“He is the God of the living, not of the dead, for to him all are alive.” (Lk 20:38)

“He is the God of the living, not of the dead, for to him all are alive.” (Lk 20:38)

Today’s Passage: Lk 20:27-40  

Meditation: Before going into the meaning of today’s meditation verse, it is good that we have some background of it. Verses 19 and 20 rightly say about the teachers of the law; who they are and what they have in their minds. It is because of this dual mind set, Jesus reproached them of their hypocrisy. However, they had good qualities too; they always stood with the traditions and the structure. If at all with some importance to the externals, they always stood faithfully with the law and traditions.  We know for sure from history that it is only the Pharisees who could resist the roman domination and continue to exist.

 

Now see the Sadducee, they are the priestly class and are here only to test Jesus. They are considered as the custodians of the heavenly things but speak as if they are of the children of the dead. They always stood with the political authority in power and felt security in their life. They were not enjoying the protection and help from the living God. The net result of this is what we know from the Jewish history that they were fully buried in the pages of history; they do not even exist now.

Jesus says, “He is the God of the living, not of the dead, for to him all are alive.” (Lk 20:38) All are alive for the living God. I do believe that it is not only about the life after death or resurrection, but of the life right now here on earth; it is for you and me. If we lead a life of the dead with regard to faith, heavenly things, and life after death, etc., we are away from the living God. We will be like the Sadducee who always sought the safer side with the authority of this world.

How is our life as a faithful? Is it just like the hypocritical life of Solomon “who loved the Lord, and obeyed the statutes of his father David; yet he offered sacrifice and burned incense on the high places?” (1Kg 3:3) Then, either we are dead or we do not believe in the living God. Like Sadducee, we also will be buried in the pages of history without anything to hand over. Therefore, let us pray with the Psalter, “Some rely on chariots, others on horses, but we on the name of the Lord our God.” (Ps 21:8)

        

Prayer: Lord God, we thank you and praise you for your daily eternal bread. Help us today to examine ourselves and lead a genuine Christian life. Sometimes, we also are like Sadducee who lived a life of hypocrisy. Give us the grace to live for Jesus and witness to Jesus in and around us. We ask this through Christ our Lord. Amen! 

                

Greetings: God is with you! Have a nice and blissful Saturday…