If you have had the opportunity to read or instead watch the film Dune (i.e., which if you haven’t yet, you should, considering it stars some incredible actors such as Timothée Chalamet and Zendaya) you might be familiar with these phrases: “I must not fear. Fear is the mind-killer. Fear is the little-death that brings total obliteration. I will face my fear. I will permit it to pass over me and through me. And when it has gone past I will turn the inner eye to see its path. Where the fear has gone there will be nothing. Only I will remain”.

Just from reading this, one can immediately sense that Frank Herbert, the author, had a very profound intuition into the fundamental realities of existence. Indeed, Herbert is here tapping into one of humanities lengthiest struggles since time in memorial.

Fearing Death

We have all in one way or another experienced fear and its detrimental effects. But I think one of the core fears that we must inevitably face is that of death. So much so that it has almost become taboo to even mention in today’s culture.

Yet without sometimes even being aware of it, we incessantly experience ‘little deaths’, as Herbert puts it. Whether it be discontent at the workplace, financial issues, illness, maybe you’re mocked/humiliated or you’re going through countless quarrels at home, or perhaps, even more severe, you might feel worthless and lost – you mention it – all of these can then trigger even more fears within us and the vicious cycle begins. In other words, like Jesus, it might just well be that right now you feel somewhat ‘crucified’ – defenceless, desperate, completely and utterly exhausted.

Jesus providentially spent three hours hanging on the cross, however, most victims would last there for days – potentially even weeks under excruciating (i.e., a word which means ‘from the cross’) torment. How long have you been hanging from your cross?

Remembering The Resurrection

It is at these moments when we recall an event that occurred around two centuries ago which completely revolutionised our reality – the Resurrection. It is through the Resurrection that Jesus conquers one of, if not the most inherent and inevitable fears within us all; in turn giving life to some of the deepest desires within our hearts.

Jesus affirms that the ‘little-deaths’ and eventually the ‘big-death’ is not something to fear but rather a process of attaining the best of ourselves. As Jesus himself allegorises, in order for a tree to grow, the seed must die. From a microscopic perspective, around three-hundred million cells in a human body die every minute in order for new ones to flourish. I also just recently discovered that the pearl of an oyster is in actual fact the result of a healed wound. This is consequentially and literally what Jesus accomplishes on the cross! He gathers up our pains, our sufferings, our loses, our ‘little-deaths’ and ultimately even our ‘big-death’ and, as Tim Odell beautifully sings in his song ‘Heal’, “like an empty sail that takes the wind”, Jesus transforms them into healing, triumph and ultimately life, all through His Resurrection.

As Dr Scott Hahn, in his ambiguously titled book ‘Hope to Die’ articulates, “we were made for life. We were made for joy…and in Christ that life and joy are already ours”. Further on, Dr Hahn remarks that, “we have nothing to fear from the terrors of the world…they cannot rob us of the hope that fills us – the hope of eternal life”. And this is exactly what we all ultimately desire, whether we are aware of it or not, “eternal life”. Therefore, if I could now rephrase Herbert’s quote, “[w]here the fear has gone there will be nothing [left in the tomb]. Only [Jesus] will remain”.

In light of all this, it doesn’t come to much of a surprise that one of the first things that Jesus utters to the women coming to the tomb post-Resurrection is, “[d]o not be afraid; go and tell my brothers to go to Galilee, and there they will see me” (Matthew 28:10). Remembering the resurrection, therefore, is more than us recalling a past-event; it entails us immersing our self in the present in the events that Christ himself experienced.

Be Not Afraid

This is not, however, the first time that God has spoken to our subterranean desires, encouraging us to be free of fear. As a matter of fact, within the pages of Scripture, the phrase ‘fear not’ (or equivalent translations) appears only slightly over one-hundred times in the Old Testament, as well as about forty-four times in the New Testament.

This is, in essence, the life Jesus calls all of us to live. To live life knowing that no failure, no distress, no discontent and not even death itself has the final word. It is through this way of life that we can also boldly acclaim, “I will face my fear. I will permit it to pass over me and through me”.

The post How Easter Speaks To Some Of The Most Essential Desires Within Us appeared first on Universe of Faith.

We have a thirst for eternity

These questions raised on whether we meet our loved ones in the afterlife illustrate the quality that human beings have of being capable of reflecting on life, death, and on the meaning of relationships. It raises a legitimate protest. We human beings instinctively sense that it would be absurd if something which is good is created only to be then destroyed. We have a thirst for eternity. But at the same time, we cannot make it happen for ourselves.

Christ was raised from the dead “in the flesh”

The Christian is called to reflect on these questions in the light of Revelation; the truth which God has chosen to share with us through Jesus Christ. Jesus, the Word of God made flesh (cf. Jn 1,14), is the one who, not only affirms relationships, but gives them a central place in his ministry. He saves by entering into life-giving relationships. Jesus calls disciples “to be with him and to be sent” (cf. Mk, 3,14).  He calls his disciples “friends” (Jn 15,15) and eats with the Pharisees and the publicans. Jesus visits Zaccheus in his house, and goes to the home of Martha, Mary, and Lazarus.

Even when evil tries to destroy completely these relations of love – “If you are the Son of God, come down from the cross” (Mt 27,40) – God remains committed to a love that seeks the good of the other at all costs. When Jesus was killed it seemed that evil had had the last word. However, he was raised from the dead “in the flesh” (cf Lk 24, 29) and met his disciples, re-establishing the relationship. Jesus greeted them with the words: “Peace be with you”. Thus, in his resurrection, he met them, not in anger or revenge but with the merciful love of God.

Saints are not lost, we address them

The fact that Jesus Christ was risen “in the flesh” is very relevant to the question being asked here – do we meet our loved ones in the afterlife?  It is in our body that we are identified as human beings with our particular character and story. Through the death and resurrection of Jesus, we are saved in our totality as human beings, with our personality. Not only does Jesus, through his life, death and resurrection, take our humanity on the right hand of the Father, but he also assures us that we are saved as human persons with our specific story.

The feast of the Assumption of Our Lady – the bodily assumption of Mary into Heaven – is the fruit of the Resurrection promised to us as well. When we celebrate the feasts of saints we do not speak of their “energy” in an abstract way. We relate to them as persons; saints who have names. We tell their stories: who they were, what they did, the relationships they formed. So these people are not gone forever. We address them directly. We believe that they are still present, there, in the afterlife.

He called us to form loving relationships that will last forever

This is what is promised to us as well through the Resurrection of Jesus. We will be saved in our body, as persons loved by God, but also as people called into the communion of the Trinity. Our relationships are what also make us in the image of God. And God is faithful. God is a God of communion who created us in his image and likeness (Gen 1, 27). He called us to form loving relationships. God constantly works for our salvation: that these relationships are purified and kept forever, including in the afterlife. We are called to respond to this call. Or, as some might say: we are called to join in the dance of the Trinity.

Read more:
– Top Pope Francis’ Quotes On Death
– Heaven Is My Home

The post Do We Meet Loved Ones in Afterlife? appeared first on Universe of Faith.