The resurrection of Jesus is the first step towards the resurrection of all of God's created universe. Jesus leads - into the cross, into death, into the tomb and then into the resurrection. In baptism, we were joined to this Jesus, this process and this promise....that where Jesus goes, we will go also. We too will live in and through the power of resurrection.
Now most of us focus on the heavenly portion of that scenario. So we will start there. In this week's gospel reading (Mt22.23-34) there are some folks who want to make Jesus look like a fool by setting up a crazy, complicated example of one woman and seven brothers. Who gets her in the resurrection? they ask.
The question reveals our inability to comprehend life that isn't life as we know it. We can't imagine what a resurrected life might involve, what we would do with all those empty hours, or even what we would look like. Many folks ask whether they will recognize their dear departed ones when they get to heaven. Will I be the age I am when I die? Will my dog go to heaven with me? I don't think we are being flip, I think we simply suffer from the limited imagination that comes with being human. The best heaven we can picture is the life that we know without all the bumps, sorrows, wounds and traffic jams.
Jesus says we will be like angels. Now, that might not prove much of an explanation for you, but the angels are the heavenly beings that live in the presence of God. Occasionally they carry a message to others (remember Mary's angel visitor). But they are there simply to be in the presence of God.
What more could we want? What could be better than that? We can't imagine that either. I am convinced that in that age we won't even remember what it was we thought we would be missing. All those things will be of the past, and of no concern in the present where we will be in the presence of God.
Really! How much better can it get?
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