During his homily on the Feast of the Assumption, Bishop Ignacio Munilla of San Sebastian, Spain, called this dogma "an antidote to beliefs in reincarnation."
The Catholic News Agency (CNA) is reporting that Bishop Munilla said the dogma of the Assumption reminds us that death produces the separation of body and soul, but at the same time underscores that "faith in our resurrection at the end of time is the greatest characteristic of Christian hope."
He went on to explain: "After this life, we are called to participate in the eternal life of God with our entire being: body and soul. The redemption of Christ hasn't only brought salvation to the spiritual dimension of being human, but also to the corporal dimension," he said. "Our goal is to arrive at the joy of God with all of our being, body and spirit, as the Virgin Mary has in advance. A good antidote to the belief in reincarnation, which is clearly incompatible with Biblical revelation, is found here."
He went on to invite all Catholics to grow in the faith and to make an effort to understand the religious concepts behind these dogmas in order to avoid falling into "simplistic caricatures."
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STUDY QUESTIONS
1. When was the Dogma of the Assumption issued and why? (See Nos. 7, 8, 9 in Munificentissimus Deus )
2. How are the Dogmas of the Assumption and the Immaculate Conception related? (See Nos. 4, 5, 6 in the above document)
3. What does the Church teach about the resurrection of the dead? (See the Catechism of the Catholic Church Nos. 988-996.)
4. Who will rise at the end of time and how will this come about? (See Nos. 997-999)
5. Is this something we are able to understand with the human mind? (See Nos. 1000)
6. What does the Church teach regarding reincarnation? (See No. 1013)
7. For Personal Reflection: What was your understanding about life after death and the resurrection of the dead before reading these documents? Has this information changed the way you think? What impact might these teachings have on the way you live your life on a daily basis?
