32nd Sunday in Ordinary Time: Heaven: The Journey’s End

10-30-2022Weekly ReflectionFr. Bing Colasito

Lk 20:27-38

Whom are these Sadducees the Gospel mentions today? The Sadducees were the priestly aristocrats centered in Jerusalem. They accepted as scripture only the first five books of the Old Testament, followed only the letter of the law, rejected the oral legal traditions, and were opposed to teachings not found in the Pentateuch, such as the resurrection of the dead. The Sadducees, often confused with the Pharisees, originated in the 2nd century BC. The main difference is Pharisees’ trademark strict adherence to the Torah, or the Law of Moses, which includes the written and oral traditions. The scribes and the expert of the law predominantly belong to this group.

What is the basis of the Sadducees’ rejection of the resurrection? The teaching of Moses (Deut. 25: 5-6) commanded in the Levirate Law; that a brother of a man who dies leaving a wife without an heir should marry the widow to raise a descendant for the former. Citing this law and with malicious intent, some Sadducees intend to entrap Jesus. In the test case they submitted to Jesus, the seven (7) brothers marry the widow successively without no heirs; with all the brothers and the widow eventually dying, the trick question is: Whose wife should she be in the next life? They believe that the chaotic marriage situation after the death of all parties makes the resurrection absurd; thus, it is wrong and unacceptable.

Jesus answers in two parts. First, the afterlife is not what they understand it would be. Because in the afterlife, people will no longer marry. What is the intention of the law? The Levirate law cited by the Sadducees intends to protect the widow and assures that the deceased name lives forever. However, in the resurrection from the dead, people will be like angels and not experience death. Thus, human relationships no longer exist, for only a rela-tionship with God is necessary. They are now children of God, children of the resurrection. Second, Jesus points out the experience of Moses at the burning bush; God revealed Himself as the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob (Ex. 3: 6, 15, 16). So, the patriarchs, although dead for centuries before Moses yet, Yahweh sees as living. He is the God of the living and not the dead. Thus, after this last encounter that silenced the Sadducees, the Jewish authorities no longer dared to ask Him questions but instead resolved to stop or kill Him.

How do we describe heaven? The best way to describe heaven is by using human categories or earthly images, inadequate though they are. Anger and wrath open the gates of hell; just as the opposite, peace, understanding, mercy, and compassion; open the gates of heaven.

  1. What gives us the greatest joy; the sight of the wonders of nature (Grand Canyon, Niagara Falls, Rocky Mountains, and Yosemite Park), or the finest work of art, the height of human friendship and love, all of these - only - HEAVEN will be far better.
  2. In life, while there are moments of joy here & now: lasting joy, beauty, goodness, and blissful wisdom and TRUTH shall only be in heaven.
  3. In life, while we make pilgrimages tracing the footsteps of our Lord Jesus in Jerusalem or the Holy Land, KNOW - that in the real PILGRIMAGE of LIFE, HEAVEN is our journey’s end.
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