He is the God of the living

1 Macc. 6:1-13, Lk. 20:27-40. Today’s first reading presents us with the great campaign carried out by king Antiochus IV as he went to the land of Persia and Media to reclaim parts of the kingdom which once belonged to his predecessors but had been lost in the past decades. King Antiochus IV was a stubborn and ambitious man, who sought above all the glory of the world, power and majesty above everything else that he was willing to go against God. In the same vain, the Sadducees were filled with similar attitude of restricting everything to the limits of intelligence and this is reflected in the way they treat life and things of this world. In today's Gospel, they confront Jesus with a scenario seeking to mock His belief in life after death. They knew that He believed in a future life and their scornful question assumes that any after-life would be an extension of our present physical life, with all its rules and relationships. Jesus challenges the Sadducees, who did not hope for any life beyond our present existence and says that those who belong to the world of resurrection will live a different kind of life. In eternity there is no procreation or marriage in our present sense. Speaking of what lies beyond, He uses standard Jewish imagery about communal living, picturing it as a great banquet of joy and sharing. His main focus was to gather people into a sharing community. This community, later to be called the Church, was to be a visible sign of the life to come. The question of resurrection and eternal life goes beyond human logic and categories. Scripture and God’s revelation guideS us to trust in God’s infinite ways. God loves us and His friendship with us does not end with death, but He desires to share with us His life and joy for all eternity. May the Lord give us courage when things go wrong and strengthen us with faith in Him, hope in His resurrection and with love of His will! Amen!! Good morning and happy weekend!!!