Lifeissues is mainly concerned with publishing thoughtful articles directly related to issues raised in Evangelium Vitae. However, from the very beginning, we have also published a few related homilies, notably by Fr. Al Cariño, O.M.I., Fr. Tony Pueyo, and others.
Please use the pulldowns below to select a homily by Liturgical Calendar date.
Our sense of the other-worldly puts too much emphasis on the dark side, such as witches, ghosts and evil spiritual forces. It would be much healthier if our sense of the other-worldly or the supernatural puts us in touch with the forces of love and goodness. Instead of connecting with evil spirits, it would be better to connect with good spirits or the source of all goodness, God Himself.
In death as in life only one thing remains. Nothing changes - except we will know there is no turning back like an plane at lift-off without a return flight. The memory of where we have been will fade quickly as we anticipate the place of our arrival. The persons we were before we passed through the gates of the terminal will be the same persons we are after de-boarding the flight on our arrival like people passing from one room to another. Except for the sorrow of those we leave behind our lives will remain the same forever.
If God will restore everything that we freely give up for love of Him, if we really believe that he will restore us because he loves us, then the moral life ceases to be a burden. In fact, a life in pursuit of moral integrity, a life involving sacrifice and service to others becomes our joy, not a painful and heavy burden to carry. If a person does not have this supernatural faith, Catholicism can only appear to be a collection of burdensome rules and moral restrictions, and that's what it is for a great many people in this world - which is perhaps why they have issues with Catholicism.
A group of Sadducees present Jesus with a challenge to the belief in a future resurrection. While Jesus' answer silences them, it doesn't actually prove that the dead will be raised. Later, when Jesus appeared alive to his disciples after his death on the cross, they began to proclaim the resurrection - not as a doctrine, but first of all, as Jesus himself. The risen Jesus Christ is the reality of resurrection, and all those in Christ will share it.