Daily Readings Reflection for 11/20/10

Reflection on Today’s Daily Readings by Fr. Bertrand Buby, SM

Scripture: Lectionary 502: Revelation 11:4-12. Psalm 144: 1.2.9-10. Luke
20:27-40.

Our reflections and praying with today's scriptures turns us toward the
greatest miracle ever performed, namely, the Resurrection of Jesus from the
dead. If this had not happened there would be no New Testament, no
Christian way of life and this world would be indeed in a very sad state of
simply survival of the best. But the Resurrection of Jesus did happen and
today's reading assures us of it. We can only accept this through the gift
of faith nurtured by our Baptismal commitment. This faith is a personal
gift of God as is our being raised to life after death a personal gift of
God to those who have been created in the image and likeness of God--that
means all of the human race.

Though the Resurrection does not appear in the writings of the Old
Testament until the second or third century before the birth of Christ, it
is there in the Wisdom literature and perhaps in some of the later writings
and the later psalms. We cherish these readings that do and continue to
see how closely related are both testaments--New and "Old."

Jesus speaks openly about the resurrection in his disputation with the
Sadducees who "claim there is no resurrection" (Luke 20:27-28). Jesus
tells them that the God he knows and experiences is a God of the living not
of the dead. He recalls the burning bush where God appears to Moses and
says "I AM WHO AM". God is a living Person and has invited Abraham, Isaac,
and Jacob to live eternally with him. He is a God of the living ancestors
and patriarchs of the faith. Marriage in heaven is not to be according to
Jesus. Life there never dies and there is no need for propagation of life
in a realm where all is life. The intimacy of love experienced on earth is
only a trace of the intimacy of all who share their love of God with one
another in Heaven. Since we all are made in the image and likeness of God
through God's creation and redemption we all have the potential within us
to be united totally in God without losing our specific identity. What
good would it be if we are only specks of light, a shooting star, or a
molecule of dust that endures forever? We all through faith in Him can have
life eternal with Him in Heaven. "God is not the God of the dead, but of
the living.For to him all are alive." (Luke 20: 38). Amen.