Reflection for Sunday November 6, 32nd Sunday in Ordinary Time: Luke 20:27-38

Gospel: Luke 20:27-38

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 out ‘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.

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Reflection:

Do you believe that there is life after this present life? 

Mr. X was an unbeliever of the afterlife he always splurges on sinful and other worldly activities. His principle was to make the most of his present life for there will be no more after his present life. 

He eventually died and contrary to his belief he saw heaven and hell. And he chose to go to the pearly gated heaven being watched by a bearded fellow wearing a long white robe who told him that he is not welcome. After which he was suddenly snatched and brought to hell by a grim looking beast. 

The gospel for this Sunday speaks about the Sadducees who deny that there is an afterlife. So, they’ve asked Jesus about a woman who married seven brothers. And they told Jesus: To whose wife would she be in the resurrection? 

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. (Luke 20:34-36) 

In the resurrection the situation will be different, while here on earth we marry and procreate to sustain the inventory of life. In heaven relationships will not be like that. There will be no more marriage  for we shall be like angels who will only worship God and no one else. 

Our faith has taught us that life is not limited to this world alone, after our death we shall be entering a new doorway of endless blissfulness wherein there shall be no more hardships and problems. But the sad reality is this: Not everyone of us will be able to go there. Some of us who are not leading our lives according to the desire of God will be snatched by the grim looking beast as well. 

So what must we do to experience resurrection? We must live our lives according to the will of God. We therefore have to follow the teachings of Jesus and the church. Hence, we always have to do good, be forgiving,  have a heart for the poor, always impart love even to those who do not deserve to be loved. 

How are you living your life today? – Marino J. Dasmarinas