A Word about the Hope of the Resurrection

The work “The Sermon on the Hope of the Resurrection” (378 or 379) refers to the funeral words that St. Ambrose of Milan dedicated to his beloved elder brother Satyr. The saint seeks consolation in the Christian faith in the resurrection of the dead and eternal life. The words were spoken at the grave of the late brother 7 days after the funeral. The saint says that a Christian should not cry or indulge in excessive sorrow, for the soul moves from earthly things to those above. In this case, the sermon is presented in an abbreviated version. We do not respect the memory of those whose loss we regret: for we would rather consign them to oblivion than to be comforted; We would rather remember with horror and sighing than with pleasantness and pleasure. When we strive to remember those whose imagination should be delightful, we thereby prove that we despair more than we are trustworthy about the deeds of the dead, and, as it were, we consider them condemned rather than having transcended to immortality. But, you say, we have lost those we loved. Isn’t this something we have in common with the world itself and the elements, for we cannot hold on to what is entrusted for a time forever. The sky itself does not always shine with shining stars, with which it is decorated, as it were, with some kind of crowns. It does not always shine with the rising light and turn purple with the rays of the sun, but this pleasant face of the world is certainly covered with the darkness of the night. What's nicer than light? What's nicer than the sun? But although they hide from our eyes every day, we do not regret their disappearance, for we hope for their return. This teaches you to have patience in your own changes. When you do not mourn the loss of those above, why do you mourn about human deprivation? However, let regret be dissolved by patience; moderation should be maintained in misfortune, as well as in happiness. When it is absurd to rejoice immensely, is it proper to cry immensely? So, there is no reason to fear death and sympathize with it, when life, taken from nature, is returned to it, or is assigned to a position to which faith and virtue are due: for no one wished for himself that he would remain like this. They said about John that he was promised immortality, but this was not given to him. We understand words, but we form opinions from them ourselves. John himself admits that he was not promised not to die, so that this example would not lead others to vain hope. When it is a permissible hope to desire one thing, how much more daring is it to immensely regret an ordinary adventure. The hope of the resurrection is confirmed by the universal example and testimony of the event: for many were resurrected. Reason: for since our whole life consists in the community of body and soul, the resurrection will be a reward for good deeds, or execution for the wicked, then it is necessary to resurrect the body, whose deeds will be judged together. And how can a soul appear in court without a body, when it must give an answer for itself and for the body? The Resurrection is promised to everyone, but it is difficult to believe in it, because it is not our merit, but it is God’s gift. The hope of resurrection is affirmed by the world itself, the state of things, the order of births one after another, the signs of birth and death, the change of day and night, which follow each other every day. The earth itself could not bear its fruits if the moisture removed by the heat of the sun, by Divine decree, were not restored by night dew. What can I say about the fruits? Don't they die when they fall, and don't they resurrect when they increase? What is sown is resurrected, and what is dead is raised and transformed into the same genera and species. As the earth returns its fruits, so our nature imitates the same kind of resurrection. Why do you doubt that a body cannot be resurrected from a body? A grain is sown, and a grain is raised, an apple falls, and the apple is resurrected, the grain is decorated with color and clothed with skin: “It is fitting for this corruptible to put on incorruption, and for this dead thing to put on immortality” (1 Cor. 15:53). The color of resurrection is immortality and incorruptibility, for what could be more desirable than eternal peace and security? These fruits are manifold, with which human nature abounds after death. Stop doubting that faith entrusts the pledge of the human race to the earth, which returns the seeds entrusted to itself in abundance, and the pledge also will not keep the human race. Trees grow from the seed planted, and resurrect rotten fruits with their revived fertility, giving them their former appearance, and this rebirth continues for many years, conquering centuries in its longevity. A berry rots, a branch rises, a branch is planted, a tree is born. Or does Divine Providence concern only the restoration of trees, while there is no concern for people? When God does not allow what He has given for human use to perish, will He allow man created in His image to perish? It doesn’t seem incredible to you that the dead come to life. Madness, even if you don’t come to life, if you don’t die, every dry fruit sown rises to life. Who will doubt, reading these words in Daniel the prophet: “And at that time all your people who are found in the books below will be saved, and many from those who sleep in the dust of the earth will arise, these to eternal life, and these to reproach and eternal shame” (Dan. 12 et seq.). “And those who understand will be enlightened, like the lordship of the firmament, and from the righteous many, like the stars forever.” The prophet said a lot: “Many are from those who sleep,” so that through this you would know that death is not eternal, but is likened to sleep for a certain time. Through this it is also shown that the future life after death is better than the one that we experience before death in sorrows and illnesses, for that one is compared with the stars, and this one is connected with sorrows and sorrows. The Lord shows you in the Gospel how we will be resurrected, for He did not resurrect Lazarus alone, but the faith of all. When you believe while reading, then your thought, which was dead, comes to life in Lazarus. That the Lord, coming to the tomb, cried out in a great voice: “Lazarus, come out!” , He did this in order to show the image and example of the future resurrection. Why did he cry out with his voice, when he could have acted in spirit, when he could have commanded silently? Of course, in order to show what is written: soon, in the twinkling of an eye, in the last work: the trumpet will sound, and the dead will rise incorruptible. The trumpet makes its sound from the raising of the voice. And he cried out: “Lazarus, get out!” Why is the name also given? Of course, so that one risen would not be mistaken for another, or the resurrection would not seem accidental, and did not happen by command. When this is surprising to you, then find out who commanded this, so that you can stop being surprised. Jesus Christ, God's power, life, light, resurrection of the dead: power raised up those who were lying down, life gave them walking, light drove away darkness, restored sight, and resurrection gave life. But Jesus Christ showed more than just this example: He also resurrected others, so that, seeing numerous examples, we would believe. He resurrected the young man, convinced by the cry of his widowed mother: “I touched the attack in his bed and said: young man, I say to you, arise. And he sat dead, and began to speak” (Luke 7:14–15). As soon as he heard it, he immediately sat down and began to speak, as if there is a different power of grace and a different order of nature. Of course, his soul from his earthly body will move to the highest, and will sing praises to the Lord, as we read in the Apocalypse: “Great and wondrous are Thy works, O Lord God Almighty: righteous and true are Thy ways, the King of saints: whoever will not fear Thee, O Lord, and glorify Thy name, for Thou alone art holy: for all the nations shall come, and They will bow down before You” (Rev. 15:3–4). You might be interested in: