(2Mac.7:1-2,9-14; Ps.17:1,5-6,8,15; 2Thes.2:16-3:5; Lk.20:27-38) "On waking I shall be content in your presence." Our hope is in the resurrection, brothers and sisters. It is this which gives us strength, and it is our endurance which brings us to His presence. Brothers and sisters, indeed, as Paul wishes us, we have "everlasting encouragement and good hope" through the grace of our Lord. He strengthens our hearts "in every good deed and word" and guards us "from the evil one." Thus our hearts should be directed "to the love of God and to the endurance of Christ." We have as our example today these seven brothers spoken of in the Second Book of Maccabees, who showed the endurance of Christ and their faith in the resurrection to life despite the severity of their torture at the hands of the wicked of this world – and all this before the coming of Christ into the world and the great graces He has since imparted to His Church. If they could die so for the law alone, to what deeds should we not be able to attain? If in the presence of their torturers they could state with such confidence, "The King of the world will raise us up to live again forever," what should we not be able to declare in the name of Him who has now been raised from the dead and ascended to glory? If they were so well able to regard their suffering "as nothing," how much easier should be our own sacrifice, we who stand "in the shadow" of His cross and have His wounds in which to take refuge? Indeed, such greater reason have we to hold to "the hope God gives of being raised up by Him." "That the dead will rise" there should be no doubt in our hearts. The fact that "to Him all are alive" should be firmly fixed as a peg in the deepest recesses of our souls. Certainly, this is who we are, children of the resurrection, with the calling to come to Christ, He who has been raised to life. I pray we shall all be "deemed worthy to attain to the coming age and to the resurrection of the dead." Children of God, may we be like angels in His presence when we rise. May our minds not be darkened by the night upon this earth, but let our hope be fixed on the coming morning and our faith strengthen us to endure until we stand with Him on that new day. Written, read & chanted, and produced by James Kurt. Music: "Too Good for This World" from Remove the Mask of Lies, second album of Songs for Children of Light, by James Kurt. ******* O LORD, give us the courage to believe we shall rise with your Son. YHWH, keep us steadfast in your paths that soon we might come to your heavenly kingdom; let us be ready to die for you, that we might be raised to glory. If the seven brothers spoken of in Maccabees could so readily give their lives, could so courageously face the cruel torture imposed upon them by the devil, what faith should we not have, dear LORD, we who have your only Son now at our side and your Holy Spirit to open our eyes? Do we not even now look upon your face; are the glimpses we gain today not so much greater than then? How strong we should be in walking your way, LORD, we to whom the resurrection has been spoken of so clearly. We whom your Son has told in no uncertain terms that the just shall rise from the dead and be like the angels of Heaven should have no doubt remaining in our hearts and no fear of proclaiming Jesus as God. O help us to endure with joy even to the Day of His coming!