From The Bishop

On Nov. 11, our nation will be celebrating Remembrance Day. This is a solemn day in which we remember and pray for all the brave men and women who died in war. They sacrificed their lives in order to ensure that freedom triumphed over tyranny in our world. We are the grateful beneficiaries of their heroic efforts. In my own faith tradition, the month of November is dedicated to praying for all of those who have gone before us in faith. With deep affection we remember our loved ones and ask God to grant them mercy, peace and eternal rest. We do this because, like all Christians, we believe that there is life after death. St. Paul reminds us of this fact in his letter to the church in Corinth. He states: "Listen, I will tell you a mystery! We will not all die, but we will all be changed, in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised imperishable, and we will be changed. For this perishable body must put on imperishability, and this mortal body must put on immortality. When this perishable body puts on imperishability, and this mortal body puts on immortality, then the saying that is written will be fulfilled: Death has been swallowed up in victory. Where, O death, is your victory? Where, O death, is your sting?" (1 Corinthians 15:51-55) When someone we love dies, we experience grief; we mourn the loss. This is a natural response when confronted with death. This is something beyond our control and we can despair. For Christians, what offers true hope is our belief that life is changed, not ended. As Paul states, "this mortal body puts on immortality." How does this happen? God has given every person a soul. It is the life principle within that makes us unique individuals. Christians believe that the soul is immortal. The body may die; however, the soul lives forever. This simple fact gives us great hope when we are confronted with death. In relationships, we generally love the person and not simply the body. We love who this person is and what they mean to us. These qualities reside in the depths of our soul. So Christians should be able to grieve with hope because what they loved most has not died. The body has put on immortality because of the imperishable soul. This is the essence of what we mean when we speak about the Resurrection. After Jesus died on the cross, he was placed in a tomb. Three days later, he rose from the dead. When he first appeared to the disciples, they did not recognize him because he had a glorified body. Once they spoke with him, their sadness turned to incredible joy because they realized it was the Lord. They now understood that Jesus had triumphed over sin and death by his resurrection. There was no longer any "victory" and "sting" in death. Faith not only gives meaning to life. It also gives intelligibility to the mystery of death. Rather than ending a life, death provides a new beginning, a passageway that brings us from one life to another. It moves us from a life of limitations to one that is limitless and eternal. With faith, we need not be afraid of death. So during the month of November, let us remember our fallen soldiers and also our loved ones who have gone to be with God. Eternal rest grant unto them, O Lord. Photo captions : Wreaths are laid at a Remembrance Day service held Sunday at the Welland-Crowland War Memorial cenotaph in Chippawa Park in this file photo. - Greg Furminger , Torstar file Source: St. Catherines Standard