Saturday, November 23, 2013. 

Today's Liturgical Reading by Daily Flash, Goa. 

Feast of St. Clement I, St. Columban. 

1 Maccabees 6:1-13; Psalm 9:2-4, 6, 16, 19; Gospel : Luke 20:27-40. [Please share today's Gospel with family, friends/neighbors.]

Focus:  “Indeed they cannot die anymore, because they are like angels” (Luke 20:36)

The Hindi movie Paa tells the touching tale of a young boy who ages prematurely and then dies. It brings into sharp focus the frailty of the human body, and how short life as we know it can be. Yet as Christians we believe that our earthly bodies – often the cause of much suffering, illness and misery – will surely receive glorious new bodies that will never fall ill, grow old or decay (Focus).

Like the Sadducees in today’s Gospel, many are skeptical about life after death (Luke 20:27), even contending that Christ’s resurrection is only a quaint myth. However, we Christians know that the resurrection was real – it signifies Christ’s triumph over sickness and death. We have a living hope in Jesus. We know that “He is God not of the dead, but of the living” (Luke 20:38). He reveals that it is the Father’s good pleasure to give us the kingdom (Luke 12:32). He tells us about a new life after death. He also invites us to do whatever it takes to attain it.

Christ’s death and resurrection obtained forgiveness for our sins. He ensured forever that life’s sorrows and shattered dreams are not final. All we need to do is repent.

Fruit:  Let us strive to overcome our earthly limitations by Godly conduct so that we may inherit and share perfect communion with God forever.