Did Jesus Really Die?

A Reflection on the Gospel for May 29th, 2022:
​The Solemnity of the Ascension of the Lord

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Luke
24.44-53

​Jesus said to the disciples, “These are my words that I spoke to you while I was still with you — that everything written about me in the Law of Moses, the prophets, and the psalms must be fulfilled.” 

Then he opened their minds to understand the scriptures, and he said to them, “Thus it is written, that the Messiah is to suffer and to rise from the dead on the third day, and that repentance and forgiveness of sins is to be proclaimed in his name to all nations, beginning from Jerusalem. You are witnesses of these things. 

And see, I am sending upon you what my Father promised; so stay here in the city until you have been clothed with power from on high.”

Then he led them out as far as Bethany, and, lifting up his hands, he blessed them. While he was blessing them, he withdrew from them and was carried up into heaven. And they worshiped him, and returned to Jerusalem with great joy; and they were continually in the temple blessing God.

For the last year or so, since restrictions lifted, I have had the privilege of bringing our beautiful granddaughter to Mass every Sunday morning. I have been teaching her the rituals of the Catholic Mass, bit by bit: bow to the tabernacle, make the sign of the cross, say “Lord hear our prayer” (which she does VERY loudly – along with her trademark OH-MAN when we say Amen), offer a sign of peace, sing and dance if she wants as her Poppy plays praise and worship. She has made friends and has community in our parish. Most importantly, perhaps, we talk about Jesus. Because she is only 3½ , we started by explaining that Jesus is her friend, that He is everywhere, especially in her heart. She will, from time to time, clasp her heart and tell someone that she feels Jesus in her heart and that He is talking to her.


The other day, when the priest pointed to the cross where Jesus’ body hangs, she tugged on my sleeve and asked, “Nanny, did Jesus really die up there?” I took a breath inward, struck by the enormity of the question. How do I explain to this wee soul that yes, He did die up there but came back to life and then was taken up to eternal life with His Father? Thankfully, she has found a Bible story series that she loves to watch that gives a beautiful depiction of the empty tomb. Having reminded her of that story, I thought I was off the hook, until she asked me if He had taken His last breath, and what would happen to her when she took her last breath. Seated on my lap, staring straight into my eyes, she waited with expectancy for my answer. 


How do you answer a question like that from a little child of God?


Sunday’s Gospel does that for us. Yes, He died and rose again. He came back to open our minds to all that He had taught and all that was written and prophesied. So, I told her that He died so that the world could be good and have good – like her, and her parents, and Nanny and Poppy and, most importantly, love — and that, because of that, we could be happy. We could sing and dance here. Her Poppy reminded us that when we take our last breath, we can go to Heaven, just like Jesus did, and be with Him and His Father. She climbed off my lap. Mass ended, and she joyfully wandered around the church building, telling someone that they had “beautiful singing,” helping someone else to tidy up, and going about doing what 3½-year-old souls do when they are loved and secure. She had asked the hard question and was filled with joy.


Let us pray: Father God, grant me the innocence of a child. Help me to ask the hard questions and joyfully accept Your answers. May I continually be in the temple, blessing You. And, when I draw my last breath, may my life here on earth make me worthy of being taken up into Heaven where I will be with You for all eternity. Amen. 




​Sandy Graves

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