32^ND Sunday ORDINARY TIME

Dear Parishioners, 

The three scripture reading today dealt with the mystery of eternal life in different ways. Jesus has promised us eternal life with him. We accept His words, but we do not understand their full meaning. I believe our human minds and vocabulary are not able to comprehend the mystery of our belief in the Resurrection. We only have a limited understanding, and yet we have complete faith in Jesus’ promise of eternal life with him in heaven.

We see in the Gospel, that Jesus had to contend with many different people and differing opinions in his ministry. Who were the Sadducees who posed the question to him, about the idea of the resurrection? It is worth knowing how influential the Sadducees were in the political and religious life in the Jewish religion. They found a select party, drawing their members mainly from the well-to-do class, the higher officials, wealthy merchants, landowners and priests in the Temple. They emerged in the 2^nd Century B.C. during the Maccabean priests-kings, when the nation was divided over the attitude to foreign culture and influence. The Sadducees were tolerant of Greek culture and ideas, and it was from their party that the statesmen and diplomats were chosen. At the time of Jesus, they accepted Roman rule in exchange for retaining their power and influence over the Temple and Supreme Council. They were adept at political compromise and so many opponents regarded them as traitors. Caiaphas, the high priest at the arrest of Jesus was a committed Sadducee.

Unlike the Pharisees, they accepted as scripture only the written Law of Moses and rejected the authority of oral tradition. As wealthy aristocrats, they did not look to a liberating Messiah and a belief in the resurrection of the Lord. Their understanding was that all people, good and bad, went into a shadowy world of Sheol after their death. This convenient belief let them enjoy the present, without worry about the afterlife.

So to discredit and confuse Jesus, they present the question of the seven brothers and draw up the Law of Moses (Deuteronomy 25:5) Jesus then states clearly that there is no comparison between human life, shared by all, and the resurrection, shared by those who are children of God. Jesus makes a distinction between two ages – the here and now and life and death. In the resurrection, we are all children of God; we are sons and daughters of God and are simple members of God’s family. We are in a new relationship with one another as all God’s children in one family.

I hope you can make sense of these ideas. Reflect carefully on these words and ideas during this month of November. As we pray for all our departed family and friends; let us contemplate on our own mortality. By doing this we are put in touch with that other life after death. The seeds of hope have been planted in our minds and hearts. This exercise need not bear fearful or negative experience. Thinking about death can result in a true love of life. When we are familiar with death, we accept each day as a gift. When we accept life bit by bit like this, it becomes very precious.

Have a lovely week 

Fr Joe