First reading Job 19:1,23-27a
I know that my Redeemer lives
Job said:
Ah, would that these words of mine were written down,
inscribed on some monument
with iron chisel and engraving tool,
cut into the rock for ever.
This I know: that my Avenger lives,
and he, the Last, will take his stand on earth.
After my awaking, he will set me close to him,
and from my flesh I shall look on God.
Responsorial Psalm 129(130)
Out of the depths I cry to you, O Lord.
Out of the depths I cry to you, O Lord,
Lord, hear my voice!
O let your ears be attentive
to the voice of my pleading.
Out of the depths I cry to you, O Lord.
If you, O Lord, should mark our guilt,
Lord, who would survive?
But with you is found forgiveness:
for this we revere you.
Out of the depths I cry to you, O Lord.
My soul is waiting for the Lord.
I count on his word.
My soul is longing for the Lord
more than watchman for daybreak.
(Let the watchman count on daybreak
and Israel on the Lord.)
Out of the depths I cry to you, O Lord.
Because with the Lord there is mercy
and fullness of redemption,
Israel indeed he will redeem
from all its iniquity.
Out of the depths I cry to you, O Lord.
Second reading 1 Corinthians 15:51-57
Death is swallowed up in victory
I will tell you something that has been secret: that we are not all going to die, but that we shall all be changed. This will be instantaneous, in the twinkling of an eye, when the last trumpet sounds. It will sound, and the dead will be raised, imperishably, and we shall be changed as well, because our present perishable nature must put on imperishability and this mortal nature must put on immortality.
When this perishable nature has put on imperishability, and when this mortal nature has put on immortality, then the words of scripture will come true: Death is swallowed up in victory. Death, where is your victory? Death, where is your sting? Now the sting of death is sin, and sin gets its power from the Law. So let us thank God for giving us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.
Gospel John 5:24-29
The dead will hear the voice of the Son of God
Jesus said to the Jews:
I tell you most solemnly,
whoever listens to my words,
and believes in the one who sent me,
has eternal life;
without being brought to judgement
he has passed from death to life.
I tell you most solemnly,
the hour will come – in fact it is here already –
when the dead will hear the voice of the Son of God,
and all who hear it will live.
For the Father, who is the source of life,
has made the Son the source of life;
and, because he is the Son of Man,
has appointed him supreme judge.
Do not be surprised at this,
for the hour is coming when the dead will leave their graves
at the sound of his voice:
those who did good will rise again to life;
and those who did evil, to condemnation.
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In God’s love lies our hope
The experience of death, be it a loved one’s passing or the inevitability of our own, is something that we often fear or struggle with. As today’s gospel recounted, Jesus, too, went through the fearful struggle of death. Out of love for us, He faced it so that not even the reality of death could separate anyone from Him. In remembering all those who have gone before us, especially those close to us, let us find our consolation and encouragement in the unfailing love of Jesus, who “died for us while we were still sinners” (2nd reading). God loves us, and because of that unwavering love, we can have hope of sharing new life with the risen Lord.
We nurture our hope by being renewed in our experience of God’s deep love for us. Let us find Jesus drawing near to love us in prayer today. In being loved by Him, may our hearts rest in trust and hope.
Reflective question:
Do I believe that nothing, not even death, can separate us from Jesus?
Acknowledgment: Reflections are based on “Prayer for Living: The Word of God for Daily Prayer Year B” by Sr Maria Jose FMVD.
