Wednesday Reflection

Daily Gospel Reflection June 3^rd 2020

Gospel                                                    MK 12:18-27

Some Sadducees, who say there is no resurrection,
came to Jesus and put this question to him, 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 and died, leaving no descendants.
So the second brother married her and died, leaving no descendants,
and the third likewise.
And the seven left no descendants.
Last of all the woman also died.
At the resurrection when they arise whose wife will she be?
For all seven had been married to her.”
Jesus said to them, “Are you not misled
because you do not know the Scriptures or the power of God?
When they rise from the dead,
they neither marry nor are given in marriage,
but they are like the angels in heaven.
As for the dead being raised,
have you not read in the Book of Moses,
in the passage about the bush, how God told him,
I am the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac,
and the God of Jacob?
He is not God of the dead but of the living.
You are greatly misled.” 

Dear Friends and Family,

            The Sadducees turn to Jesus, but they do not seek his wisdom and understanding. Rather they come with a dilemma. They hope Jesus’ answer would confirm their own status in the community and at the same time, diminish Jesus. The Sadducees do not believe in life after death. If Jesus’ response opposes the Mosaic Law, the people will reject him.  If Jesus replies that there is no life after death, he would support the Sadducees’ belief and their honor grows.  Jesus clarifies the life to come with an understanding none of them could have known: “He is not God of the dead but of the living.” 

            We know that our God is the Lord of all Life. Jesus came to bring us life, an abundant life full of great joy. Some days it is difficult to rest in that joy.  When we turn on the news, social media, or even in our own home, we experience suffering in those who have fallen ill to the coronavirus, others who await medical procedures and tests, more recently the injustices of racism, poverty, unemployment, abuse of power, along with sickness and isolation that are tearing us apart.  There are no easy answers to the suffering in our world. A change of heart, a transformation of the soul infused by the Spirit of God, will build the world we all desire.  What does that look like in our community? We must allow ourselves moments of quiet and silence so that we can listen to the Voice of God. The noise and shouts from the masses try to drown out the message of our God, who speaks love to us. Some days, we need more clarity in asking the right question.  Sometime we only hear what we want to hear from our Lord. When we do that, we put limits on the Word of God and do not allow his message to penetrate our hearts.

The Sadducees questioned Jesus about what happens after someone dies. It may seem difficult to recognize his vision of love today as we turn on the news or Facebook, but if His Love is not realized fully in this age, it is a promise for us in the life to come.  Our God is a God of the living.  He promises life in total union with him and with all he has created.  We will live in a total love of neighbor and that should inspire us now and give us hope for the life to come. Love is a life-giving, creative force that left to its natural conclusion will build the Kingdom of God, here and now. Amen.