Infinite Wisdom

The WORD today (see http://usccb.org/bible/readings/110616.cfm) reminds me that God has infinite wisdom. 

There are prestigious award giving bodies in existence today. These institutions look for greatness before awarding people - either whose work has impacted a lot of people, or those who have discovered great things. We look up especially those who discover things and answers that impact and help a lot of people. In the gospel, we see something similar happening to Jesus. 

In the gospel, people were trying to trap and make fun Jesus. The Sadducees, who do not believe in the resurrection, presents Jesus with a hypothetical scenario. They want to prove a point that there really is no resurrection, as opposed to what Jesus was saying. They wanted to prove that there could possibly be no resurrection where a woman will be wife of seven men, because based on the law, she married seven men and died childless. No resurrection because she died childless. They also want to discredit Jesus from the increasing number of people who are beginning to take notice of him. They want to embarrass and humiliate Jesus. They thought Jesus would not know the answer to their question, and people would see they they are smarter than Jesus. And they could prove the point that there really is no resurrection. We then see how great God is. 

God's wisdom is infinite. 

We see and realize that Jesus is really God in human form. We see his wisdom by his answer, answer that others could not think of or could not explain. Jesus tells them upfront that they are misled. They did not understand the resurrection. It is NOT a continuation of life on earth. In the resurrection, we will be like angels. We will be spiritual beings. God has different plans for us in the resurrection. 

Just as the Sadducees quoted Moses in their question, to prove his point and his wisdom, Jesus also quoted Moses in explaining and answering them. Some people believed st that time that immortality was connected with the existence of the physical body. Thus, the Sadducees did not believe that the patriarchs - Abraham, Isaac and Jacob still exist or are immortal. Jesus quotes the Scripture – I AM the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. He is the Present and living God. And that these people are alive, that they are resurrected, thus the present tense. God did not say I WAS the God. I AM the God means HE is still alive until now, that Abraham, Isaac and Jacob are also alive in their resurrection until now, and that he is the same God who guided Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. 

God is a God of the living, not of the dead. And he is alive until now. 

We see how infinite God's wisdom is. In seemingly impossible situations, Jesus not not escapes, but glorifies God. He corrected the wrong notion of the sadducees, and explained how powerful snd loving God is.

God reminds us how to live. The first reading tells us to bear our share of hardship for the Gospel. Yes, again, God is reminding us that it is not easy serving Him. However, the living, present and powerful God gives us what we need to serve Him. He gives us power, love and self-control. He gives us strength to face hardships.

We are asked to live a holy life not according to our standards and through our efforts, but through the grace of God. As we remember to live a life based on God’s grace, we will remember to give him back all the honor, glory and praise. We strengthen our faith not for our benefit, but for God’s work and his people, as we allow ourselves to be used by God to proclaim his kingdom. And that just as Jesus escaped the trap set by the Sadducees, we too can experience that if we remain close to God and bask in his word, presence and glory.

Do I believe that God is living and present here in this world? Am I living my life like he is present and living in me?  Do I always focus on Him, his love and power, as I work to give him glory and serve Him? How can I make God more alive and living to the people I interact with?

May we always remember that God is alive, and think of a way we can make him more alive through us today!

Father  God,

Thank you for today. Thank you for another day to live. Thank you for another inspiring message. Thank you for the reminder. Thank you that you are a living God. Thank you that you are always with me during times of troubles and persecution. Lord, sorry for the times I forget. Sorry for doubting you. Help me remember your love and greatness especially when times are tough. you are there with me even if I don’t always feel it. May I never forget all that you have done for me and my loved ones.  May I always have that faith in you, and live my life in honor and glory of you – the one true living God. Help me build and work on my relationship with you. And  I ask that you use me to make your love more real and more alive to others. Amen.

Blessed Sunday!

In Christ,

-g-

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

November 6, 2016
Thirty-second Sunday in Ordinary Time
Lectionary: 156

Reading 1 2 Mc 7:1-2, 9-14

It happened that seven brothers with their mother were arrested
and tortured with whips and scourges by the king,
to force them to eat pork in violation of God's law.
One of the brothers, speaking for the others, said:
“What do you expect to achieve by questioning us?
We are ready to die rather than transgress the laws of our ancestors.”

At the point of death he said:
“You accursed fiend, you are depriving us of this present life,
but the King of the world will raise us up to live again forever.
It is for his laws that we are dying.”

After him the third suffered their cruel sport.
He put out his tongue at once when told to do so,
and bravely held out his hands, as he spoke these noble words:
“It was from Heaven that I received these;
for the sake of his laws I disdain them;
from him I hope to receive them again.”
Even the king and his attendants marveled at the young man's courage,
because he regarded his sufferings as nothing.

After he had died,
they tortured and maltreated the fourth brother in the same way.
When he was near death, he said,
“It is my choice to die at the hands of men
with the hope God gives of being raised up by him;
but for you, there will be no resurrection to life.”

Responsorial Psalm Ps 17:1, 5-6, 8, 15

R. (15b) Lord, when your glory appears, my joy will be full.
Hear, O LORD, a just suit;
attend to my outcry;
hearken to my prayer from lips without deceit.
R. Lord, when your glory appears, my joy will be full.
My steps have been steadfast in your paths,
my feet have not faltered.
I call upon you, for you will answer me, O God;
incline your ear to me; hear my word.
R. Lord, when your glory appears, my joy will be full.
Keep me as the apple of your eye,
hide me in the shadow of your wings.
But I in justice shall behold your face;
on waking I shall be content in your presence.
R. Lord, when your glory appears, my joy will be full.

Reading 2 2 Thes 2:16-3:5

Brothers and sisters:
May our Lord Jesus Christ himself and God our Father,
who has loved us and given us everlasting encouragement
and good hope through his grace,
encourage your hearts and strengthen them in every good deed
and word.

Finally, brothers and sisters, pray for us,
so that the word of the Lord may speed forward and be glorified,
as it did among you,
and that we may be delivered from perverse and wicked people,
for not all have faith.
But the Lord is faithful;
he will strengthen you and guard you from the evil one.
We are confident of you in the Lord that what we instruct you,
you are doing and will continue to do.
May the Lord direct your hearts to the love of God
and to the endurance of Christ.

Alleluia Rev 1:5a, 6b

R. Alleluia, alleluia.
Jesus Christ is the firstborn of the dead;
to him be glory and power, forever and ever.
R. Alleluia, alleluia.

Gospel Lk 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."