BIBLE STUDY #21

FIRST SUNDAY OF DVENT

NOVEMBER 28, 2010

Gospel       Matthew 24:37-44

Jesus said to his disciples:
“As it was in the days of Noah,
so it will be at the coming of the Son of Man.
In those days before the flood,
they were eating and drinking,
marrying and giving in marriage,
up to the day that Noah entered the ark.
They did not know until the flood came and carried them all away.
So will it be also at the coming of the Son of Man.
Two men will be out in the field;
one will be taken, and one will be left.
Two women will be grinding at the mill;
one will be taken, and one will be left.
Therefore, stay awake!
For you do not know on which day your Lord will come.
Be sure of this: if the master of the house
had known the hour of night when the thief was coming,
he would have stayed awake
and not let his house be broken into.
So too, you also must be prepared,
for at an hour you do not expect, the Son of Man will come.”

The Gospel of the Lord

FIRST READING       Isaiah 2:1-5

This is what Isaiah, son of Amoz,
saw concerning Judah and Jerusalem.
In days to come,
the mountain of the LORD’s house
shall be established as the highest mountain
and raised above the hills.
All nations shall stream toward it;
many peoples shall come and say:
“Come, let us climb the LORD’s mountain,
to the house of the God of Jacob,
that he may instruct us in his ways,
and we may walk in his paths.”
For from Zion shall go forth instruction,
and the word of the LORD from Jerusalem.
He shall judge between the nations,
and impose terms on many peoples.
They shall beat their swords into plowshares
and their spears into pruning hooks;
one nation shall not raise the sword against another,
nor shall they train for war again.
O house of Jacob, come,
let us walk in the light of the Lord!

The Word of the Lord

SECOND READING     Romans 13:11-14

Brothers and sisters:
You know the time;
it is the hour now for you to awake from sleep.
For our salvation is nearer now than when we first believed;
the night is advanced, the day is at hand.
Let us then throw off the works of darkness
and put on the armor of light;
let us conduct ourselves properly as in the day,
not in orgies and drunkenness,
not in promiscuity and lust,
not in rivalry and jealousy.
But put on the Lord Jesus Christ,
and make no provision for the desires of the flesh.

The Word of the Lord

Reflection

This celebration of the First Sunday of Advent marks a new liturgical year. We cease using Luke’s Gospel and we use Matthew’s Gospel for our Sunday readings (the Gospel of John is interspersed throughout the year since John’s Gospel does not have its own liturgical year). If you follow along with the weekday readings, we are in Year 1 of the 2 year cycle.

According to the General Norms for the Liturgical Year and Calendar, #39, “Advent has a two-fold character: as a season to prepare for Christmas when Christ’s first coming to us is remembered and as a season when that remembrance directs our mind and heart to await Christ’s second coming at the end of time. Advent thus is a period of devout and joyful expectation.”

This first week of Advent thus directs our attention to Jesus second coming. The prayer the priest says after the Our Father ends with: “as we wait in joyful hope for the coming of our savior, Jesus Christ.” We should not only be hopeful, but happy.

As we await the second coming, the Gospel tells us that it will come upon us suddenly. Jesus gives three examples concerning this suddenness: 1) it will come upon us as suddenly as the flood did to the unsuspecting people in Noah’s day; 2) people were carrying on with their lives (in the field, grinding at the mill): those who were prepared were taken (saved), and those who were not were left behind; and 3) if the master knew when the thief was coming, he would be prepared so his house would not be broken into.

Jesus tells us to be prepared because we don’t know the day nor the hour. What does it mean to be prepared? The first reading tells us about the importance of spiritual nourishment. We need to take Gods word seriously and incorporate it into our lives to nourish us along our way. We need to keep returning to God’s word to draw strength and courage for our journey. As Catholics, we need to draw strength and nourishment from sacraments, especially mass and confession. We also need daily prayer, that everyday contact with God, to build up that relationship with God so we can be the bearers of God’s light to others. One mission we get from being part of God’s family is to engender peace. Isaiah calls it to “beat their swords into plowshares and their spears into pruning hooks; one nation shall not raise the sword against another, nor shall they train for war again.”

St. Paul also tells us to be prepared. He says to “awake from sleep.” How many people are sleep walking though life, with no concern for the spiritual life or for eternal life, but only concern for the day to day earthly events we encounter every day? He tells us that if we are to be prepared, we must act like we are disciples and give up our sinful ways; we must “put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the desires of the flesh.”

As we prepare, as we awake from sleep, how does Jesus come to us? In three ways: 1) at the end of time. We will meet the Lord at the end of time, at which we will make an accounting of our life. I don’t find that to be a great motivator towards staying awake and being prepared since it has been 2,000 years since Jesus rose to heaven, and who knows how long it will be until he comes back? 2) At our death when we will need to account for our actions: who knows when that will be? It certainly would be a motivator if you felt you were near death because of age and/or illness, but it’s not a great motivator for most people; 3) The Lord is trying to enter our hearts every day in a myriad of ways: sacraments, scripture, prayer, other people to name just a few. If we open our hearts, his grace and peace will flood our being and we will be better able to live as disciples.

When we talk about preparing for Christmas, we look forward so as to look back. Being hopeful of resurrection makes us joyful to remember what Christ has done for us, beginning with the incarnation. Christmas takes on a whole new meaning if the peace and joy of the risen Lord is with us as we celebrate the birth of the baby Jesus. One of the best ways I know to be prepared is to be Christ for other people and to see Christ in other people. If we are prepared, nothing else matters, does it? It doesn’t matter when Christ comes and it doesn’t matter when we die because we will be ready.

Living with Christ in our hearts outs a new perspective on the month of December. In the midst of all the busyness, can we remember the reason for the season? Can we spend a little more time in prayer? Can we slow down, even if only for a moment, to let Christ into our lives? When you are wrapping a gift, can you say a prayer for the person receiving that gift (and yourself)? Let’s not be overwhelmed by busyness, but by Christ’s love.

When I was in Israel last week, our Israeli tour guide asked us “When is the Messiah coming?” Most people said that only God the Father knows. Some wise guy (could it be me?) said, “He already came.” But our guide said, “The Messiah is coming today. Live like that statement is true.” Wow, I thought, what a powerful way to live! How would we change our lives if the Messiah was to come today?

Fr. Phil

BIBLE STUDY #20
THIRTY THIRD SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME
NOVEMBER 14, 2010


Gospel        Luke 21:5-19


While some people were speaking about
how the temple was adorned with costly stones and votive offerings,
Jesus said, "All that you see here--
the days will come when there will not be left
a stone upon another stone that will not be thrown down."


Then they asked him,
"Teacher, when will this happen?
And what sign will there be when all these things are about to happen?"
He answered,
"See that you not be deceived,
for many will come in my name, saying,
'I am he,’ and 'The time has come.’
Do not follow them!
When you hear of wars and insurrections,
do not be terrified; for such things must happen first,
but it will not immediately be the end."
Then he said to them,
"Nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom.
There will be powerful earthquakes, famines, and plagues
from place to place;
and awesome sights and mighty signs will come from the sky.


"Before all this happens, however,
they will seize and persecute you,
they will hand you over to the synagogues and to prisons,
and they will have you led before kings and governors
because of my name.
It will lead to your giving testimony.
Remember, you are not to prepare your defense beforehand,
for I myself shall give you a wisdom in speaking
that all your adversaries will be powerless to resist or refute.
You will even be handed over by parents, brothers, relatives, and friends,
and they will put some of you to death.
You will be hated by all because of my name,
but not a hair on your head will be destroyed.
By your perseverance you will secure your lives."


The Gospel of the Lord

Reflection


The journey is finished; Jesus is in Jerusalem and will shortly undergo his passion, death and resurrection. Our gospel today is from a section called, “The Destruction of the Temple.” We need to put this passage in context to understand its meaning.


There is a certain cable TV station that has aired several programs concerning the Apocalypse, or in Greek ‘Parousia’, or more familiarly called the end times, the time when Jesus will come a second time and establish the Kingdom of God in its fullness. The writers of these shows use Scripture, the Mayan prophecies, Nostradamus, or any other source that will reinforce their theory that we are now in the end times.


Supposedly the writings of Nostradamus predict these end times. They Mayan prophecies state that the world as we know it will end on December21, 2012. There is a book called “The Bible Code” in which certain people, using computers, have found a secret code in the bible that predicts the future, such as the end times (among many other things).

Some times religious people use this idea to scare people into repentance and conversion I think the TV shows do it for ratings. Whatever the reason, it is a fascinating and widely popular topic.


It was just as popular in Jesus day. In the first decades of the Church, many believed that Jesus would come back in their lifetime. That was one reason why the gospels weren’t written down immediately: if Jesus was coming back soon, we need to get on the road and spread the Good News. Besides, there was no mass communication, people didn’t read, and it was an oral society, where history and customs were passed down by word of mouth. The easy way to get the Word out was by preaching in as many towns and villages as possible so as many people as possible could be converted.


By the time Luke’s gospel appeared in written form, Jesus had died and risen some 50 years earlier. It was written down to be used in worship, but also because the initial witnesses to the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus were beginning to die off, so they needed to preserve the testimony of these eyewitnesses. Also by the time of Luke’s gospel the Temple had been destroyed some 10 years earlier, and people began to realize that Jesus probably wasn’t coming back soon; they needed to be prepared for the long haul.


So today’s passage isn’t really about the end times, but persevering as disciples in the long term. Luke is more concerned about false messiahs and others who would lead the disciples astray as well as the persecution and suffering of disciples. Not only does Jesus tell us not to be led astray by these false prophets (and there were many claiming to be the Messiah, however falsely), he tells us that these wars and tumults must happen first, but that “The end will not be at once.”


Not only will there be wars, but there will also be famines, earthquakes, pestilences, terrors and great signs from heaven, as well as persecution. Many suffered and died in the persecutions of Nero in the 60’s. Many more suffered and died in the persecutions of Domitian in the 80’s.


Believers have been suffering and dying for the faith ever since. There have been all kinds of natural disasters and wars since then, but still Jesus hasn’t come back. Nor will Jesus tell us exactly.


The point is for us to persevere, not to be afraid, to resist temptation and sin, and to be hopeful in Christ. There have been thousands of martyrs over the centuries. Many have suffered greatly and were martyred for their faith. The Lord was with them and strengthened them in their trials and tribulations. He promises to be with us, even to giving us wisdom to witness in the face of great adversity


We are lucky in this country in that we have the freedom to practice our faith. But, did you know that there have been more martyrs for the faith in the last 40 years than in the first 200 years of Christianity? People are dying for their faith around the world today. Jesus is fulfilling his promise to strengthen and bless those who proclaim his Name.


We all undergo our own type of suffering and persecution, even if it isn’t as dramatic as martyrs. I have met many people who were very spirit filled and enthusiastic upon a renewal of faith or upon becoming catholic. Many of them stay with Christ for the long haul, and find their faith to be one of great comfort and consolation, the more so as time goes by.


There are many others who do fall by the wayside. As time goes on, they began to wither and fade and cast off their faith when times are difficult, often blaming God for being distant and not caring.


I think the difference is this: those who ask God “What can I do to repay you for all you have done for me” are the ones who succeed in their faith. These are the faithful stewards who are grateful for God’s blessings and try to share their faith with others. It could be difficult at times, it may involve persecution and suffering, but they keep going for the sake of the Name. Those who fail are the ones who say, “God, what can you do for me?”


No matter what happens, we should remember that God loves us and that Jesus paid the price for our sins. Jesus promises to be with us. He will guide us, send the Spirit to strengthen us, and be our rock of surety all through our lives.


All of this talk of the end times is irrelevant if we are not ready to meet God face to face. It doesn’t matter if Jesus comes tomorrow, December 21, 2012, or at any time in the future if we are not prepared by our own prayer and good works to face God and give an accounting of our lives. Those who are prepared don’t speculate on the end times because it doesn’t matter.


Fr. Phil

ST. JOSEPH PARISH
EMAIL NEWSLETTER
NOVEMBER 2010


FUNERAL. Edith Vatrano, mother of Paul Vatrano of our parish, died Thursday, November 4th. Paul is the man who painted the interior of our church this past spring, and his wife Tina is very involved in our church. The wake is Sunday, November 7th from 3-5 pm at the DeLuccia –Lozito funeral home, 265 Belmont Ave, Haledon NJ. The funeral is Monday, November 8th, at 9:30 am at St.Mary’s Church, 410 Union Ave, Paterson.


ALLSAINTS AND ALL SOULS DAYS. This past week we had two important feast days: All Saints Day and All Souls Day. On All Saints Day, we remember all those who have gone before us and are in eternal life. We remember these people because it gives us hope and encouragement. We look at their lives to see what they did, and we try to imitate them. There are many canonized saints, but many of them are not from our time period, they are ‘cleaned up’ by biographers so we don’t get the real picture, and many of them did great things for humanity and for the church, none of which we will do. I tend to look more in my own era for people to imitate. I think we can safely assume that Mother Theresa and John Paul II are saints, and we can look at their virtues and try to imitate them, but we can also look at the fact that Mother Theresa struggled with doubt and John Paul II felt it necessary to go to confession twice a month. This gives me the encouragement to, knowing that God can transform my life just as He did theirs. More importantly to me, I look at people I have known in my own life who have lived (or are currently living) a saintly life. We’ve all known people whom we think are saintly. They have as many struggles as anyone, but the difference is that they are trying to live the Christian life as well as they can. A saint is just a forgiven sinner who tries hard to be Christian. All Souls Day is a little different. On this day we include everyone who has died in our prayers. Paragraph 1032 of the Catechism of the Catholic Church states, “From the beginning the Church has honored the memory of the dead and offered prayers in suffrage for them, above all the Eucharistic sacrifice, so that, thus purified, they may attain the beatific vision of God.” Prayers for the dead are for their purification and attainment of eternal life. It’s important to keep praying for those who have died.


VETERANS DAY. Thursday, November 11th is Veterans Day. Let us remember in thanksgiving and prayer all those who served to defend our freedom. Let us pray for those who died and for those who were wounded, especially those in veteran’s hospitals. Let us also remember those who are currently serving our country wherever they may be, that they may come home to us safe and sound. I once saw a bumper sticker I liked, which said, “If you like your freedom, thank a veteran.”



LIKE ALL THE OTHERS


Many of you know Charles de Gaulle as the famous French WWII soldier, statesman, author. What you probably did not know was that Charles and Evonne deGaulle were the parents of a very mentally handicapped child. She was a treasure and a great concern to them both. No matter how bad things were in France, Charles would always make time for he and his Evonne to have time with their daughter. Almost every night after they had put her to bed, Evonne would ask, "Charles, why couldn't she have been like the others?"


As predicted, the little girl died in her youth. There was a private graveside service. After the priest had pronounced the benediction, everyone began to leave, everyone except Evonne. Charles went back to her and said, "Come, Evonne. Did you not hear the blessing of the priest? Now she is like all the others."


That is the promise and the power of resurrection!


Brett Blair, www.eSermons.com, adapted from unknown source.


PRAY FOR OUR NATION. I received an email a few weeks ago asking everyone to pray for our nation. I couldn’t agree more. We need to pray every day for the welfare of our nation. When we pray, I think the most important prayer we can make is for our country to turn back to our origins and roots, and become again a nation based on religious values. People fleeing from religious persecution and seeking religious freedom originally settled the New World. The Founding Father’s based the new country on religious principles. Freedom of religion in our Constitution meant that every one was free to worship as each person saw fit. I think we have lost our way. Freedom of religion has, in recent decades, been reinterpreted as freedom from religion. We may be a country founded on religious values, but how often do we live by these values? Let us pray that our God and our faith play a prominent role in our society as well as in our lives.


HAPPY THANKSGIVING!!!


I was in the barbershop the other day, waiting my turn, when the guy in the chair said he had gotten a cheap fare on his airline for vacation, and then complained about a $25 bag fee. I told him he should be thankful and grateful that he can afford to take his family on vacation. Many people can’t do that nowadays. Thanksgiving reminds us to be thankful and grateful for the ways God has blessed us in our lives. While we have problems (well, who doesn’t?), we are also blessed in many ways. If you spend time counting your blessings, you won’t have time to dwell on your problems. Wherever you go for Thanksgiving, I hope it is a time of grace and peace. Here is a prayer service you can use at Thanksgiving dinner, followed by a little fun poem for you about thanksgiving.


THANKSGIVING TABLE BLESSING
(From Catholic Household Blessings and Prayers, revised edition, pp. 178-179)


Leader: God has filled us with every good thing.
Response: Blessed be the name of the Lord.


Have someone read Colossians 3:12-17


After a time of silence, the leader prays:


Lord, we thank you
for the goodness of our people
and for the spirit of justice
that fills this nation.
We thank you for the beauty and fullness of the land
and the challenge of the cities.
We thank you for our work and our rest,
for one another, and for our homes.
We thank you Lord:


(Have those gathered at table offer a prayer of thanksgiving.)


(The leader continues):


For all that we have spoken
and for all that we keep in our hearts,
accept our thanksgiving today.
Keep us ever mindful of those who lack the necessities of life
and make us generous in sharing all that we have.
We pray and give thanks through Jesus Christ our Lord.


(All make the sign of the cross as the leader concludes):


May God bless the food and friendship that we share
and fill our hearts with gratitude and generous love.
Response: Amen.



TWAS THE NIGHT OF THANKSGIVING,
BUT I JUST COULDN'T SLEEP.
I TRIED COUNTING BACKWARDS,
I TRIED COUNTING SHEEP.


THE LEFTOVERS BECKONED -
THE DARK MEAT AND WHITE,
BUT I FOUGHT THE TEMPTATION
WITH ALL OF MY MIGHT.


TOSSING AND TURNING WITH ANTICIPATION,
THE THOUGHT OF A SNACK BECAME INFATUATION.
SO, I RACED TO THE KITCHEN, FLUNG OPEN THE DOOR,
AND GAZED AT THE FRIDGE, FULL OF GOODIES GALORE.


GOBBLED UP TURKEY AND BUTTERED POTATOES,
PICKLES AND CARROTS, BEANS AND TOMATOES.
I FELT MYSELF SWELLING SO PLUMP AND SO ROUND,
'TIL ALL OF A SUDDEN, I ROSE OFF THE GROUND.



I CRASHED THROUGH THE CEILING, FLOATING INTO THE SKY,
WITH A MOUTHFUL OF PUDDING AND A HANDFUL OF PIE.
BUT, I MANAGED TO YELL AS I SOARED PAST THE TREES.....
HAPPY EATING TO ALL - PASS THE CRANBERRIES, PLEASE.


MAY YOUR STUFFING BE TASTY,
MAY YOUR TURKEY BE PLUMP.
MAY YOUR POTATOES 'N GRAVY HAVE NARY A LUMP.
MAY YOUR YAMS BE DELICIOUS.
MAY YOUR PIES TAKE THE PRIZE,
MAY YOUR THANKSGIVING DINNER STAY OFF OF YOUR THIGHS!!


HAPPY THANKSGIVING TO ALL



LINCOLN PARK FOOD BANK. As you know by now, the Lincoln Park Food Pantry is looking for a new director. Pat Gray, who has been directing the program for over 25 years, is stepping down at the end of the year. This job would be coordinating the program to assist over 60 families in town and would necessitate the person to have free time during working hours. I had a set up a meeting with the mayor for anyone who was interested but I had to cancel it due to a funeral and it has not been rescheduled. Since I am going to be away on vacation shortly, I would ask that anyone interested should contact the mayors office at (973) 694-6100, X 2020 or 2021. Pat Gray has volunteered to train her replacement. It is a great ministry and I encourage someone from our church to step up and fill this role.




KNIGHTS OF COLUMBUS HAPPENINGS



The Knights of Columbus will be holding their annual Frankie Canta and the Dreamakers oldies dance on Saturday, November 20 in Halloran Hall from 7-11 pm. The cost is $10 per person and includes beer, soda, coffee, cookies and great music. Come join us for a fun night! For tickets call Rich Williams @ 973.696.7090



“PROTECTING GOD’S CHILDREN”



The Paterson Diocesan sponsored program “Protecting God’s Children” was created to create a safe environment for children and young people through education and accountability. Here at SJP we will be holding a “Protecting God’s Children’s” seminar for anyone who has regular contact with children (i.e. CCD teachers). The program will be held on Wednesday, November 17 at 7 pm in Halloran Hall. For more information or to register please call Sr. Ellen at 973.696.4411, x17. Everyone is welcome.



THANKSGIVING FOOD DRIVE



As we prepare to give thanks to God for all the blessings in our own lives, let us remember those in need, especially this year when times are so difficult for so many. The parish Thanksgiving Food Collection will begin on Sunday, November 7. Turkeys may be brought to Halloran Hall and put in the freezer in the kitchen. Canned hams would also be appreciated. Other food items needed are: stuffing, instant mashed potatoes, cranberry sauce, gravy, canned juices, cereals, dinner rolls, canned fruit, canned vegetables, tuna, peanut butter, jelly and soup. Non-perishable items may be left in the back of church anytime. Thank you in advance for your generosity.

Halloran Hall will be open November 7th to November 21st between 9 am and 4 pm for drop offs



RALLY FOR MIKE”: Mike Hoskins, a parishioner, is suffering from cancer and a fundraising event has been organized to help offset medical expenses. This event will take place on November 21 from 2-6 pm at the LP American Legion. Fun activities for all: dance the afternoon away with DJ and Zumba instructors, food, drink and good time! Cost: $40/pp, $75/couple, $25/young adult 16 & over. To purchase advance tickets or to make a donation, please contact Angela Marino at 973.696.1861 or salvo10679@hotmail.com. Tickets are limited to the first 200 people. Let’s all come together and “rally for Mike!”



MASS INTENTION BOOK


The 2011 Mass Intention book is now open. If you’d like to reserve an intention for next year, please call or stop by the office. The suggested stipend for the Mass intentions will remain $10. A word of warning, 5:30 pm Mass on Saturdays is the most popular mass so if you’d like to reserve a date on a Saturday, please allow at least 4 months notice.



Confirmation class. Welcome back to another year! We have a small snag in our November schedule and will be postponing our first class until November 14,2010. Class for next Sunday, 11/7 has been postponed until the following Sunday 11/14. We will still meet at 7pm until 9pm. Thank you for your cooperation and see you then! Ken and Jen Shirkey.




GOD THE DIVER


C.S. Lewis has this really helpful illustration. He says that in the incarnation, Jesus was like a diver. He is God in heaven looking down into this dark, slimy, murky water. That's our sinful, polluted world. God dives in, He gets himself wet. And then God came up again, dripping, but holding the precious thing he went down to recover. That precious thing was Zacchaeus, and you and me. All those sinners who have trusted in Christ. That's how we get out of the slime of tax collecting, or cheating, or lusting, or hating, or whatever other self-destructive sin we are buried in. God in Christ descended down into the slime and rescued us. Resolutions and vows to be better won't help by themselves. We don't have the power to keep them. We are stuck on the sea bottom. We have no power of our own to get up or out. All we can do is cry out for God's grace to lift us up, to rescue us.



Raymond Cannata, A Surprising Resolution




May God bless all of you abundantly.






Fr. Phil

BIBLE STUDY #19
THIRTY SECOND SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME
NOVEMBER 7, 2010

 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."


The Gospel of the Lord


Reading 1 2Mc 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.

The Word of the Lord


Reflection


The Sadducees were from the priestly class that also included many prominent laymen. They only accepted the Torah (or Pentateuch, the first 5 books of the bible) as being authentic and revealed by God. Consequently, they did not believe in the idea of resurrection.


In this confrontation with Jesus, the Sadducees are not trying to learn from Jesus but to use scripture to show him up to be a fraud so others wouldn’t believe in him.


The law they refer to is the levirate marriage law as stipulated by Moses in Dt 25:5 and Gen 38:8. When a husband died without leaving children, his brother was required to take the wife and beget children who would receive his brother’s name and inheritance. In an era of high infant mortality and to keep the community populated, a law like this was necessary. It also would have been extremely difficult for a family without a father because there was no way they could support themselves.


The Sadducees propose a case of utter silliness to show that the idea of resurrection is ridiculous. A man dies, and each of his brothers in turn tries to beget children to no avail. Now they want to know whose wife is she in eternal life? They think they have Jesus with this one, because they are convinced of their correctness.


Jesus response tells us that there are two ages. The first is the age of human history. The levirate marriage law is necessary to keep up the human population and for the preservation of the community. This is the age in which men and women live and act according to the condition of human existence.


The second age follows the end of history when all are resurrected and it is a different mode of existence. This existence is comparable to that of angels where people won’t marry, they don’t die, so these two ages are distinct and mutually exclusive. What applies in one age does not apply in the other. Therefore, the problem of whom the wife would be married to is irrelevant.


Jesus then goes on to show the reality of the resurrection to the Sadducees by using their great figure of Moses. Since Moses comes from the Torah, Jesus is using the Sadducees own beliefs to show that resurrection exists. When Moses met God at the burning bush, he refers to God as the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob; since God is the God of the living and not the dead, they must have been brought back to life. As it says in the last sentence of the gospel, “for to him (God) all are alive." They are not resuscitated, that is brought back to their former way of life, nor is the resurrection some time in the future. They are currently alive in a different mode of existence.


Although the Sadducees didn’t believe in resurrection, some Jews did, as early as 2 centuries before Jesus. In the first reading from 2Maccabees, 7 brothers and their mother are arrested and tortured to try and make them eat pork. Each one in turn refused, and all died horribly, with their mother being the last to be tortured and killed.


What would motivate them to do this? If there were no resurrection, why would they bother? If all were blackness and nothingness after death, why not just give in and eat pork? The answer comes in verse 9: “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.”


They believed that if they remained faithful, even through great pain, that God who would raise them to eternal life would reward them. We as Christians have that same evidence with the many martyrs in our tradition.


To me, with resurrection, the world makes sense. Resurrection is a great sign of hope for us. It tells us that we have a God who is intimately and personally involved in each and every life, who cares for us and tells us the best way to live through the teachings of Jesus Christ His Son, a Son that died to take away our sins and offer us new life in this age and eternal life in the age to come, and who sends His Holy Spirit to guide and strengthen us along the way to be the best disciples along the way.


Imagine what the world would be like if every one tried to live as Jesus taught. Imagine if every one forgave those who hurt them; if we asked for forgiveness when we hurt someone else; if we sacrificed for the good of others; if we all shared what we had with those in need; if we were always kind and never talked behind someone’s back or tried to slander them; if we respected everyone’s property; if we could eliminate prejudice in all it’s forms; if we could recognize all people as God’s children, treating them with love as God does; if everyone were honest; and if we were more concerned about the welfare of others than ourselves, to mention a few things.


The resurrection tells us that if we all lived like this, there is the possibility of a better life and a better world. If we all lived a resurrected life our streets would be safe; our children would have good schools; our court backlog could be reduced; we could have fair laws, honest politicians, and good judges; we could trust people, and our lives in general would be greatly enhanced and improved.


We need to acknowledge a God who gives us his word in scripture so we know how to live our lives and organize our society. I believe that scripture is God’s “owners manual.” To learn how to operate a new car, we should read the owner’s manual. To learn how to operate our lives, we should read the bible. In the bible God tells us the best way to live, and if we organize our lives and our society around these principles, we will have the best lives and the best society.


All of this is the reason why resurrection is necessary and essential for our survival. God is systematically being eliminated from our society and public life in recent decades. Faith and religion is in the private sphere and is only an opinion. What happens when we eliminate God? Look at it this way. Darkness doesn’t exist by itself, but is the measure of light, specifically the lack of light. When a room is totally dark, or pitch black, as we would say, there is no light at all. Neither does cold exist by itself; it is the absence of heat. What takes the place of God as God is eliminated in our lives? The absence of God is evil, which doesn’t exist by itself, but is the lack of God in our hearts and lives.


On one hand, we have made great strides in improving our society, such as in women’s rights and the rights of minorities and I believe God inspires these changes; certainly Dr Martin Luther king was a man of great faith working for improvement in the lives of African Americans.


But on the other hand, as we eliminate God more and more from our society and lives, when God becomes only an option and not a necessity, when faith is private and not public, we end up with evil, such as abortion on demand, euthanasia, unsafe streets, rampant drugs, pornography, predators, an increase in poverty, theft of our identity, belongings, and even our health and lives, just to mention a few things.


If there is no resurrection (and therefore no God) how do we organize our lives? Who determines what is just and right?


This is why it is important to keep religion and faith as a viable part of our societal sphere. I am not advocating that we should all be one religion, but that we should all believe and practice a faith to which God call us. While religions are wildly divergent on matters of theology and worship, we have a common consensus on matters of morality. All the virtues listed previously could come from any faith tradition, and even from the natural law, the law that God places in our hearts.


Without the resurrection, life is hopeless: there is nothing permanent and viable for all time on which to base our laws, regulate our lives, or build our society except the lowest common denominator, the most popular opinions, and the loudest voices. If death is the end, why follow any law, except to avoid jail? Why not take advantage of people and events if there are no eternal consequences? Don’t good guys finish last? Why not think of number 1 first? Why not get away with whatever I can?


I choose not to live like that because that is no way to live. I choose Christ regardless of the cost because that is the way to live. Christ shows me the way to a better life and the Holy Spirit guides me and gives me the strength to live that life. Since Christ paid the price for my sins, I can ask and receive forgiveness for any sin I commit, no matter how bad it is, knowing that I’ll be forgiven. As long as I try my best (and what else can God ask of me?) I know that some day I will participate in the resurrection.


Can anyone tell me a better way to peace, happiness, and meaning in this life, as well as the reward of eternal life? I’m all ears.



Fr. Phil