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If there hadn't been a Resurrection
Lecture by H.H.Pope
Shenouda III To realize the importance of the Resurrection and its necessity, we've got to imagine this question: what would have happened if there hadn't been a Resurrection? And view its dangerous consequences…! 1. Hadn't the Resurrection taken place, human's destiny would have been to perish. And human would have turned like the animal which die and perishes entirely, never coming back to existence. Hence we ask: what then is the feature which characterizes this rational articulate human being, whom God has gifted him with science, with a talent of thinking and inventing, gifted him with the ability of manufacturing spacecrafts, which take him to the Moon and to Mars, those Aircrafts through which he can circulate round the earth and return safely back to it with photos and knowledge…this human who invented other amazing things as computer, fax, mobile phone and others… Is it rationally acceptable that this amazing human, whom God had given him dominance over various aspects of nature, his body couldn't have the same destiny as of an animal or an insect or as of some pests?! A mind can't believe this…! Otherwise, why God had created human with such consciousness and granted him all those talents?! Human is the only one whom God had confined to him the inspiration, sent him the prophets and made miracles with him…why God had done this if his destiny would have been only to perish, to a handful of dust!! V V V V V It does not also accord with God's promises of eternal life and heaven…! If there hadn't been a Resurrection; human's body wouldn't have been differentiated from other creatures which posses bodies while, as granted by God, he can dominate over them all, can care for some if he wants, and can control other creatures with this right of dominance and utilization… Hadn't the Resurrection taken place, and if the destiny of human's body had been as those of the irrational creatures, then the dignity of this human, the master whom God had given him power over other creatures, would have been lost …! V V V V V If there hadn't been a Resurrection, the conscious' responsibility and the fear of the last account which is to be given, would have then been lost. It is well known that when human rises from the dead, he stands in front of the Just God to give an account of all what he had done by the body whether good or evil, not only an account of his deeds but also of his intentions, thoughts and on his inner feelings… And as long as man will rise, so he lives the life of circumspect and attention, the life of righteousness and virtue, by which he stands fearless in front of God on the day of judgment and in front of people with no shame. If there hadn't been a Resurrection, an account which is to be given and if there hadn't been any fear or shame…then as they say "he who doesn't feel shame, then let him do whatever he wants"!! Hadn't the Resurrection taken place, corruption would have spread, and also would have the Epicureanism that says "let's eat and drink, as tomorrow we shall die"! Then people would have thrown themselves on pleasures and desires of life, endeavoring vigorously and eagerly towards materialism...! If there hadn't been a Resurrection, the law of jungles would then have prevailed, people would have devoured each other, and the powerful would have monopolized the weak, injustice and cruelty would have also prevailed…! Principles and morals would have then been lost and became, to a great extent, of less importance and would have possessed less influence …! V V V V V If there hadn't been a Resurrection, death would have become then frightful, courage and sacrifice would have disappeared!! At the time being, the courageous are not afraid of death in the hope of the Resurrection. Martyrs un frightfully proceed towards death, as they know that death is not the end of their lives, they rather see it as an open door to a life in eternity that never ends… Likewise anyone who dies, he has consolation in the other life. That is how he can accept death without panic. On the other side, if there hadn't been a Resurrection and a life after death, it would have been frightful as, then, death would have represented an end and a catastrophe. That was what happened to the atheists and to the cults which denied the Resurrection and the spirit, like the Sadducees for example. V V V V V If there hadn't been a Resurrection, then the death of our beloved friends and relatives would have then been a cause of deep sorrow for us for which we wouldn't have had consolation. Our consolation in the death of whom we love, is that we will see them in the other world, we say in our prayers "for there is no death for your servants, but a departure", and we, for that reason, commemorate those who departed in many occasions, and believe that they will rise in the last day and that we will see them, so our relationship with them will continue. The same goes for whomever we admire, of the talented people and of the celebrities whom we lived in their time and whom we do appreciate them in our hearts…if there hadn't been a Resurrection, we would have then grieved so much for the loss of the history which we lived and heard of, and we would have been disconnected from this history…! Having faith in the Resurrection had given much hope to humanity than that; as we will not only meet with the beloved and with friends but also with all generations… People in heaven meet with our father Adam, Noah, Abraham and the rest of the prophets and all the righteous in all generations…all those generations will meet there in the Resurrection. And if there hadn't been a Resurrection, there would haven't been then such a joyous meeting, and people would have lived then in a finite generation, during a finite time beyond which they don't go…and our relation with the righteous and their intercession would have been disconnected. V V V V V If there hadn't been a Resurrection, then there wouldn't have been a connection between us and heaven with its inhabitants… Heaven is the place where Angels inhabit, it is the Throne of God…in which we have hope in the Resurrection and in the other life, and it is where we live after the Resurrection. If there hadn't been a Resurrection, we would have then been deprived of heaven, Angels and all the Celestial Hierarchy; hence our talk about all of them would have been only theoretical, and so would have been our talk about the Eternal Joy, and about what the eye has not seen, nor ear heard, nor have entered into the heart of man …would that also be like dreams or illusions?! And if there hadn't been a Resurrection or Heaven, so what does it mean that the righteous, with their good work, they save treasures in heaven preserved for them till they reach there?! V V V V V And if there hadn't been a Resurrection, we would have been then deprived of the ideal life which is in eternity, we would have been deprived of the spiritual atmosphere there: where there is no sin, no corruption, no conspiracies and divisions and nothing of the mistakes which are found in our life…also where there is no fatigue, no distress, no illness, no grief and no tears…in heaven there is only the atmosphere of peace, intimacy and love. This is what we desire, hope for and dream of seeing in the other world…so, would we have been deprived of all this?! Could we have been deprived of the life of homogeneity which is in the other world, where the whole humanity is together with all its races having one language, who understand each other spontaneously without the need of a translator...where they all have the same perception and the same concepts…where tongues and languages, which distinguish a group from another, are put out of action…! Would we have been deprived of all that, if there hadn't been a Resurrection?! V V V V V If there hadn't been a Resurrection, then there wouldn't have been a compensation for those who lived a painful or miserable life on earth! Of those, we remember the handicapped as the crippled and the paralyzed, the deaf-mute and those who have painful chronic diseases, those who were hoping for a life after death, when God will there save them from their deformities and from their physical and psychological pains. Would those have lost hope if there hadn't been a Resurrection…! And would the blind have then also lived on earth without any hope that God will give them back their eye sight in another life, if there hadn't been a Resurrection! Would those who lived in poverty and in need, in low jobs, whom were servants or slaves to others, or whom suffered of cruelty from those who worked for…who suffered from injustice, disgrace, who were homeless or captured…and others, wouldn't those have hope at all that God would rehabilitate them in the other world, if there hadn't been a Resurrection and another world!! If the Resurrection didn't exist, then frustration and despair would occur in all those examples of people, and if there hadn't been justice and equality in this life on earth, then how there wouldn't have been a kind of compensation after death?! V V V V V If there hadn't been a Resurrection, then there wouldn't have been a reward for the righteous who struggled for the sake of the life of virtue on earth. Those who did the good work in secret, and deprived themselves due to their devotion to the virtue of giving, and struggled for the sake of keeping themselves back of every temptation…those who persisted, with much care, in praying and in fastening. Some of them lived in asceticism and devoutness, resisting the pleasures of life for the sake of the pleasures of spirit which they will enjoy in heaven. They lived a life of endurance, patience, self control and struggle against lusts… Wouldn't all those have a reward in another life, a credit from God for all their effort and spiritual struggle on earth?! Would they be equal to the evil ones who violated, exerted themselves on lusts and lived corruptly in their life on earth without any penalty, would this have then happened as long as death had equalized between all, and no Resurrection!! What justice could this be?! Would the righteous say to themselves then: the Prophets had deceived us by their talk about Heaven and Hell, about reward and penalty!! Far be it from God that this could happen, that the righteous could be equalized with the sinner, and that the reward of whoever did a good work would be lost…! V V V V V If there hadn't been a Resurrection, wouldn't then this have been against the faith!! And also against God's promises! Against the Divine Inspiration! Against the call for giving and self sacrifice! Against all what we have learnt about Heaven, Eternity, about Joy and about Hell! It would have been then against the connection between the inhabitants of Heaven and those of earth! Then there should be a Resurrection, an account to be given, there should also be a reward and a penalty…religion requires so, and so does the mind and the logic, we've got to believe that… V V V V V As long as the Resurrection is a dogma and a necessity, we have to be prepared for it… Knowing that our life on earth, how long would it become, it is immeasurable compared to the eternal life which has no end, which is the true destiny of all of us… Let's get ready for eternity by doing good work everywhere, with everyone. As for every good deed here, we will get a reward there in heaven and many times more. Let's remove our foot from evil and every form of evil. As sin sets us apart from God and his Angels, from heaven and all its inhabitants it sets us apart from the souls of the righteous… Let's rejoice that God had prepared for us a life after death, where our existence is continued beyond this finite life on earth which is full of trouble and anguish… V V V V V |
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