THE RESURRECTION OF THE DEAD
First Reading: 2 Maccabees 7: 1-2 and 9-14
Second Reading: 2 Thessalonians 2: 6 to 3:5
Gospel Reading: Luke 20: 27-38
*First reading is from the second book of Maccabees. An assurance is given that our faith in the Lord God dispels all fears in us. We become strong and courageous and even ready to die for Him only to be raised to an everlasting life with the Lord God. The readiness of the seven Jewish brothers to die rather than violate one of the laws of the Lord God is a source of great inspiration for everyone who has faith in eternal life.
*Second reading is from the second letter of St. Paul to Thessalonians. Paul prays for God's grace so that the Christians in Thessalonica (we too) may be able to remain steadfast in faith. God is the source of all comfort and strength in our lives. We who follow Jesus will do well in living and proclaiming His word and remaining united with the Lord in faith.
A Life after death Today's Gospel reading is from St. Luke. We have a very enlightening discussion between Jesus and Sadducees regarding the resurrection of the dead. Sadducees do not believe in the resurrection of the dead because for them the consequences of life after death are rather ridiculous and meaningless. Some questions like: Where would one accommodate in the next world all those tens of thousands of people who die everyday? How could anyone rectify all those messed up human relationships which take place in the present life? So they cleverly craft this question about a poor widow who is married to seven brothers (one after another) and finally she too dies without having children from any of those marriages. The question is: Whose wife will she be in at the resurrection? Jesus simply overlooks their silly question and tells them that their understanding of the resurrection of the dead is totally absurd. He tells them about Abraham, Issac, Jacob and Moses: All of them command great respect and reverence in the Jewish community. These men of God did not die for nothing. God is not a God of the dead but of the living. In this month of November we remember our dead and pray for our departed near and dear ones because we believe that there is life after death. It is the same with resurrection of the dead. "What is sown is perishable but what is raised is imperishable." - 1 Corinthians 15:42
"Dawn and resurrection are synonymous. The reappearance of light is the same as the survival of the soul."- Victor Hugo
" I don't care to inquire why they cannot believe an earthly body can be in heaven, while the whole earth is suspended on nothing." - St. Augustine
"Who would believe that the caterpillar becomes a butterfly unless he has seen it? If we can accept that, how can we deny that death can be transformed into life?" - Anon
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