2 Maccabees 7:7-12: a reflection

7And when the first had died like this, they brought the second to the mocking; and they pulled off the skin of his head with the hair and asked him, “Will you eat, before your body is punished in every limb?” 8But he answered in the language of his ancestors and said to them, “No.” Therefore he also underwent the next torture in succession, as the first had done. 9When he was at the last gasp, he said, “You, miscreant, release us out of this present life, but the King of the world will raise us who have died for his laws up to an everlasting renewal of life.” 10After him, the third was made a victim of their mocking. When he was required, he quickly put out his tongue, and stretched out his hands courageously, 11and nobly said, “I got these from heaven. For his laws’ sake I treat these with contempt. From him, I hope to receive these back again.” 12As a result, the king himself and those who were with him were astonished at the young man’s soul, for he regarded the pains as nothing.

In the account of the brothers who suffered rather than betray their faith, what strengthened them to endure even death was a firm hope in the resurrection. As one of them faced his end, he declared to his persecutor: You release us out of this present life, but the King of the world will raise us who have died for his laws up to an everlasting renewal of life. And another, stretching out his hands, said he had received them from heaven and hoped to receive them back again. Their hope in the resurrection, in God's power to raise them and restore even what was taken from them, gave them courage to endure. Because they believed God would raise them to everlasting life, they could face death without betraying their faith. The hope of resurrection sustained them, enabling them to endure, trusting God to give back even what was taken. Resurrection hope gave the faithful courage to endure even death. The hope that God will raise us sustains the faithful through the worst. Trusting God to raise them up, they could endure. The hope of resurrection is strength to endure.

Notice what sustained these brothers: the hope of resurrection. Facing death, they did not despair or betray their faith to save their lives; they endured, strengthened by the confidence that God would raise them to everlasting life. The King of the world will raise us up, one said; I hope to receive these back again, said another. Their hope was not merely that they would survive, but that even if they died, God would raise them, restore them, give back even what had been taken. This resurrection hope gave them courage to endure what they could not otherwise have borne. This shows the strength that the hope of resurrection gives: it enables the faithful to endure even death, even the loss of all, because they trust that God will raise them to everlasting life and restore what was lost. The hope that this life is not all, that God will raise the dead, changes what we can endure; it gives courage in the face of death and loss. To hope in the resurrection is to have a strength to endure that those without such hope do not have. Resurrection hope sustains the faithful through suffering and death. The hope that God will raise us gives courage to endure. Trusting in the resurrection, the faithful can bear even the worst.

That is worth resting in, for the hope of resurrection gives the faithful strength to endure even suffering and death, trusting God to raise them up. When we face suffering, loss, even death, we can be tempted to despair, as though this life were all; but the brothers endured even death, sustained by the hope that God would raise them to everlasting life and restore what was taken. The hope of resurrection gives a strength to endure that nothing else can. When you face suffering or the fear of death, remember the hope of resurrection, that God will raise his own to everlasting life. Rest in the hope of resurrection, that God will raise the faithful to everlasting life and restore even what was taken from them, a hope that gave the brothers courage to endure even death, as one declared the King of the world would raise them up to an everlasting renewal of life; for the hope that this life is not all, that God will raise the dead and restore what was lost, gives the faithful a strength to endure suffering and death that those without such hope do not have, so that when we face the worst we can be sustained, as the brothers were, by trusting God to raise us up, and the hope of resurrection changes what we can bear, giving courage in the face of death and loss.

Lord, in the account of the brothers who suffered rather than betray their faith, what strengthened them to endure even death was a firm hope in the resurrection. As one of them faced his end, he declared to his persecutor: You release us out of this present life, but the King of the world will raise us who have died for his laws up to an everlasting renewal of life. And another, stretching out his hands, said he had received them from heaven and hoped to receive them back again. Their hope in the resurrection, in your power to raise them and restore even what was taken from them, gave them courage to endure. Because they believed you would raise them to everlasting life, they could face death without betraying their faith. Show me what sustained these brothers: the hope of resurrection. Facing death, they did not despair or betray their faith to save their lives; they endured, strengthened by the confidence that you would raise them to everlasting life. Their hope was not merely that they would survive, but that even if they died, you would raise them, restore them, give back even what had been taken. This resurrection hope gave them courage to endure what they could not otherwise have borne. The hope that this life is not all, that you will raise the dead, changes what we can endure. Let me rest in that, for the hope of resurrection gives the faithful strength to endure even suffering and death, trusting you to raise them up. When I face suffering, loss, even death, I can be tempted to despair, as though this life were all; but the brothers endured even death, sustained by the hope that you would raise them to everlasting life. When I face suffering or the fear of death, help me remember the hope of resurrection, Lord, that you will raise your own to everlasting life and restore even what was taken, a hope that gives courage to endure the worst, as it gave the brothers courage to endure even death, trusting you to raise them up.