‘Prepare my dinner. Put on your apron, and wait on me while I eat and drink. You can eat and
drink afterward.’ Do you thank this servant for doing what you told him to do? I don’t think so.
And therefore, when you have done all that you have been told to do, you should say, ‘We are
no more than servants; we have only done our duty.’”
Reflect
If you’ve been to a Catholic funeral, you’ve almost certainly heard today’s first reading. It’s easy
to see why. There’s something immensely comforting in knowing that the souls of all our loved
ones who have died in faith are in the hands of God. There is no better place for them to be
since God lovingly fashioned those souls and nurtured them throughout their earthly lives.
The world sees death as an ending, but through faith in Jesus, we see death as a new
beginning, since life is changed, not ended. People who lack faith may see death as a
punishment or a misfortune, but we know that death is the door that leads us to our eternal
home, life with God. While those of us still on earth mourn because we are parted from those
we love, we rejoice in the hope that we will be together again in the final resurrection when
we will dwell with God in grace, mercy, and peace.
© Copyright Bible Diary 2023