Introduction
The idea of love being stronger than death is a long-standing Biblical concept that is at the center of the core religious teachings. When Pope Benedict XVI preached to the group of pilgrims and prelates filling St. Peter’s Basilica, he reflected on the liturgy and readings of the Easter Vigil. The Pope provided the example of the Apostle’s Creed, which is taught on the Easter vigil, and noted that Christ was said to have found Himself in hell from where he rose (de Lubac 49). In such a descent, Jesus, who died on the Cross, attains victory over the gates of hell and the power that death has.
Discussion
Love represents both who people are now and who they will become when they continue believing in God and His prophecy. Notably, Jesus never attempted to convince his followers to show love by any threats or coercion; rather, God seduced people into believing that love could prevail over anything (Jeremiah 20:7). Whoever God is, His ideas and teachings are always intended to bring out the best in people. Love flourishes inside the freedom given by God and multiplies it to become all-encompassing.
The Creed of the Son refers to how Jesus Christ must not be seen as a creature but as one of truth: the only Son with the only Father. The Son dared to suffer for people who had not yet realized that they were capable of receiving grace through service to God. The Creed of Son’s faith correlates with Christ’s behavior toward men: he is close to them, but at the same time, he was sent to guide them. His personality reflects God’s essence; all of Jesus’ creations toward people are an act of God’s care. His dual nature is reflected in his actions: the capacity for forgiveness, purification of the soul, and suffering for the living (Dei Verbum 19). He can know the truth and carry it; he is the “heir of all” (Heb. 1:2), who, unlike men, is not afraid to go towards the demonic forces (Rutledge 110). Christ’s resurrection is a confrontation with death and is expressed through love, even for those far from him in spirit at first.
The meaning behind the Resurrection of Jesus is summarized in the core Song of Songs (8:6-7) lines, “For strong as death is love, […] Torrents of water cannot extinguish love, Rivers cannot swipe it away!” In the Bible, death has some power that will not be disputed; however, Jesus gave an example of how one could defeat the power of death with love, which is all-encompassing. He is the Son of God, which endows him with the ability to resist demonic forces. The Son confronted that which was behind the closed door, Death. He laid down the notion of how suffering and faith paid off after death. Christ’s resurrection was only possible because he found the strength and wisdom to resist something as unruly as Death. The story of Resurrection shows that giving love back during life will bring more love and mercy in death, leading to the ascend to Heaven.
Conclusion
Love is present in any person who has a deep need for love, which is recognized universally, regardless of one’s spiritual doctrine. Due to the strength that love provides to people, any doubt that a person’s “lack of fidelity could cancel God’s fidelity, is absurd” (Romans 3:3). When love has finally prevailed over death and fear, one’s life can be rebuilt on a new and stronger foundation, which was always present. As said in 1 Corinthians 13:13, “It is love alone that lasts,” which means that love could be the building block to living an honest life without doubt and fear. Everything that one would love in life would be considered eternal and true.
Work Cited
De Lubac, Henri. Christian Faith: An Essay on the Structure of the Apostles’ Creed. Ignatius Press, 1986.
Dei Verbum. “Dogmatic Constitution On Divine Revelation Solemnly Romulgated By His Holiness Pope Paul Vi On November 18, 1965”, Vatican, Web.
Rutledge, Fleming. The Crucifixion: Understanding the Death of Jesus Christ. Grand Rapids, MI: Eerdmans, 2015.