Gospel: Luke 20: 27 – 40
Some Sadducees, those who deny that there is a resurrection, came forward and put this question to Jesus, saying, “Teacher, Moses wrote for us, If someone’s brother dies leaving a wife but no child, his brother must take the wife and raise up descendants for his brother.
Now there were seven brothers; the first married a woman but died childless.
Then the second and the third married her, and likewise all the seven died childless.
Finally the woman also died. Now at the resurrection whose wife will that woman be?
For all seven had been married to her.”
Jesus said to them, “The children of this age marry and remarry; but those who are deemed worthy to attain to the coming age and to the resurrection of the dead neither marry nor are given in marriage. They can no longer die, for they are like angels; and they are the children of God because they are the ones who will rise.
That the dead will rise even Moses made known in the passage about the bush, when he called ‘Lord’ the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob; and he is not God of the dead, but of the living, for to him all are alive.”
Some of the scribes said in reply, “Teacher, you have answered well.” And they no longer dared to ask him anything.
Reflection:
In the gospel, the Sadducees do not believe in the resurrection because they could not find anything about it in the Pentateuch so they challenged Jesus; they want to ridicule his teaching concerning the resurrection and life everlasting.
Of course, Jesus, knew the intentions of their hearts. He gave them an answer that explains that there is no longer marriage after the resurrection for They can no longer die, for they are like angels; and they are the children of God because they are the ones who will rise.
Reflect, today, upon that which challenges you the most in your journey of faith. Perhaps it’s a question about the afterlife, or about suffering, or creation. Whatever the case may be, seek out the Truth in all things and ask our Lord for wisdom so that you may daily enter more deeply into faith.
