Readings for Today

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“Even Moses show say di dead go rise, for di passage about di bush, when e call ‘Lord,’ di God of Abraham, di God of Isaac, and di God of Jacob; and E no be God of di dead, but of people wey dey alive, because for Him, all of dem dey alive.” Luke 20:37-38

As we dey near di end of dis Church year, our readings don begin to focus more clearly on di last things wey go happen. Dis passage come from My Catholic Faith!, Chapter 5, and e concern how di dead go rise again:

Di third and final coming na when Jesus go return to Earth with splendor and glory. E go be “di end of di world as we know am.” Na di time wey dem go establish His Kingdom wey go last forever. Plenty things dey to talk about dis moment for history, and to reflect on am really dey draw person mind well-well.

If you read di Catechism of di Catholic Church paragraphs #671-677, you go discover say e almost be like one mystery novel about di future, wey dem use science fiction write, and wey dey hold person attention well-well. Di only difference be say everything inside na true, everything full of glory, and everything pass any mystery wey we go fit understand until e really happen. And e go happen for one definite moment for di future!

So wetin all dis one mean? E mean say Jesus go return with all His splendour and glory. One day, E go return to dis Earth with His body, shining and full of glory. We go see Him, and di world as we know am now go end. For dat moment, God go establish His Kingdom wey go remain forever, and Heaven and Earth go join as one. E go be “new Heaven and new Earth” (Revelation 21:1). Di former Heaven and Earth go pass away, and dem go establish di new order.

But no be only dat! For dat moment, all di dead go rise. Yes, na so: everybody wey don ever die go rise. Dis mean say everybody wey dem don “lay to rest” for cemetery or any other place go come back to life, dem go receive new body wey full of glory, and dat body go join with di person soul again.

Di Katekism still talk say:

When E come for di end of time to judge di living and di dead, Christ wey dey for glory go reveal di hidden condition of people heart, and E go give each person wetin fit di things wey di person do and whether di person accept or reject grace. (#682)

Dis thought dey draw person mind well-well, and e dey bring small fear too! E mean say everything wey hide go come to light. Dis fit good or bad, depending on wetin hide. Dis thought suppose fill us with small holy fear, and e suppose also fill us with holy joy. Dat holy fear na actually gift from God to help us remove any secret and hidden sin wey we get now or wey we don struggle with before. Since everything go truly come to light one day, make we deal with am now so dat our sin no go remain. If we do so, even our sin go turn to virtue and grace. Then, for di end of time, na dat grace and virtue go show clearly. As our virtue go show clearly, e go bring holy joy no be only to us, but also to other people wey go see am.

So, dem go judge us based on wetin dey inside our conscience. E no go concern only wetin dey show for outside again. We no go fit put on good face and pretend to be wetin we no be. Di whole truth go come out, and e go show clearly for everybody to see, according to God plan.

Another thing to note na say for di Final Judgment, even people wey dey Hell go rise. Why? Because as human beings, God mean make we remain joined to our bodies forever. Wetin we really be na body and soul. So even di dead go receive their bodies back. But sadly, dem go then suffer forever, no be only for spirit, but also for body. We no know wetin exactly dis one go involve. But e go be real pain of loss. Loss of God, and loss because di body and soul no go fit share for life with God. Dis one fit look harsh and unfair, but we suppose remind ourselves say God dey perfectly just and His love dey perfect, and no matter how dis everlasting loss and everlasting suffering go be, e right and just.

How dis new life go be for people wey go share for di Resurrection to new life? Na life with God, for body and spirit, and also life with one another. Di Book of Revelation use symbols describe dis new life as one city where God dey on di throne for di centre of di city. Light dey shine from Him, so no need dey for sun or moon. Di streets na gold. Di gates full of precious stones. And plenty more things dey. We no suppose take dis language of symbols as exactly how everything go be; instead, make we see am as pictures wey help us understand di beauty, splendor and greatness of di life wey dey wait for us. Na di new Heavens and new Earth.

Lord, make I always dey ready to welcome You when You come. I thank You for Your perfect promise to raise everybody from di dead and bring new life. My dear Lord, use me gather plenty people into dis glorious Kingdom wey go come. Jesus, na You I trust.

Reflection Dem wey Resemble This One: