On Wednesday, January 3, 2018, our brother in Christ, Carlos Rubén Rodríguez Hernández, passed away.
I extend my condolences to his parents Rubén Rodríguez Rosa, his mother Ramonita Hernández Vélez; his brothers and sisters: Deliris Rodríguez Hernández, Sonia Ivette Rodríguez Hernández, Margarita Rodríguez Hernández, Jorge Alberto Rodríguez Hernández, Verónica Rodríguez Hernández, William Rodríguez Hernández; his children: Carlos Josué Rodríguez Jiménez, Carlos Gabriel Rodríguez Jiménez, Rhodeliz Rodríguez Jiménez, Jean Carlos Rodríguez Díaz; and other family members.
I extend my condolences and know that he is resting in Paradise, according to what was said in the Scripture by the Lord Jesus Christ and also the apostles, like the apostle Saint Paul, who said in First of Corinthians, chapter 15, verses 40 and on, says:
“And as we have borne the image of the earthy, we shall also bear the image of the heavenly.
Now this I say, brethren, that flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God; neither doth corruption inherit incorruption.
Behold, I shew you a mystery; We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed,
In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump: for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed.
For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality.
So when this corruptible shall have put on incorruption, and this mortal shall have put on immortality, then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written, Death is swallowed up in victory.
O death, where is thy sting? O grave, where is thy victory?
The sting of death is sin; and the strength of sin is the law.
But thanks be to God, which giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.”
That is the promise for all the believers in Christ who would live on this Earth.
We also have the Scripture of Saint Paul in First of Thessalonians, chapter 4, verses 13 to 18, and Saint Paul says the following:
“But I would not have you to be ignorant, brethren, concerning them which are asleep, that ye sorrow not, even as others which have no hope.
For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so them also which sleep in Jesus will God bring with him.
For this we say unto you by the word of the Lord, that we which are alive and remain unto the coming of the Lord shall not prevent them which are asleep.
For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first:
Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord.
Wherefore comfort one another with these words.”
These are encouraging words, comforting words for family members who see their children, their loved ones among Christianity, depart, being believers in Christ.
They will return in the resurrection of the dead in Christ, in eternal bodies, glorified bodies. When we see them, we will be transformed and we will also have glorified bodies like the body of Jesus Christ our Savior.
Therefore, comfort one another with these words of the apostle Saint Paul, which I have read to you regarding people who have family members who depart from this dimension and go to Paradise, and will return in the resurrection in glorified bodies like the glorified body of Jesus Christ, a glorified body, immortal body.
Therefore, may the entire family of our brother who has recently departed be comforted with these words. May God console your hearts, your souls, during these moments you are going through.