Saturday of the Thirty-third Week in Ordinary Time
As we head towards the end of the liturgical year, many of the daily Mass readings focus on end-times. Today’s gospel reading speaks about the coming age. Our lives are often so busy that we seldom take time to consider what the ‘resurrection of the dead’ means. The reading today reminds us that God is a God of the living, and death is not an end to our lives, but a transformation to the fullness of life in God.
In today’s gospel reading, the Sadducees approach Jesus with a challenging story regarding the resurrection of the dead. They create a story where a woman marries six brothers after her first husband passes away. The Sadducees ask Jesus which one will be her husband, since she had been married to all seven. Jesus recognizes their unbelief in the resurrection, and explains to the Sadducees that their concept of what it means to “rise from the dead” is misguided. By implying that things of this world (marriage) will influence the details of the resurrected life, Jesus indicates that the Sadducees are putting limitations on the fullness of what is to come. Jesus describes those who die as “angels” and “children of God.” When we pass away, we will join Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob as those who are alive with and in God. The scribes listening to Jesus are impressed with His wisdom, and therefore they do not venture to ask any further questions.
The Responsorial Psalm today proclaims, “I will rejoice in your salvation, O Lord.” How does this salvation relate to the resurrection of the dead that Jesus describes in today’s gospel. As Christians, we believe that we are saved and will experience the resurrection of the dead because of God’s great love for us. This immense love and mercy is revealed in the person of Jesus. If we believe that God created us out of love, it would make sense that this love would not end when our earthly life is over. Jesus explains that God embraces us as “children” to live in unity with all of the living when we rise. This salvation is beyond our understanding and imagination, but it is founded in God’s great love for us and all of creation. This is why we are called to be glad and to give thanks and praise to God.
When we ponder these readings about death and the afterlife, we often are more focused on what we are losing than what we are gaining. The life we are now living is something that we know well. Whether it is a wonderful existence or one of suffering and pain, our experiences give us an idea of what we might expect to happen next. The afterlife is an unknown, but if we allow God’s grace and love to infuse our lives, we will have glimmers of what is yet to come. Jesus invites us to join Him in living in God’s love in the here and now. Through prayer, sacrament, scripture and the world around us, we are surrounded with God’s presence and goodness. These earthly but divine experiences are small tastes of the fullness of God that Jesus promises for those who are God’s children.
As we wait for this final fullness, Jesus provides us guidance on how we are called to live- in service and love for others. We grow in our love for God as we share compassion, love and mercy with those around us. We allow the God of the living to work through us and our lives, so others may also come to know the Good News.
As the days grow gray and cold, and the world seems filled with division, suffering, hate and doubt, Jesus reminds us that we must keep our eyes set on our final destination- eternal life with the God of the living. May we rejoice in your salvation O Lord, as we place our trust in You.
Creator God, Jesus shows us that you are a God of the living. Your great love has brought this world into being and You desire that all will return to You. May the grace of Your Spirit bring us a deeper awareness of your love and presence in our lives. May our witness bring others to You, and may we come to know the great joy that we will experience when we are at last one with You. We pray this in Christ’s name. AMEN
Marylynn Herchline