Canonizations and Belief in the Resurrection

In an earlier post, we were reflecting on the Risen Christ and the consequent belief in the resurrection of the body for us.  The recent canonizations of Popes John XXIII and John Paul II demonstrate the belief in the resurrection of the dead very concretely.  This was no more highlighted than in the words of the opposing author, Simon Jenkins in his post on April 28, 2014 in "The Guardian" when he brought into concern the events, saying, "Of all Catholic rituals, sanctification drips with medieval nonsense."

I am reminded of an unauthorized litany of the saints that we used to sing the beginning of each November to remember those who had died.  Inserted into the litany were the names of those parishioners who had died in the previous year.  We sang asking that these individuals pray for us.  I remember being annoyed at the innovation.  After all, we as Catholics still believed in purgatory and the necessity, out of charity, of praying for those who had died.  Thus, it seemed unnatural to sing asking these ordinary people to pray for us.

As they say, choose your battles and this was not a battle I wished to fight, so I let it go.  Over the years, though, the litany of names so close to me, of real individuals who I had known or that I at least knew others who knew them, began to seep into my consciousness.  The very discombobulating action of the reversal in singing caused me to become acutely aware of the meaning of what I was singing.  If these people can pray for me, then they must be fully alive with God in heaven.  They have risen with Christ.

The very public canonizations of the two Popes declare the same bold faith.  With, in, and by Christ, the dead have been raised to live forever.  Our good opponents suspect as much and I do believe they suspect correctly.