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From: Revelation 11:4-12
The Death and Resurrection of the Two Witnesses (Continuation)
[9] For three days and a half men from the peoples and tribes and tongues and
nations gaze at their dead bodies and refuse to let them be placed in a tomb,
[10] and those who dwell on the earth will rejoice over them and make merry
and exchange presents, because these two prophets had been a torment to
those who dwell on the earth. [11] But after the three and a half days a breath
of life from God entered them, and they stood up on their feet, and great fear fell
on those who saw them. [12] Then they heard a loud voice from heaven saying
to them, “Come up hither!” And in the sight of their foes they went up to heaven
in a cloud.
*********************************************************************************************
Commentary:
3-6. The period of tribulation coincides with the length of time the two witnesses
prophesy. They call people to penance (symbolized by their use of sackcloth).
God protects them in a very special way; and yet he does not spare them death
or suffering; in the end, however, they will be glorified in heaven. In the Apoca-
lypse the identity of the two witnesses is not given; they are referred to as “olive
trees” — the same language as used of Zerubbabel, a prince of the line of David,
and Joshua, the high priest (cf. Zech 3:3-14). But they are assigned features of
Elijah, who brought about a drought (cf. 1 Kings 17:1-3; 18:1), and Moses, who
turned the Nile to blood (cf. Ex 7:14-16). The enemies of Elijah and Moses were
also devoured by fire from heaven (cf. 2 Kings 1 :10; Num 16:35). However, be-
cause the two witnesses testify to Jesus Christ and die martyrs, tradition identi-
fies them with St Peter and St Paul, who suffered martyrdom in Rome, the city
which the Book of Revelation later mentions symbolically. Some early commen-
tators (e.g. Ticonius and St Bede) saw the two witnesses as standing for the Old
and New Testaments; but this interpretation has had little following. St Jerome
(”Epist.” 59) says that they are Elijah and Enoch, and St Gregory the Great and
others give that interpretation (”Moralia”, 9, 4).
What St John is doing is using a theme which occurs fairly frequently in apoca-
lyptic writings where Elijah and Enoch or other combinations of prominent figures
are portrayed as opponents of antichrist. His two witnesses do have features of
Elijah and Moses, both of whom bore witness to Christ at the Transfiguration
(cf. Mt 17:1-8 and par.). However, the duration of the trial they undergo, and the
entire context of the passage, point rather to them standing for the prophetic
witness of the Church, symbolized by certain more outstanding witnesses, who
were present at the death of Christ, which took place in Jerusalem, and who were
also witnesses of his glorious resurrection. However, it is the entire Church, right
through the course of its history, that has been given the prophetic role of calling
men to repentance in the midst of harassment and hostility: “The holy People of
God shares also in Christ’s prophetic office: it spreads a broad and living witness
to him, especially by a life of faith and love and by offering to God a sacrifice of
praise, the fruit of lips praising his name (cf. Heb 13: 15)” (Vatican II, “Lumen
Gentium”, 12). “The Church announces the good tidings of salvation [...] , so that
all men may believe the one true God and Jesus Christ whom he has sent and
may be converted from their ways, doing penance (cf. Jn 17:3; Lk 24:27; Acts 2:
38)” (Vatican II, “Sacrosanctum Concilium”, 9).
7-10. The prophet Daniel used four beasts to symbolize the empires of the world
as enemies of the people of Israel. In the Apocalypse the beast stands for the
enemy of the Church and the enemy of God. Further on it will develop this theme
and link the beasts to the dragon or Satan (cf. 13:2), and describe their defeat by
Christ, the Lamb of God (cf. 14:1; 19:19-21).
The symbol of the beast is brought forward in this passage to show that there will
be a point, or various points, before the End when the forces of evil will apparent-
ly win victory. Martyrdom silences the voices of the witnesses of Jesus Christ
who preach repentance; many will rejoice over this and even deride those whose
words or actions they find uncomfortable, despite the fact that when a Christian
bears witness to the salvation that comes from Jesus he is motivated purely by
love. “Since Jesus, the Son of God, showed his love by laying down his life for us,
no one has greater love than he who lays down his life for him and for his brothers
(cf. 1 Jn 3:16; Jn 15:13). Some Christians have been called from the beginning,
and will always be called, to give this greatest testimony of love to all, especially
to persecutors. Martyrdom makes the disciple like his Master, who willingly ac-
cepted death for the salvation of the world, and through it he is conformed to Him
by the shedding of blood. Therefore the Church considers it the highest gift and
supreme test of love. And while it is given to few, all, however, must be prepared
to confess Christ before men and to follow him along the way of the cross amidst
the persecutions which the Church never lacks” (”Lumen Gentium”, 42).
“The great city”, whose name is not given, seems to be Jerusalem, which in Isai-
ah 1:10 is called Sodom because it has turned its back on God. However, when
the writer tells us that it is “allegorically called Sodom and Egypt, where their
Lord was crucified” (v. 8), we may take Jerusalem here to stand for any city or
even any nation where perversity holds sway (cf. Wis 19:14-17, which alludes to
Sodom and Egypt) and where Christians are persecuted and hunted down (cf.
Acts 9:5). Thus, St Jerome (”Epist.” 17) interpreted the names of Sodom and
Egypt as having a mystical or figurative meaning, referring to the entire world
seen as the city of the devil and of evildoers.
Further on, St John will identify the Rome of his time with this “great city” (cf.
17:9).
Evil will triumph for only a limited period. Its reign is fixed to last “three days and
a half”, to show its brevity and temporary character as compared with the one
thousand two hundred and sixty days (three years and a half) for which the pro-
phetic witness endures (cf. note on 11: 1-2).
11-13. Those who have given their lives to bear witness to Jesus will also,
through the power of the Holy Spirit, share in his resurrection and ascension into
heaven. The writer describes this by various references to the Old Testament, re-
ferences rich in meaning. The breath of life which causes the witnesses to stand
up, that is, to be resurrected, reveals the power of the Spirit of God, which is also
described by the prophet Ezekiel in his vision of the dry bones which become li-
ving warriors (cf. Ezek 37:1-14). The voice which calls them up to heaven reminds
us of what happened to Elijah at the end of his life (cf. 2 Kings 2:11), and to cer-
tain other Old Testament saints like Enoch (cf. Gen 5:24; Sir 44:16); according
to certain Jewish traditions (cf. Flavius Josephus, “Jewish Antiquities”, IV, 8, 48),
all of these men were carried up into heaven at the end of their days on earth.
The exaltation of the witnesses is in sharp contrast with the punishment meted
out to their enemies, a punishment designed to move men to conversion. The
earthquake indicates that the chastisement is sudden and unexpected; the num-
ber of those who die symbolizes a great crowd (thousands) embracing all types
(seven).
The prophecy of the two witnesses is a call to the Christian to bear witness to
Christ in the midst of persecution, even to the point of martyrdom. It makes it
quite clear that God does not abandon those who boldly take his side. If the pro-
phets of the Old Testament suffered martyrdom, the same will happen in the new,
only more so: the messianic times have begun, persecution will grow in strength,
but the end of the world is approaching.
*********************************************************************************************
Source: “The Navarre Bible: Text and Commentaries”. Biblical text from the
Revised Standard Version and New Vulgate. Commentaries by members of
the Faculty of Theology, University of Navarre, Spain.
Published by Four Courts Press, Kill Lane, Blackrock, Co. Dublin, Ireland, and
by Scepter Publishers in the United States.
From: Luke 20:27-40
The Resurrection of the Dead
[34] And Jesus said to them, “The sons of this age marry and are given in mar-
riage; [35] but those who are accounted worthy to attain to that age and to the
resurrection from the dead neither marry nor are given in marriage, [36] for they
cannot die any more, because they are equal to angels and are sons of God,
being sons of the resurrection. [37] But that the dead are raised, even Moses
showed, in the passage about the bush, where he calls the Lord the God of
Abraham and the God of Isaac and the God of Jacob. [38] Now He is not God
of the dead, but of the living; for all live to Him.” [39] And some of scribes ans-
wered, “Teacher, You have spoken well.” [40] For they no longer dared to ask
Him any question.
*********************************************************************************************
Commentary:
27-40. The Sadducees did not believe in the resurrection of the body or the im-
mortality of the soul. They came along to ask Jesus a question which is appa-
rently unanswerable. According to the Levirate law (cf. Deuteronomy 25:5ff), if
a man died without issue, his brother was duty bound to marry his widow to pro-
vide his brother with descendants. The consequences of this law would seem
to give rise to a ridiculous situation at the resurrection of the dead.
Our Lord replies by reaffirming that there will be a resurrection; and by explaining
the properties of those who have risen again, the Sadducees’ argument simply
evaporates. In this world people marry in order to continue the species: that is
the primary aim of marriage. After the resurrection there will be no more marriage
because people will not die anymore.
Quoting Sacred Scripture (Exodus 3:2, 6) our Lord shows the grave mistake the
Sadducees make, and He argues: God is not the God of the dead but of the li-
ving, that is to say, there exists a permanent relationship between God and Abra-
ham, Isaac and Jacob, who have been dead for years. Therefore, although these
just men have died as far as their bodies are concerned, they are alive, truly alive,
in God — their souls are immortal — and they are awaiting the resurrection of their
bodies.
See also the notes on Matthew 22:23-33 and Mark 12:18-27.
[The note on Matthew 22:23-33 states:
23-33. The Sadducees argue against belief in the resurrection of the dead on the
basis of the Levirate law, a Jewish law which laid down that when a married man
died without issue, one of his brothers, according to a fixed order, should marry
his widow and the first son of that union be given the dead man’s name. By out-
lining an extreme cases the Sadducees make the law and belief in resurrection
look ridiculous. In His reply, Jesus shows up the frivolity of their objections and
asserts the truth of the resurrection of the dead.]
[The note on Mark 12:18-27 states:
18-27. Before answering the difficulty proposed by the Sadducees, Jesus wants
to identify the source of the problem—man’s tendency to confine the greatness
of God inside a human framework through excessive reliance on reason, not gi-
ving due weight to divine Revelation and the power of God. A person can have dif-
ficulty with the truths of faith; this is not surprising, for these truths are above hu-
man reason. But it is ridiculous to try to find contradictions in the revealed word
of God; this only leads away from any solution of difficulty and may make it im-
possible to find one’s way back to God. We need to approach Sacred Scripture,
and, in general, the things of God, with the humility which faith demands. In the
passage about the burning bush, which Jesus quotes to the Sadducees, God
says this to Moses: “Put off your shoes from your feet, for the place on which
you stand is holy ground” (Exodus 3:5).]
*********************************************************************************************
Source: “The Navarre Bible: Text and Commentaries”. Biblical text from the
Revised Standard Version and New Vulgate. Commentaries by members of
the Faculty of Theology, University of Navarre, Spain.
Published by Four Courts Press, Kill Lane, Blackrock, Co. Dublin, Ireland, and
by Scepter Publishers in the United States.
Liturgical Colour: Green.
First reading |
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Apocalypse 11:4-12 © |
Responsorial Psalm |
---|
Psalm 143(144):1-2,9-10 © |
Gospel Acclamation | cf.Lk8:15 |
---|
Or | cf.2Tim1:10 |
---|
Gospel | Luke 20:27-40 © |
---|
Pray for Pope Francis.
Is This Bishop Right about the Rosary Conquering Boko Haram? [Catholic Caucus]
Why Boko Haram and ISIS Target Women
Report reveals scale of Boko Haram violence inflicted on Nigerian Catholics
Military evacuating girls, women rescued from Boko Haram
Echos of Lepanto Nigerian bishop says rosary will bring down Boko Harm
After vision of Christ, Nigerian bishop says rosary will bring down Boko Haram (Catholic Caucus)
Nigerian Bishop Says Christ Showed Him How to Beat Islamic Terror Group
We thank you, God our Father, for those who have responded to your call to priestly ministry.
Accept this prayer we offer on their behalf: Fill your priests with the sure knowledge of your love.
Open their hearts to the power and consolation of the Holy Spirit.
Lead them to new depths of union with your Son.
Increase in them profound faith in the Sacraments they celebrate as they nourish, strengthen and heal us.
Lord Jesus Christ, grant that these, your priests, may inspire us to strive for holiness by the power of their example, as men of prayer who ponder your word and follow your will.
O Mary, Mother of Christ and our mother, guard with your maternal care these chosen ones, so dear to the Heart of your Son.
Intercede for our priests, that offering the Sacrifice of your Son, they may be conformed more each day to the image of your Son, our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. Amen.
Saint John Vianney, universal patron of priests, pray for us and our priests
This icon shows Jesus Christ, our eternal high priest.
The gold pelican over His heart represents self-sacrifice.
The border contains an altar and grapevines, representing the Mass, and icons of Melchizedek and St. Jean-Baptiste Vianney.
Melchizedek: king of righteousness (left icon) was priest and king of Jerusalem. He blessed Abraham and has been considered an ideal priest-king.
St. Jean-Baptiste Vianney is the patron saint of parish priests.
Fatherhood and Mercy
Jubilee of Mercy: A Final Gift, Prophecies, End Times
Sharing God's Mercy with Our Children
Mercy Heals Fear to Trust
Jubilee of Mercy, But With the Confessionals Empty
If You Don't Know the Bad News, the Good News is No News -- A Meditation on the Coming Year of Mercy
Letter of His Holiness Pope Francis According to which an Indulgence is Granted...[Catholic Caucus]
POPE FRANCIS FOR YEAR OF MERCY GRANTS THAT SSPX PRIESTS CAN VALIDLY ABSOLVE!
MISERICORDIAE VULTUS: BULL OF INDICTION OF THE EXTRAORDINARY JUBILEE OF MERCY
Pope: Church Must Be 'Oasis of Mercy,' Not Severe Fortress
1. Sign of the Cross: In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.
2. The Apostles Creed: I BELIEVE in God, the Father almighty, Creator of heaven and earth, and in Jesus Christ, His only Son, our Lord, who was conceived by the Holy Spirit, born of the Virgin Mary, suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, died, and was buried. He descended into hell; on the third day he rose again from the dead; he ascended into heaven, and is seated at the right hand of God, the Father Almighty; from there He shall come to judge the living and the dead.
I believe in the Holy Spirit, the holy catholic Church, the communion of saints, the forgiveness of sins, the resurrection of the body, and the life everlasting. Amen.
3. The Lord's Prayer: OUR Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be Thy name. Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread and forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. Amen.
4. (3) Hail Mary: HAIL Mary, full of grace, the Lord is with thee. Blessed art thou amongst women and blessed is the fruit of thy womb, Jesus. Holy Mary, Mother of God, pray for us sinners, now, and in the hour of our death. Amen. (Three times)
5. Glory Be: GLORY be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit. As it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end. Amen.
6. Fatima Prayer: Oh, my Jesus, forgive us our sins, save us from the fires of hell, lead all souls to heaven, especially those in most need of your mercy.
Announce each mystery, then say 1 Our Father, 10 Hail Marys, 1 Glory Be and 1 Fatima prayer. Repeat the process with each mystery.
End with the Hail Holy Queen:
Hail, Holy Queen, Mother of Mercy, our life, our sweetness and our hope! To thee do we cry, poor banished children of Eve! To thee do we send up our sighs, mourning and weeping in this vale of tears! Turn then, most gracious advocate, thine eyes of mercy towards us; and after this, our exile, show unto us the blessed fruit of thy womb, Jesus!
O clement, O loving, O sweet Virgin Mary! Pray for us, O holy Mother of God, that we may be made worthy of the promises of Christ.
Final step -- The Sign of the Cross
The Mysteries of the Rosary By tradition, Catholics meditate on these Mysteries during prayers of the Rosary. The biblical references follow each of the Mysteries below.
The Joyful Mysteries
(Mondays and Saturdays)
1. The Annunciation (Luke 1:26-38) [Spiritual fruit - Humility]
2. The Visitation (Luke 1: 39-56) [Spiritual fruit - Love of Neighbor]
3. The Nativity (Luke 2:1-20) [Spiritual fruit - Poverty of Spirit]
4. The Presentation (Luke 2:21-38) [Spiritual fruit - Purity of mind & body]
5. The Finding of Jesus in the Temple (Luke 2:41-52) [Spiritual fruit - Obedience ]
St. Michael the Archangel
~ PRAYER ~
St. Michael, the Archangel, defend us in battle
Be our protection against the wickedness
and snares of the devil;
May God rebuke him, we humbly pray,
and do thou, O Prince of the heavenly host,
by the power of God,
Cast into hell Satan and all the evil spirits
who prowl through the world seeking the ruin of souls.
Amen
+
PLEASE JOIN US - Evening Prayer
Someone has said that if people really understood the full extent of the power we have available through prayer, we might be speechless.
Did you know that during WWII there was an advisor to Churchill who organized a group of people who dropped what they were doing every day at a prescribed hour for one minute to collectively pray for the safety of England, its people and peace?
There is now a group of people organizing the same thing here in America. If you would like to participate: Every evening at 9:00 PM Eastern Time (8:00 PM Central) (7:00 PM Mountain) (6:00 PM Pacific), stop whatever you are doing and spend one minute praying for the safety of the United States, our troops, our citizens, and for a return to a Godly nation. If you know anyone else who would like to participate, please pass this along. Our prayers are the most powerful asset we have. Please forward this to your praying friends.
(For if he had not hoped that they that were slain should rise again, it would have seemed superfluous and vain to pray for the dead,) And because he considered that they who had fallen asleep with godliness, had great grace laid up for them. It is therefore a holy and wholesome thought to pray for the dead, that they may be loosed from sins." II Maccabees 12
Since the 16th century Catholic piety has assigned entire months to special devotions. As a reminder of our duty to pray for the suffering faithful in Purgatory, the Church has dedicated the month of November to the Holy Souls. The Holy Souls are those who have died in the state of grace but who are not yet free from all punishment due to their unforgiven venial sins and all other sins already forgiven for which satisfaction is still to be made. They are certain of entering Heaven, but first they must suffer in Purgatory. The Holy Souls cannot help themselves because for them the night has come, when no man can work (John 9:4). It is our great privilege of brotherhood that we can shorten their time of separation from God by our prayers, good works, and, especially, the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass.
To Help the Holy Souls in Purgatory:
1. Have the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass offered up for them.
2. Pray the Rosary and or the Chaplet of Divine Marcy for them, or both.
3. Pray the Stations of the Cross.
4. Offer up little sacrifices and fasting.
5. Spread devotion to them, so that others may pray for them.
6. Attend Eucharistic Adoration and pray for them.
7. Gain all the indulgences you can, and apply them to the Holy Souls
8. Visit to a Cemetery
The just shall be in everlasting remembrance;
He shall not fear the evil hearing.
V. Absolve, O Lord, the souls of the faithful departed
from every bond of sin,
R. And by the help of Thy grace
may they be enabled to escape the avenging judgment,
and to enjoy the happiness of eternal life.
Because in Thy mercy are deposited the souls that departed
in an inferior degree of grace,
Lord, have mercy.
Because their present suffering is greatest
in the knowledge of the pain that their separation from Thee is causing Thee,
Lord, have mercy.
Because of their present inability to add to Thy accidental glory,
Lord, have mercy.
Not for our consolation, O Lord;
not for their release from purgative pain, O God;
but for Thy joy
and the greater accidental honour of Thy throne, O Christ the King,
Lord, have mercy.
For the souls of our departed friends, relations and benefactors,
grant light and peace, O Lord.
For those of our family who have fallen asleep in Thy bosom, O Jesus,
grant light and peace, O Lord.
For those who have gone to prepare our place,
grant light and peace, O Lord.
(For those who were our brothers [or sisters] in Religion,)
grant light and peace, O Lord.
For priests who were our spiritual directors,
grant light and peace, O Lord.
For men or women who were our teachers in school,
grant light and peace, O Lord.
For those who were our employers (or employees),
grant light and peace, O Lord.
For those who were our associates in daily toil,
grant light and peace, O Lord.
For any soul whom we ever offended,
grant light and peace, O Lord.
For our enemies now departed,
grant light and peace, O Lord.
For those souls who have none to pray for them,
grant light and peace, O Lord.
For those forgotten by their friends and kin,
grant light and peace, O Lord.
For those now suffering the most,
grant light and peace, O Lord.
For those who have acquired the most merit,
grant light and peace, O Lord.
For the souls next to be released from Purgatory,
grant light and peace, O Lord.
For those who, while on earth,
were most devoted to God the Holy Ghost,
to Jesus in the Most Blessed Sacrament,
to the holy Mother of God,
grant light and peace, O Lord.
For all deceased popes and prelates,
grant light and peace, O Lord.
For all deceased priests, seminarians and religious,
grant light and peace, O Lord.
For all our brethren in the Faith everywhere,
grant light and peace, O Lord.
For all our separated brethren who deeply loved Thee,
and would have come into Thy household had they known the truth,
grant light and peace, O Lord.
For those souls who need, or in life asked, our prayers,
grant light and peace, O Lord.
For those, closer to Thee than we are, whose prayers we need,
grant light and peace, O Lord.
That those may be happy with Thee forever,
who on earth were true exemplars of the Catholic Faith,
grant them eternal rest, O Lord.
That those may be admitted to Thine unveiled Presence,
who as far as we know never committed mortal sin,
grant them eternal rest, O Lord.
That those may be housed in glory,
who lived always in recollection and prayer,
grant them eternal rest, O Lord.
That those may be given the celestial joy of beholding Thee,
who lived lives of mortification and self-denial and penance,
grant them eternal rest, O Lord.
That those may be flooded with Thy love,
who denied themselves even Thy favours of indulgence
and who made the heroic act
for the souls who had gone before them,
grant them eternal rest, O Lord.
That those may be drawn up to the Beatific Vision,
who never put obstacles in the way of sanctifying grace
and who ever drew closer in mystical union with Thee,
grant them eternal rest, O Lord.
V. Eternal rest give unto them, O Lord,
R. And let perpetual light shine upon them.
Let Us Pray
Be mindful, O Lord,
of Thy servants and handmaids,
N. and N.,
who are gone before us
with the sign of faith
and repose in the sleep of grace.
To these, O Lord,
and to all who rest in Christ,
grant, we beseech Thee,
a place of refreshment,
light and peace,
through the same Christ Our Lord.
Amen
Bringing back the dead
Catholic style
All Souls, Purgatory and the Bible
Letter #95: Remembering the Dead
Hungry Souls (a bit of a [Book] review) Catholic/Orthodox Caucus
What Is All Souls Day (Commemoration of the Faithful Departed)?
All Saints or All Souls? Differences should be black and white
All Souls' Day [Catholic Caucus]
Why I Am Catholic: For Purgatory, Thank Heavens (Ecumenical)
Q and A: Why Pray for the Dead? [Ecumenical]
“….and Death is Gain” – A Meditation on the Christian View of Death [Catholic Caucus]
99 & 1/2 Won’t Do – A Meditation on Purgatory
The Month of November: Thoughts on the "Last Things"
To Trace All Souls Day
November 2 -- All Souls Day
On November: All Souls and the "Permanent Things"
"From the Pastor" ALL SAINTS & ALL SOULS
Praying for the Dead [All Souls Day] (Catholic/Orthodox Caucus)
To Trace All Souls Day [Ecumenical]
All Souls Day [Catholic/Orthodox Caucus]
The Roots of All Souls Day
The Commemoration of all the Faithful Departed (All Souls)
During Month of Souls, Recall Mystic, St. Gertrude the Great
All Saints and All Souls
"They are the children of God because they are the ones who will rise"
As a sacrament born from the mystery of Redemption and, in a certain sense, reborn from the nuptial love between Christ and the Church (cf. Eph 5,22-23), marriage is an efficacious expression of God's saving power, bringing to realization his eternal design even after sin and in spite of the concupiscence that is hidden in the hearts of every human being, both man and woman... As a sacrament of the Church, marriage is by nature indissoluble. As a sacrament of the Church it is also a word spoken by the Spirit, who exhorts man and woman to shape their whole life together by drawing strength from the mystery of the redemption of the body... The redemption of the body means... that hope which, in the context of marriage, can be defined as hope in daily life, hope in what is temporal...
The dignity of married couples... is expressed in their profound awareness of the sanctity of life, to which both contribute by participating as co-founders of a family in the forces belonging to the mystery of creation. In the light of this hope, which is linked to the mystery of the redemption of the body, this new human life, the child conceived and born of the conjugal union of its father and mother, opens itself to the «firstfruits of the Spirit» «to enter into the freedom of the glory of the children of God». And if «all creation is groaning in labor pains even until now», a special hope accompanies the woman in the pains of childbirth, namely the hope of «the revelation of the children of God» (cf. Rm 8,19-23), a hope of which every newborn child carries a spark when it comes into the world... This is what Christ's words refer to when he called attention to the resurrection of the body... «They are children of God, being children of the resurrection.
St. Thalassios the Libyan
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