Death: 10th Sunday of Ordinary Time

Listen to the homily here.

Notes:

Two men, two mothers and two children

·      Two mothers

o   1 Kings 17:17-24: a mistress in Zarephath of Sidon (at the house of a widow)

o   Luke 7:11-17: a widow in Nain

·      Two children died

o   Do you know the brutal situation?

o   1 Kings 17: “The son of the mistress of the house fell sick, and his sickness grew more severe until he stopped breathing.”

o   Luke 7: “As [Jesus] drew near to the gate of the city, a man who had died was being carried out, the only son of his mother, and she was a widow.”

·      Two men

o   Elijah

§  He said: “O LORD, my God, let the life breath return to the body of this child… The LORD heard the prayer of Elijah; the life breath returned to the child’s body and he revived.”

§  Elijah was named, “a man of God”

o   Jesus

§  Our savior

§  He said to the mother, “Do not weep.”

§  “He stepped forward and touched the coffin; at this the bearers halted, and he said, “Young man, I tell you, arise!”

§  Jesus was named by the crowd, “a great prophet,” “God has visited his people”

·      These events were over 900 years in time

Now, how does this happen today, especially when someone dies?

·      Losing a child is the worst event

o   Stillborn children

o   SIDS: Sudden Infant Death Syndrome

o   Cancer

o   Accidents

o   Fire

o   Suicide

·      Anyone in your family

o   Parents, Grandparents, Great-Grandparents, Great-Great Grandparents, uncles, aunts, cousins, brothers and sisters, friends

God—Father, Son and Holy Spirit—loves us and is here for each of you

·      Our Father gave his Son who died a brutal way—crucifixion

·      Come to His house—Church

·      Come to Adoration—His Son

·      His Word in the Bible

o   John 3:16: “For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.”

Mother Mary—prays for us, loves for us too

·      Her only Son died on the Cross

·      The Seven Sorrows

·      Hail Mary “pray for us sinners, now and at the hour of our death”

·      The Rosary

Your Church—our family here at church and in the world helps you

·      Many parishioners—EMs, relationships and visiting

o   Thank you

·      The sacrament of the Anointing of the Sick

·      Funeral

·      Dcn. Fran and I in prayers, funerals

·      Mass—offer an intercession of your loved one (see each week in our bulletin)

In 120 years, each of us will pass away

·      Get ready today for your loved ones, and your self

·      Bring dying, death into the light of Jesus Christ to pray and prepare for eternity