Sunday November 6, 2022

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DISCOVER TODAY: We live as true children of God when we love our brothers and sisters the way He loves them.

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Good News Reflection for:

32nd Sunday in Ordinary Time
November 6, 2022

Today’s Prayer:

Lord, help me to understand that we have been created for You and that our path on this earth is just the beginning of the path to eternity. Amen.

Subscribe to Today’s Saint Quote & Prayer:
gnm.org/SaintQuotes/

Today’s Readings:

2 Maccabees 7:1-2, 9-14
Ps 17:1, 5-6, 8, 15
2 Thessalonians 2:16–3:5
Luke 20:27-38
bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/110622.cfm
USCCB Podcast of the Readings:
bible.usccb.org/podcasts/audio/2022-11-06-usccb-daily-mass-readings

Why is there no marriage in heaven?

Do you believe in the resurrection? That’s the question that Jesus indirectly poses when he challenges the Sadducees in this Sunday’s Gospel reading.

As Christians, we believe that someday we will experience a resurrection like Christ’s after we depart from this present earthly “age” or stage of life. All believers who follow Jesus will live as the angels do. This is why Catholic funeral Masses are Resurrection Masses and use white instead of black as the liturgical color.

But do you believe in the resurrection of love? Jesus explained the resurrection in terms of marriage. A marriage is supposed to be a reflection of God’s radical love for his people. Marriage is supposed to unite a man and a woman in an enduring love that is the very presence of God. It gives witness to the world that God’s faithfulness and commitment to us is real.

So why would Jesus say that marriage is not a part of the resurrection of the dead? Why won’t today’s marriages become perfect and continue forever after both husband and wife have entered heaven?

Here on earth, love is imperfectly given and imperfectly received. Therefore, it’s constantly dying and being resurrected again, every day, to the extent that each spouse repents and forgives. (The same is true of any friendship.)

Perfect love is God. We live as true children of God when we love our brothers and sisters the way he loves them. Marriage does not exist in heaven because it’s an imperfect love: We love our spouses more than we love others. In heaven, we will love our spouses fully (yes, even our ex-spouses!) and we will love everyone else just as much. And those who have loved us poorly will love us better than the best spouse could love us now.

Marriage is only an earthly foreshadowing of the divine, faithful, creative love that we will share with everyone in heaven.

Questions for Personal Reflection:
Who has failed to love you enough? Who has caused you pain? How would you feel if that person were to greet you at the entrance of heaven at the moment of your death? Do you have enough love for that person to get you through the door?

Questions for Family & Community Faith Sharing:
How is a marriage like God’s love? Describe the ways that God loves us, and relate these signs of true love to what you’ve experienced in good friendships. How is this a foretaste of heaven?

© 2022 by Terry A. Modica

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