REFLECTION
FROM THE DESK OF THE PASTOR
In
today’s gospel a group of Sadducees approach Jesus and asks Him a question
about the resurrection or afterlife. The Sadducees mainly composed of
aristocrats and most of them are wealthy and do not believe in the resurrection
of the dead and even in angels and spirits. They want to ridicule the preaching
of Jesus about life after death. Absolutely very tough question! I am sure each
one of us believes in the resurrection. That everybody will be resurrected at
the end of our lives on this earth that is why we attend the Mass. If there is
no hope for resurrection, there is no need for us to do good towards our
neighbor, to love and to serve them. If there is no hope for resurrection,
there is no need for us to sacrifice and offer our lives for the sake of other
people. There is no need for us to pray to go to Mass on Sundays to work for
peace and justice, to join in all religious activities of our Church, to
receive Sacraments and many more. Jesus draws a sharp distinction between “this
age” (our earthly life) and “that age” (life at the resurrection or life after
death). He makes it clear that the resurrection is not simply a continuation of
earthly life. When we are resurrected, we have still body but a glorified body
different from that of our earthly body. The resurrection is a different mode
of existence altogether. Those worthy of the resurrection do not have to marry
to ensure the continuity of human race. That is why Jesus says: 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 given to
marriage. They can no longer die for they are like angels.
So
if we believe in the after life or in the resurrection of the dead, then our
main goal in this life should be to make sure to have a citizenship in heaven
to become citizens rather then aliens or foreigners in the kingdom of God.
