(Source from “The Word Among Us”)

They are the ones who will rise. (Luke 20:36)

Wouldn’t it be wonderful if we were able to get a glimpse of heaven before we died? To experience, if only for a few moments, the grace of being fully united to our heavenly Father would radically change us. Our worldly attachments would fade, and our determination to live a life pleasing to God would grow.

Since we can’t take a “round trip” to heaven, we’ll never know what it’s actually like until we get there. But we can put our faith in what Jesus tells the Sadducees in today’s Gospel reading. While he provides only a small glimpse of the resurrected life, he leaves no doubt that “the dead will rise” (Luke 20:35, 37). So even without knowing more, we can place our hope in the reality of the resurrection and develop a true longing for the life that Jesus has promised us.

How would such a yearning for heaven change us? Just look at today’s first reading of the woman and her seven sons who were tortured and killed for refusing to violate God’s laws (2 Maccabees 7). Each of them was able to face their executioners bravely because they knew, without a doubt, that God would restore them to life again. Death wasn’t the end for them.

You can have courage too, as long as you keep your eyes fixed on your eternal destiny. As you place your hope in the life to come, your problems will shrink in size and your hardships will become easier to bear. Not only that, but all your actions and decisions will be directed toward that one goal of union with God forever.

Today at Mass, try to surrender your earthly concerns to the Lord and focus instead on the life that God has promised you. Then ask him to give you a deep longing for heaven, one that casts away fear and brings you lasting hope and peace.

“Jesus, help me keep my eyes fixed on you and your promises.”