tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13804788.post112994671729003205..comments2024-03-27T11:27:31.790-05:00Comments on A Catholic Life: Are Saints Alive?Matthewhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07929374709032473716noreply@blogger.comBlogger4125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13804788.post-1161034700076046252006-10-16T16:38:00.000-05:002006-10-16T16:38:00.000-05:00Scripture tells us very early on what happens at d...Scripture tells us very early on what happens at death. Adam was told by God that if he disobeyed the commandment he had received, he would die. He did disobey, and this is the judgement which was pronounced upon him:<BR/><BR/><I>"...in the sweat of thy face shalt thou eat bread, till thou return unto the ground; for out of it wast thou taken: for dust thou art and unto dust shalt thou return"</I> (3:19).<BR/><BR/>The record is devastatingly simple: death is not a door opening to a new life--it is a judgement for disobedience, one which we all must suffer. Man returns to the ground. So in the Genesis record of the Flood, when "the earth was corrupt before God and filled with violence...for all flesh had corrupted his (God's) way upon the earth" (6:11-1 2), the waters of judgement came, and men and animals perished in the same way:<BR/><BR/><I>"All flesh died that moved upon the earth, both of fowl, of cattle, of beast...and every man; all in whose nostrils was the breath of life...died"</I> (7:21-22).<BR/><BR/>The Bible frequently compares the nature of man to that of the animals. The Psalmist declares, speaking of both:<BR/><BR/><I>"Thou (God) takest away their breath, they die, and return to their dust"</I> (104:29).<BR/><BR/>The writer of Ecclesiastes is quite categorical: he desires men to see <I>"that they themselves are beasts. For that which befalleth the sons of men befalleth beasts; even one thing befalleth them: as the one dieth, so dieth the other; yea, they have all one breath...<B>All go unto one place: all are of the dust and all turn to dust again"</B></I> (3:19-21).<BR/><BR/>Men and animals have by nature the same fate: they all return to the ground. Some may object that the next verse gives a different sense, but all modern versions put it thus: <I>"Who knows whether the spirit of man goes upward and the spirit of the beast goes downward to the earth?"</I> (v.22).<BR/><BR/>That is, who can tell whether there is any difference? Incidentally, the word translated "spirit" here is the very same as is rendered "breath" in v.1 9; which shows that "spirit" here is the life resulting from breathing. It ceases when breathing stops.<BR/><BR/>So the "soul" can die. <I>"He (God) spared not their soul from death"</I>; and then immediately: <I>"and gave their life over to the pestilence"</I> (Psalm 78:50), showing that the soul and the life are the same thing.<BR/><BR/>Twice God declares through Ezekiel: <I>"The soul that sinneth, it shall die"</I> (Ezek. 18:3,20).<BR/><BR/>The soul then, is the person, the living being. When he perishes, the soul, or life, perishes with him.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13804788.post-1130121863360761032005-10-23T21:44:00.000-05:002005-10-23T21:44:00.000-05:00I forgot who told me this (I attended a lot of sem...I forgot who told me this (I attended a lot of seminars and talks), but I find this really meaningful and all of us Christians should think about it. <BR/><BR/>'Only Saints can meet God in His Kingdom. Don't you want to become a saint? If you want to enter Heaven, then be a saint.'Audrey Yuhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08281880010379421725noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13804788.post-1130013402855593132005-10-22T15:36:00.000-05:002005-10-22T15:36:00.000-05:00The term "alive" doesn't seem to fit life in heave...The term "alive" doesn't seem to fit life in heaven since it lands on me as such a physical attribute. However, I just looked the definition and part of it is continued existence and also being responsive. I ofen feel as if I'm in union with the saints, who help me and guide me. I'm so happy to be able to be in communion with the saints.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13804788.post-1129980828238122502005-10-22T06:33:00.000-05:002005-10-22T06:33:00.000-05:00I recall it was St. Therese to paraphrase that she...I recall it was St. Therese to paraphrase that she would do more work in Heaven than on earth.<BR/><BR/>I think the little flower got it right, St. Therese a most powerful Saint of the Church.<BR/><BR/>I loved this piece...<BR/><BR/>Peace of Christ to you:)<BR/><BR/>MarieAnonymousnoreply@blogger.com