Saturday of the Thirty-third Week in Ordinary Time
I suspect that many of us spend much time looking back on our past and wishing that we had done things differently. There are times when I know that the past overwhelms the present and impedes by ability to live fully in the present. Jesus reminds us that God is a God of the living- in the here and now. Our past is part of who we are, but we are by the grace of God called forward to live our lives recognizing that God forgives our past mistakes and calls us forward to focus on living lives of love in the here and now.
In the first reading from Maccabbees, King Antiochus experiences great regret for actions that he had previously done against the Jewish people. He recognizes the evils he has done, and he sees that he is dying “in bitter grief” because of these destructive and repressive commands. He sees there is no hope for him in life or life after death, and he is overcome with anxiety and sorrow.
In the gospel reading, Jesus reminds the Sadducees, that God is a God of the living and “for to him all are alive.” The Sadducees do not believe in the resurrection of the dead, and so focus only on what occurs in life on earth. They are caught up in the past of how things happen and not able to move into living life here and beyond. Jesus calls them forth to understand God who still lives in Abraham, Isaac and Jacob because He is a God of the living. This God of the living does not destroy the past, but redeems the past through God’s love and mercy. Jesus shows His disciples (and all of us) the importance of living our daily lives by incorporating our past as a part of our history, but not allowing the past to impede our continued growth and transformation into children of God. The focus is not on the past or on the future, but our forever begins in the now in our loving service to the world around us.
Living mindfully in the present is a great challenge. God promises mercy and forgiveness to us, and God also calls us to be merciful and forgiving to those who have done us wrong. When we are consumed in the wrongs of the past, we prevent the light of our present moment to shine forth. To live now means that we must place yesterday (and all of our yesterdays) into God’s Hands trusting that God is greater than all of the negative and desires for us to take each moment and live it completely within the knowledge that we are loved. God also calls us to not become so focused on tomorrow (and focused on eternity!) Our life of eternity begins today in God’s eyes- so we can and should live our lives with that mindset. If we believe that the Kingdom of God is here, then love, justice, mercy, peace and compassion should be the foundation of everything we think, do and say. This is not an easy proposition, so we must constantly ask for God’s Spirit to inspire and lead us to live Christ-like lives. God loves every part of who we are- the good, the not so good, the past, present and future. Yet, if God is a God of the living, our living starts right now!
St. Gianna Molla is a saint who lived richly as a mother, a wife and a physician until 1962. Her view of living captures well how we are called to live. “As to the past, let us entrust it to God’s mercy, the future to divine providence. Our task is to live holy the present moment.”
Loving God, you give us life and call us to live abundantly in Your love and mercy. Through the grace of Your Spirit may we live as Your children as we follow Your Son Jesus. May we recognize the gift of each moment and gratefully find joy and peace in our celebration of the present. We pray this in and with Christ. AMEN
- Marylynn Herchline